WRECking Crew Crowned 2021 Kickball Champs

WRECking Crew Crowned 2021 Kickball Champs
United Way Raises Over $12,000 for Childhood Literacy at Kickball Tournament

Spring Hill, FL – (March 30, 2021) – United Way of Hernando County hosted their 6th Annual "KICK" Start to Early Literacy Kickball Tournament at Anderson Snow Park on Saturday, March 27, 2021. Since 2016, local companies have battled it out in a friendly competition for the Ultimate Traveling Kickball Trophy. This year, COVID-19 safety precautions were implemented for the protection of the players, volunteers, vendors, and spectators. This included temperature checks at check-in, sanitation stations around the park, and providing masks for each dugout and vendor table.

Proceeds from this popular fundraising tournament benefit United Way’s Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL), which supports childhood literacy by sending enrolled Hernando children a free book in the mail every month, from birth to age 5. The community came together to raise over $12,000 for DPIL, which will allow United Way to provide 6,000 books to enrolled children to help build their personal library.

After a long morning of Hernando businesses vying for the Championship Trophy, the final matchup came down between Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative’s Team WRECking Crew and their Celebrity Coach Jeff Rogers, Hernando County Administrator and The Plumadore Group’s Team Kicking Balls & Taking Listings with their Celebrity Coach Doug Chorvat Jr., Clerk of Court & Comptroller. It was a close game, but in the end The WRECking Crew were crowned the victors and the 2021 Kickball Champions.

Thank you to the following businesses and their accompanying Celebrity Coaches (CC) who competed in this year’s event:

• Team "O'Berry's All Stars" from Publix at Seven Hills --> CC Allissa O'Berry, Publix #411
• Team "The Heat" from the HC Sheriff’s Office --> CC Sheriff Al Nienhuis, Hernando County Sheriff's Office
• Team "Average Joe's" from Publix at Mariner Commons --> CC Beth Narverud, Hernando County Commissioner
• Team "Dupuis Demolishers" from Publix Hernando West --> CC Billy & Kristie Healis, Walmart Dist. & HC County Judge
• Team "If You Ain't Amerifirst, You're Last" from Amerifirst Home Mortgage --> CC Blake Bell, Brooksville City Council
• Team "Champa Bay" from Timber Pines Community Association --> CC Chance Phillips, Beer Frog/Evom
• Team "Schwiftey Business" from Publix at Brooksville Square --> CC Chris Linsbeck, Hernando County Parks & Recreation
• Team "Eleven Ninety Great" from Publix at Glen Lakes --> CC Doug Chorvat, Clerk of Court
• Team "Oops! We Kicked It Again" from Publix Lakewood Plaza --> CC Dr. Eddie Williams, PHSC
• Team "The Done Dealers" from Publix Avalon --> CC Dr. Joanie Davis, Davis Family Hearing
• Team "Kicking Balls & Taking Listings" from The Plumadore Group --> CC Jeff Holcomb, Hernando County Commissioner
• Team "WRECking Crew" from Withlacoochie River Electric Coop. --> CC Jeff Rogers, County Administrator
• Team "World's Okayest Kickballers" from HC Schools --> CC Superintendent John Stratton, Hernando County School District
• Team "Barrette Knights" from Barrette Outdoor Living --> CC Josh McGuire, Texas Roadhouse
• Team "NO BASE LIKE HOME" from Century 21 Alliance Realty --> CC Marilyn Pearson Adams, Century 21 Alliance Realty
• Team "Pitches Be Crazy" from Publix at Barclay --> CC Marvelous Marvin, HITS 106

Returning for the popular Mascot Fun Run were Andy the Armadillo from Texas Roadhouse, Pikachu, Carey the Cow, and Tommy the T-Rex. They were joined by newcomers Teachable T-Rex from Mid Florida Community Services Head-Early Head Start, Pasco Hernando State College’s Boomer the Bobcat, Olaf from Terlep Chiropractic, and the Shark from Nature Coast Technical High School. It was a close race, but in the end Tommy the T-Rex was crowned victorious.

Congratulations to all of the raffle winners!

• Alex Killorn hat: John M.
• TreeUmph!: Kelly G.
• ZooTampa: Yamil F.
• Wonderworks: Celeb Coach Jeff R.
• Autographed Mike Evans football: Brandon S.
• Mascot Fun Run: Cindy

A special thank you to all of our sponsors who proudly supported this fundraising event:
Presenting Sponsor: Holmes Drafting Services – Grand Slam Champion

Field 1 Sponsor: Integrity Pest Control – Home Run Hero

Fields 2 & 3 Sponsor: PED-Stuart Corporation – Home Run Hero

Field 4 Sponsor: Terlep Chiropractic – Home Run Hero

Base Run Baller Sponsors: Carter Foreman PLLC, Cricket Wireless (Sun Com), Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, Rotary Club of Brooksville, Mid-Florida Community Services Head Start/Early Head Start, and Timber Pines Community Association/Scott Dienes Construction LLC.

Thank you to United Way’s Proud Partners at the Boys & Girls Club, Foundations of Life Pregnancy Center, Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, Mid-Florida Community Service’s Early Start and Head Start, NAMI Hernando, and People Helping People for providing local resources for families in attendance. LifeSouth Community Blood Center’s Blood Mobile encouraged spectators to donate blood and save a life, and Terlep Chiropractic offered a coupon for discounted services with proceeds donated back to DPIL.

With a high of 92 degrees on Saturday, United Way was fortunate to have BrainFreeze Italian Ice on site cooling off attendees with their delicious desserts, and Texas Roadhouse grilled hotdogs and hamburgers for the players, volunteers, and attendees. Mid Florida Community Services and Target sponsored a grab-and-go breakfast for players and volunteers.

PJ the DJ from The Arc Nature Coast provided upbeat music all day for the attendees, and everyone loved snapping a keepsake picture with the life-size cutout of Dolly Parton at the Foto Fun Booth. United Way would also like to thank National Anthem singer and Challenger K8 teacher Jonathan Kryk, Hernando County Parks and Recreation, and United Way of Hernando County volunteers, Board Members, and Kickball Planning Committee Members for generously donating their time, talents, and efforts to help make this event such a success.

2021 Kickball Champs: WRECking Crew from Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative

Celebrity Coach Jeff Rogers and Team David Gonzalez, Al Lemire, Zach Sorrentino, Jason Giddings,
Denine Sorrentino, Justin Owens, Rusty Lightbody, Justin Rubeo, Davd Moen, Taylor Scumaci,
Brittney Walker, Josh Velez, and Noah Torkelson.

For more information on available opportunities for community involvement, visit www.UnitedWayHernando.org/Kickball

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