FLORENCE: Pool tourney yields $1,000-plus for the needy

By Amber Cox
   FLORENCE — About 50 pool players gathered for a good cause Saturday to help raise more than $1,000 for people in need.
   The 23rd annual Rene Seick Memorial Fund held a pool tournament at the Opre Larson VFW Post 8838 to raise more money. Over the years the fund has raised $101,000.
   Fund founder Cosmo Diaz, 66, of Mount Holly, said the fund began when Ms. Seick and he decided to hold a pool tournament to help their friend T.J., a paraplegic, raise money to run in the Boston Marathon. Plans for the tournament began in November of 1984 and Mr. Diaz and Ms. Seick began taking notes and planning out the event, they hoped to hold after the holidays.
   ”Rene was killed a month later, on Christmas Eve, in a car accident on Route 38 in Mount Holly,” Mr. Diaz said. “Me, Mary and Leon Clebenger decided to still hold the event and named the fund in Rene’s honor.”
   Ms. Seick was 4 years old when she was badly burned in a fire caused by lighter fluid. Mr. Diaz said she didn’t let her disfigurement get her down and later went to work with the county.
   ”We want to help those people that need it,” Mr. Diaz said. “We’ve helped people without insurance, helped supply groceries to families in need and we’ve even helped an ex-military serviceman who lost his leg.”
   Mr. Diaz said the fund is going to start making it a priority to help servicemen and women.
   ”Everyone is a winner at these tournaments,” Mr. Diaz said. “We had a low turnout on Saturday but we’re on our way to regrouping to get the fund going again.”
   Mr. Diaz said the group has plans to make the fun statewide. The event went strong for 21 years until Mr. Diaz had to have open heart surgery in 2005. After recuperating he made sure to get the fund going again last year.
   ”I want to make the fund better,” he said. “We have a group of people that are willing to help and it takes a group, a big group.”
   Another event is in the planning stages for November, he said.
   Nick Comstock won both the men’s 8- and 9-ball competition along with the Scotch Doubles. Chris Miller took second place in the men’s 9-ball competition and Aaron Smith took second in the 8-ball. Megan Fort won the women’s 8-ball and came in second for the Scotch Doubles.
   Mr. Diaz said everyone at the competition was very laid back and were more focused on raising money for the fund.
   ”Even the kids had a good time,” he said.