PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Left, Tom Lupusznick of Middletown reaches to haul in a touchdown pass for American Mortgage Source. Below, Rumson’s Jim Hiles runs the ball for the International Planning Alliance team during the annual Turkey Bowl held at Sickles Field in Little Silver Nov. 29.
They may have devoured full-course Thanksgiving dinners, but participants in the 2003 Turkey Bowl Saturday showed no signs of being slowed down by holiday feasting.
The annual charity touch football tourney held at Sickles’ Field in Little Silver drew an enthusiastic crowd of spectators to cheer on 12 competing teams of locals, including members of Red Bank’s Police Department, which won the finals.
A fund-raiser for Jason’s Dreams for Kids, the Turkey Bowl raised close to $20,000 to support the organization’s holiday outreach to sick and needy children and their families.
Each of the 15 participants per team paid $50 to play five games and the chance to advance to the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
Red Bank’s finest defeated a team sponsored by Sloan & Co., New York, to win bragging rights to the Waterford vase that is the Turkey Bowl trophy.
Team sponsors included International Planning Alliance, American Mortgage Source, 2 Senza Restaurant, and the law firms of John Marshall and Mandelbaum & Salsburg, all Red Bank; the Fair Haven Fire Department; Bike Haven, Fair Haven; REI Group, Asbury Park; Sloan & Co., New York; Zeek’s Tees, Middletown; Washington Mutual; and Senior Re-sources, Wall.
According to Dennis McGinnis, founder of Jason’s Dreams for Kids, a toy drive also is under way, and donations of new toys can be dropped off at McGinnis Printing, 20 Monmouth St., Red Bank.
— Gloria Stravelli
Mike Cerchio of Middletown grabs a pass and heads down field for the American Mortgage Source team at the annual Turkey Bowl. Proceeds of the event support the holiday outreach program, Jason’s Dreams for Kids, Red Bank.