Cleveland Athletes Give Proceeds to NEOCH
By Kelly Burd
For Local Ultimate Frisbee players and NEOCH, June 17 and 18 marked the merging on a favorite sport and an important cause. After travelling across the nation for years to play in Ultimate tournaments, the athletes decided it was time to host a tournament locally. They named it No Surf in Cleveland after a popular song from the 1970’s and decided to invest the events to a worthwhile organization. Ultimate players Damon Taylor suggested they give their profits to NEOCH, where he had worked in 1996-97 as a VISTA staff member.
Ultimate is a two-team sport played on a field with end zones. The disc is passed forward among teammates, and unless intercepted by the other team or dropped, scores a point when someone catches it across the end zone. Although the playing fields were muddy and the weather perpetually wet, spirits were high as players laced up and began their games. By Sunday, the results were in: winners were SPPF, a woman’s team from Athens, Ohio, and Heartland, a men’s team with players from various Ohio towns.
NEOCH staff went to the tournament over the weekend to help set up the event and to provide literature and volunteer forms about our organization. “Within a week we should know how much we have collected for NEOCH,” says Russ Miller, a No Surf organizer and Ultimate player. “The tournament and the (following) party were great successes, and we see this event being an annual thrill for Cleveland Ultimate and all our attendees. And hopefully for NEOCH as well!”
Author’s note: Special thanks to those who made the No Surf Possible and have chosen to support NEOCH and its mission: Marc Anievas, Scott Crabtree, Catherine Goetsch, Ian Hoffman, Frank Kearney, Tom Keller, Susan Peine, Gene Rogers, Beth Salemi, Jim Szpak, Damon Taylor, Tami Thomas, Dave Vislocky, and the participants and supporters of Cleveland Ultimate Frisbee.
Copyright NEOCH and the Homeless Grapevine, Issue #43, July-August 2000