Tournament raises funds for Chained Eagles projects
A total of 48 teams competed in a pool tournament at EZ Tavern Saturday to benefit the locally-based prisoner of war/ missing in action organization Chained Eagles of Ohio.
By using eight pool tables, organizers were able to keep the tournament moving throughout the evening. The Chained Eagles’ goal was to raise at least $2000. Organization President Bill Ream confirmed they were able to meet that goal.
The Chained Eagles are especially known for their POW/MIA Remembrance Wall. The wall is popular locally in August and September as festival season is in full swing. Ream said they have gotten more media attention and attended more car shows over the past year as they were one of the few types of events that weren’t being cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Once we forget (the POWS/MIAS) they are gone. We are taking that wall to all the events that we possibly can. There’s 134 brothers that didn’t come home from Vietnam; five of them are still missing,” Ream said.
Organization members also work with Task Force Omega, an organization dedicated to finding MIA and POWS.
Brook Hildebrand of Ansonia competed in a team with Corey Wireman. His brother Steve, who served in the U.S. Army, was also competing.
“I’m here because my grandpa serves, my brother serves, I have friends that serve. I’d want somebody to do that for me. If something were to happen to him when he was over there, they would have helped do whatever they had to do,” Hildebrand said of the Chained Eagles organization.
Hildebrand is also an avid pool player and said at times the pool hall hustle was a main source of income for him.
Zander Block, a 9-year-old competitor from Lima, has been playing competitively for about three years hoped to do well in the tournament. His father, Steve Block, also an avid pool player said it was sometimes hard to find tournaments that allowed Zander to compete because of his age.
Teddy Ivy and Chris Clary won the overall tournament. Jackie Mason and Chad Overs placed second, while Chris Auntles and Dusty Fouts took third.