01/12/2022

Cornhole Tournament Raises $3,000 for Wentworth-Douglass Hospital

Hundreds of cornhole enthusiasts gathered at Hilltop Fun Center in Somersworth on September 11th for the King of the Hilltop Cornhole Throwdown, held by New England Sports Hub. The event honored first responders and raised funds to support Wentworth-Douglass Hospital’s Lawson Family Mobile EMS Simulation Center. Support was also raised for service dogs and local sports organizations.

Hosted by Hilltop Fun Center, the King of the Hilltop Cornhole Throwdown was put on by New England Sports Hub. The family-friendly event welcomed cornhole players of all skill levels and was held on the site of Hilltop’s future 135,000 square foot sports dome. 

“From the get-go, the Sports Hub team pledged to donate all registration proceeds to the local teams and organizations that helped us drive participation,” said Craig Riotto, Principal of New England Sports Hub. “Since the event was set to take place on 9/11, we also wanted to both honor and give back to first responders. That’s when Wentworth-Douglass Charitable Foundation raised its hand and told us about their mobile simulation center. It was a perfect fit.”

The Lawson Family Mobile EMS Simulation Center provides state-of-the-art, real-time training directly to EMS responders and Fire and Rescue personnel in the field, that is both cost-effective and community based.
 
“Our mobile EMS simulation center has been an invaluable community partnership between Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and emergency first responders from Dover, Durham and surrounding Fire and Rescue teams,” says Brian Nicholson, Emergency Services Coordinator. “The training provided mimics emergency situations they see in the field that provide immediate critical care to patients in need.”

Emergency first responders receive continued education and are equipped with real-time training that saves lives and supports a healthy and strong community. Airway management, cardiac simulation, delivering a newborn and team training are some of the simulated training exercises that local providers have participated in. 

“We are grateful to New England Sports Hub and Hilltop Fun Center for hosting such a fun event that raised critical funds and increased awareness of the importance of well-trained first responders and the impact they have on the community,” says Jackie Eastwood, Chair, Foundation Board of Directors.  “The funds raised from the King of the Hilltop Cornhole Throwdown will support continued education and training with local fire and rescue departments which ultimately improves patients’ outcomes and the health of our community.”

Along with a competitive tournament format, the event featured barbecue, a gelato truck, a beer tent, vendors, and all the attractions of the Hilltop Fun Center. Over twenty local/regional businesses partnered with Sports Hub to sponsor the event, with Atlantic Broadband, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, and Bournival Jeep headlining the fields on event day.

(Pictured: Craig Riotto of New England Sports Hub presents Emily Moore of the Wentworth-Douglass Foundation, a $3,000 check from the King of the Hilltop Cornhole Tournament fundraiser. The event supported first responders and local Fire and Rescue. The Lawson Family Mobile EMS Simulation unit at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital provides real-time training and continued education.)