Randy Sams fundraiser to benefit rising clientele

TEXARKANA, Texas — Randy Sams Outreach Center will hold an invitational cornhole tournament next month in an effort to raise funds for its clients.

At 7 p.m. July 24 the Randy Sams Invitational will take place at the Crossties event venue. It will be a double-elimination tournament with individual trophies for the first three places.

Entry fee for a two-person team is $130 total and for two, two-person teams is $250. All proceeds will benefit the homeless services at Randy Sams.

“I’m personally super excited about it,” said Fundraising Committee Chair Larry Oxford. “We’ve had a lot of positive support so far. The majority of the people we’ve approached have been willing to step up and sponsor their teams. It should be a lot of fun.”

With the summer heat bearing down on citizens here, Randy Sams’ clientele has nearly doubled over the past few months. Due to this, along with expenses on things like air conditioning system repairs, the nonprofit’s need for donations has increased.

Executive Director Jennifer Lacefield said this event is a great opportunity to have a great time and contribute to a great cause.

“Our client numbers have been increasing recently, probably due to the heat,” Lacefield said. “And we’ve also had to incur more AC repair costs because of the heat. So, it is a critical time for us in needing donations, and this would be a good way for people to be able to donate to Randy Sams and be able to get something back.

“We provide emergency food, shelter and clothing, as well as case management, re-housing, job training and life skills. The donations will go towards supporting all of those.”

Lacefield and Oxford both say they are looking forward to being able to congregate with community members after what has largely been a tough year for local nonprofits.

“People are really enjoying being able to finally participate in group gatherings and events,” Lacefield said. “And I think people appreciate it more now than before the pandemic, since we all had to go through various stages and forms of isolation throughout that. So, the cornhole tournament is something unique and interactive that provides another outlet for people to enjoy a sense of community that we better appreciate now.”

More than 80 players are already registered to participate in the tournament. The maximum number of players that can participate is 120.