Bocce brought a big crowd together Monday night for a local charitable foundation. There's nothing like a little healthy competition to get the ball rolling to support a good cause.
"One thing about this event is everyone comes together for it, it's during YSU's homecoming, so it's a great way to show the community that we're all involved and we're all here to scratch each others back," said Tony Spano, Executive Director of the Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley.
Each year the "Games of Hope" are aimed at raising money to provide support for terminally and or chronically ill children. The best and worst bocce players of the Valley came together at the MVR restaurant in Youngstown to raise money for the cause. Thirteen teams to be exact, the biggest turnout to date!
"We're called The Crew. Our team is made up of teachers from local areas and we just feel as teachers to support the community because the community supports us so much as teachers, we feel that we need to go out and support the community also," said bocce player, Andrew Scarmack.
"Our team is, well, we try hard. We are going to try very very hard. Can't promise a victory, but we'll do our best. This year we hope to raise over $2,000 so we hope to get that between donations, registration fees and tips from bartenders," said State Senator Joe Schiavoni (D-33rd District).
The night also included some special prizes. The team that survives throughout the bracket gets four tickets to the Steelers/Browns game in January. Volunteers of all ages were also pitching in.
"I met a new best friend tonight who is ten years old who's helping out and I met people that are over 80 here that are helping out. It's an organization that stays here in the Valley and you don't find a lot of that," said Judge Diane Vettori, Mahoning County Court.
Spano plans the "games of hope" early each year and says he wants to make the "Bocce game of Hope" even better in the future.
"Every year we're adding to it and we hope to one day make it an all day event," Spano said.
