They represented businesses like Primerica Financial, Silver Lining, White Cross Pharmacy and FBinsure. They paid $40 to register as a team or $25 for a single entry and later purchased raffle tickets for the chance to win some impressive prizes.
It was all part of a successful fundraiser put on Jennifer Burns, Christine Crum and Lisa Ferreira – who help senior citizens transition into elder care – despite a last-minute change to the venue being required.
Because there was a threat of rain on Sept. 12, the three women moved the second annual Cornhole Elimination Tournament from Anchor Bay Pocasset in Johnston to Gentry Moving & Storage in Cranston. In the end, they raised $1,400 for the nonprofit TLC4LTC, short for “Tender Loving Care for Long-Term Care.”
“This event helps patients and caregivers with the help and services they need,” said Mark Berg, who owns and operates Berg’s Eye Communications and was among the two-dozen participants in the tournament. “TLC4LTC’s intention is to provide joy and compassion to residents and staff of our skilled nursing facilities by fulfilling a special wishes and needs that they may have.”
The tournament – which began with refreshments and cocktails and was sponsored by The Bridge at Cherry Hill, Gentry Moving & Storage and Anchor Bay Pocasset – was held to inform as many business professionals as possible about TLC4LTC and its unique mission.
“The efforts of those who help senior citizens are a continuous demand,” said Burns, sales and community relations director at The Bridge at Cherry Hill. “Our group is proud to bring awareness to this topic, more work needs to be done.”
Burns, along with Crum and Lisa Ferreira, director of purchasing for Providence-based Health Concepts Inc., said: “Senior citizens are often a forgotten group, and for those people living in assisted living facilities, they may not have family close to them to come and visit or take time for lunch or some other activity. This group gives them some comfort and feeling wanted.”
Meanwhile, as Ferreira noted during the tournament, “TLC4LTC works to grant wishes to patients who are nearing the end stages of their lives. Their reach is statewide.”
Ferreira, who credits Pam Marchetti with spearheading the group, added: “We had one resident who wanted to attend a Boston Red Sox baseball game. We had one person get their life back together after a fire destroyed their home, and a third person received day care for their child after their mother passed away unexpectedly, and we’re working on a fourth.”
Marchetti started TLC4LTC after battling breast cancer. She was so impressed with the attention and care she received that she started the nonprofit to give back.
TLC4LTC held a wine tasting in the spring, and Burns said a Lip Sync Battle is being planned at Twin River from 5-10 p.m. on Nov. 7.
For more information or to volunteer, call Burns at 529-6854.
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