Beginning in 2020 NUCA's Cornhole Tournament looked to be one of the most popular social events we put on. The beginnings were a little sparse and according to NUCA's Executive Director Sheri Nowlan "we crossed our fingers and hoped we could fill our 16 team bracket" but fill we did and this year we saw record attendance.
This year, 36 teams participated in NUCA's 4th Annual Cornhole Tournament. We've progressed from merely hoping to fill a single sixteen-team bracket to having to limit the number of teams to 40. This is a welcome challenge, as the tournament serves as a fundraiser for NUCA's Christmas Wish fund. In 2023, we introduced a program to sponsor a NUCA family facing hardships during Christmas, aiming to alleviate their struggles and deliver some much-needed holiday joy—thus began the Christmas Wish.
The first year was a tremendous success, and the second year promises to be even more impressive. NUCA boasts outstanding members with incredibly generous spirits; at our 4th Annual Cornhole Tournament this year, we raised over $2000 to support a NUCA member, employee, or their family this Christmas. We are currently accepting nominations—if you know someone who has experienced hardship and could benefit from some additional holiday joy, please nominate them at our Christmas Wish page. For any inquiries, Nichole Thrift can be contacted at nichole@nuca.com.
In 2024, the inaugural NUCA Chili Cook-Off was launched with six contestants competing for the esteemed title of Cook-Off Champion and the accompanying prize. Clinching first place were Clint and Chrissy Miller with their exceptional white bean and pork chili, which stood out as the night's favorite. Nichole Thrift secured a strong second place with her pumpkin pork chili, while Mary Lyon earned a commendable third place. The event was warmly embraced, and anticipation is high for an even greater array of recipes and competitors in 2025.
The evening's highlight and cause for celebration was the Cornhole tournament, which was once again an "a-maizing" success. With 36 teams participating, we organized an excavator bracket and a dozer bracket to expedite the tournament and avoid late hours for our members. The top "kernels" of the night were Western States' Ron Pasquale and DJ Clark. Taking second place were guests Dusty Pfennings and Kelley McKenzie, with ACI's Brooke Kelly and Brayden Novotny "popping" into third place. Jaren Boucher and Brandon Higgins from Inland Asphalt husked fourth place. The competition was intense, yet camaraderie was even stronger. Cornhole has become NUCA's most popular event, and we eagerly anticipate next year's gathering—remember to hone your tossing skills and perfect your chili recipe!
Finally, as always, we want to give a big shout out to our wonderful sponsors of this year's event: THANK YOU ANNUAL PREMIER SPONSORS; ACI Northwest, Marsh McLennan, Vermeer Mountain West, Western States Equipment Company and White Diamond Concrete
Great Cornholio Sponsors
Delk Management
DP Nicoli
Inland Asphalt
Inland Infrastructure
KCUC
NNAC Construction
Old Republic Surety Company
Simco
Trenchman Safety
Cornstar Sponsors
Pape' Machinery
Peak Machinery Bobcat
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