Fifth annual Pitchin’ for PTSD Cornhole Tournament surpasses fundraising goal

A huge win took place for the founders of the Annual Pitchin’ 4 PTSD Cornhole Tournament on Saturday when Sheila Stengel Melvin and Eddie Melvin not only met their $2,000 goal for the first time, but also surpassed it, doubling last year’s amount. This was the fifth annual tournament since its inception. “We usually get about $1200 – $1300, and today we have over $2,000, so we are just so excited. This has been one of the biggest turnouts that we’ve had,” Sheila reported.

The registration fee for each two-person team was $50 and the entirety of those funds is donated each year directly to the VECTR (Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource) Center to help those suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

Sheila and Eddie founded the group/tournament in memory of their son, Spec. Thomas R. Watkins. “We started this tournament five years ago in honor of our son who was in the United States Army. He came back from his tour from Afghanistan and suffered with PTSD and he had several problems. When he first came back, he attempted suicide and was unsuccessful, and we were able to have him around for about five years; and then after that, he overdosed and we lost him five years ago. He really struggled,” Sheila explained.

Eddie added, “He was involved in an explosion, an IED (Improvised Explosive Device), in Afghanistan that destroyed part of his convoy; he had a traumatic brain injury and PTSD, and lost partial use of his hands. He was in a lot of pain and never himself when he came back.”

“He had a lot of issues and he suffered a lot,” Sheila stated. “And we really had to fight with the VA (United States Department of Veteran Affairs) to get him the treatment that he needed. It was just really tough, and we spent years working on just getting him treatment to help him, and he never really got all of the treatment that he needed. So after he passed away, we decided to do something in his memory to raise money to go to the PTSD veterans to get them help, to help fund additional resources – a lot of it was funding – they didn’t have enough funding, so we wanted to do something to help those, so they could help our returning veterans who suffer with this disease.”

“PTSD is not something you can see;” she continued, “it’s not always physical and a lot of people don’t understand it and they don’t know how to deal with it, but it is a very real and very deadly disease. Our soldiers really suffer mentally and physically; it’s very debilitating to them and they need help. They need help. So in some small part, this is a way to keep him alive – we want people to know that he mattered, his life mattered, and he didn’t die in vain. He was a good soldier. That’s what he was and that’s who he was. He loved his brothers in arms and he would do anything to help them, so we wanted to do something in his memory to show that this is his way of giving back.”

The Fifth Annual Pitchin 4 PTSD Tournament began with registration at 10 a.m. Saturday morning at Game On Training. There were approximately 35 teams (made up of 70 players) total, and competitors traveled to Byron from Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Florida, and other states, in addition to Georgia natives and residents. The facility was packed with contenders as well as fans and supporters of the cause.

The teams dwindled down as they were eliminated, and the first place contestants tossed their winning bags to seize the title and end the tournament at approximately 2:45 p.m. While all registration fees were donated to the VECTR Center, Eddie and Sheila took a moment to thank the sponsors who donated the prize money for the top three teams. First place winners won $500, second place $300, and third place took home $200.

Noah Wooten and Kyle Davis won first place, Matt Sorrells and Emery Parker won second place, and Jeff Swann and Branon Gregory won third. Sheila and Eddie mentioned that they dedicate time, and their basement, to train and mentor young players and explained that Wooten began training with them years ago and is now one of the best players in the United States. They were very proud to watch his team win first place.

As a final thought, Sheila explained, “These are some of the best of the best in the country and they’re friends of ours. We play with them all over the country in the league that we’re in. We know everybody here. Cornhole is kind of like a family – you meet people all over the country and you become friends and competitors, and when you have a need, they really come together. They’ve come together for us today. It’s really special.” She relayed that many of the day’s players told her, “This is the only reason we’re coming, because we wouldn’t miss that for you.”