Meadows Turkey Bowl. pulls in record fundraising

HINCKLEY TWP. — As a record $416,000 fundraising total was announced to cheering fans Thursday morning, all in attendance were happy to brave rain and mud for the the 31st annual Meadows Turkey Bowl. The series of Thanksgiving football games took place behind 1st Day School Supplies, 2659 Center Road in Hinckley Twp., with the lofty fundraising total announced by 27-year-old Pete Meadows. Stepping on the holiday gridiron provided another successful benchmark in his continued recovery from February surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor. Meadows stood on the sidelines waiting for games to begin after leading prayer and a reading of the Pledge of Allegiance. It was impossible for him to hold back a wide smile. "I'm cancer free," Meadows said. "This game started in my dad's back yard with help from my uncle and to be here right now after everything that's happened this year, it means a lot. Obviously, we're doing some things different this year with coronavirus, but everyone still put in the usual effort and found so much generosity in our community. We're very thankful for that." According to organizers, Turkey Bowl fundraising has set an annual record every year since it was added to yearly festivities in 2005. Cumulative funds brought in over the years have now hit the $2.7 million mark with all proceeds going to St. Vincent de Paul Society, which works out of Medina's St. Francis Xavier Church, 606 E. Washington St.. Donations can be made to the Turkey Bowl at http://meadowsturkeybowl.com or directly to St. Vincent de Paul Society at https://helpingmedinafamilies.org/make-a-donation. Mike Meadows, Pete's father and Turkey Bowl founder, echoed his son's sentiments regarding Medina County not letting a trying year get in the way of a cause they care so much for. "We decided that cancer or COVID wasn't going to stop this here today," said Mike. "As always, all the money goes to St. Vincent de Paul but about 50 percent of it will be earmarked to those in need battling cancer. That's done with the help of the Grace Foundation." "One of our Turkey Bowlers actually lost his wife to cancer in more recent years," he added. "When he lost his wife, we made the decision to really focus on cancer. It's something that touches almost all of us in some way, at some point in our lives, like us this year. We're so happy things have turned out how they have for Pete, but sadly that's not always the case." To make a donation to the Mary Grace Memorial Foundation, visit www.racewithgrace.com. Registering as a Turkey Bowl player requires that individual to put together at least $2,000 in fundraising, a great illustration of how much the event has grown as the first fundraising year garnered a grand total of $850. Organizers had said there would be about 50 players spread out on six teams. The elder Meadows said one of his best fundraisers over the years has been Bill Biegel of Medina. With the help of another Meadows son, Mike Jr., Biegel put together a 2020 fundraising total of $52,000. "I think my contact list now has about 875 people on it," said Biegel, referring to his long tally of regular community donors. "I retired from actually playing in the game after last year but this kind of keeps going as the game within the game. The first year I played the (fundraising) minimum was only $250. Now look how much it is." Biegel said half of the $52,000 is going to Special Olympics Medina County and that this year served as a "passing of the fundraising torch" to 24-year-old Mike Jr. "He stepped up immediately, which isn't surprising considering what family he comes from," Biegel said. "Mr. Biegel got this rolling and I'm just happy to help it carry on," said the younger Meadows. "He gave me this huge list and I started having weekly calls with people to check in. I had to start memorizing this stuff and Mr. Biegel just knows everyone and everything about them off the top of his head. He's done some amazing work." Contact reporter Jonathan Delozier at (330) 721-4050 or jdelozier@medina-gazette.com.