The third annual Law Enforcement Torch Run Guns ‘N Hoses Double-Elimination Softball Tournament raised an impressive sum for Special Olympics while also crowning a new champion over the weekend at the Fireman’s Sport Arena in Farmville.

Including Special Olympics Area 12 concessions, the event raised more than $2,150 after expenses. Of that amount, $250 went directly to Area 12, with the rest going to Special Olympics of Virginia.

In the tournament, the team known as The Bank of Charlotte County went undefeated on its way to the title game where it defeated Division I — Virginia State Police to claim the championship.

The Bank of Charlotte County team featured members from the following local area law enforcement agencies: Longwood, Buckingham and Farmville.
Kimberly Boettcher, of the Virginia State Police, organized the tournament and was fairly pleased with how it went.

“It was not as big a turnout as I had hoped, but I think that everybody had a good time,” she said.

Six teams participated this year. The Go Getters, which included employees from the Buckingham Correctional Center, claimed third place.

Also competing were members of the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office on the Chesterfield Sluggers, members of the Farmville Fire Department on One Bad Company, and members of the Prospect Fire Department on Company 4 – 1st Due.

Five of the teams competing returned from last year, and Boettcher highlighted Prospect as demonstrating vast improvement.

“Of course your softball tournaments are very competitive, and there’s a lot of back and forth in that, but it was nice to see at the end when you had the exhibition game and the competitiveness was done, that everybody got together, supported each other, and it was just fun,” Boettcher said.

The exhibition game pitted the Special Olympic Area 12 softball team against a team made up of members of the teams that played in the tournament.

She said the Special Olympics (SO) team did not have as many players this year because SO had their players involved in events, but this opened up the opportunity for a great team-up.

“Some of the actual people who participated, as well as like my daughter and other people, got to actually be on the team with the (Special Olympics) athletes to play, which even brought them closer and just integrated them,” Boettcher said. “It was truly amazing to watch the interaction between them.”

She said the tournament is definitely raising awareness and serving a unique purpose in the area.

“We don’t have a lot of events like that to raise money or to bring the community together with these Special Olympic athletes,” Boettcher said. “So, I think it’s important that we keep doing that.”

Participants over the weekend were already talking about next year’s tournament, for which Boettcher has already set the dates: Sept. 15-17, 2017.

The Guns ‘N Hoses tourney took place in July last year and August this year. Boettcher said she has been moving the event back in the effort to avoid conflicts with scheduled events for youth sports, parents and law enforcement.

“I think next year, moving it to September when it’s cooler and schedules have calmed down, we’ll have a great turnout,” she said. “And by setting the dates this far in advance, it’ll give us plenty of time to get the word out and hopefully bring in a lot more teams next year.”

Key to helping her run the tournament this year were her three children, Summer, Kaleigh and Mark Boettcher and two of her nieces, Alexis and Madison Dewberry. She noted they all were excited to help in a variety of ways.

“This was very heartwarming to watch as they have not only grown to see the magnitude of working for such a great cause, but also have developed awareness and respect for these athletes and our community,” Kimberly Boettcher said.