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25th annual Community Cup kicks off in Youngstown
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Neighbors | Submitted.The Turning Technologies team posed in front of the banner that they created during the Community Cup competition.
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Neighbors | Submitted.JJC and MCBDD played bocce against each other during the first day of the 25th annual Community Cup.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Team HMHP performed during the pep rally/cheer competition on the first day of the Community Cup.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Central YMCA won the Red Division competition in the bocce tournament during the first day of the Community Cup.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Team MCBDD added props to their performance during the pep rally/cheer competition on the opening day of the Community Cup.
By TIM CLEVELAND
The 25th annual Community Cup began on Aug. 8 with the opening ceremonies outside the Central YMCA in downtown Youngstown.
The event consisted of torch lighting ceremony followed by a banner competition in which teams had one hour to create their team banner. Next was a pep rally/cheer competition during which three local community members judged the teams’ routines.
There were 21 teams in the Community Cup, with company employees and their spouses eligible to compete. They were divided into three divisions.
The Red Division has Children Services Board, HMHP, Mahoning County Educational Service Center (MCESC), MS consultants and the YMCA Central and Davis branches. The White Division has Cohen & Company, Farmers National Bank, Meridian Community Care, Turning Technologies and Valley Care Health Systems. The Blue Division consists of Data Recovery Services (DRS), Homes For Kids, Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD), Mahonng County Juvenile Justice Center (JJC), Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, United Way, Zidian Group, City of Youngstown, PNC Bank and the Youngstown Metropolitain Housing Authority (YMHA).
The 2014 Community Cup schedule consists of events such as bocce, basketball, swimming, golf, bowling and volleyball during the month of August.
The season conclusions will be on Sept. 6 with a 10K relay, time prediction walk, time prediction bike, obstacle course and a tug-o-war. After the final event, the awards ceremony will be conducted at Wick Recreation Area at MillCreek MetroParks. The winning team will be awarded the Community Cup.
“There is an actual Community Cup trophy that the first place team in each division wins,” Community Cup director Jenn Quinlan said. “It is a traveling trophy that the winning team gets to keep for the year. The company name and year is engraved on a plaque on the trophy. In October, there is an awards and recognition luncheon where all teams that placed first, second or third in any event are also awarded a plaque.”
The Community Cup was started in 1990 by then YMCA CEO Dick Bennett, who Quinlan said the he thought it was a really cool idea. He saw a similar program and thought that the YMCA should do something like it.
Quinlan said the Community Cup has three goals: To create an awareness of the importance of fitness for both the individual and the sponsoring company, create an atmosphere of teamwork, pride and enthusiasm within an organization and promote community spirit throughout the Youngstown area.