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closeLet’s play croquet
Benefit tournament is first for Longbranch Improvement Club
Susan Schell
of the Gateway
The theme for the Longbranch Improvement Club’s first croquet tournament last weekend seemed to be to go out and have a good time.
Community members showed up in droves as teams and individuals benefited The Mustard Seed Project, a non-profit organization that focuses on providing quality, affordable services and programs for the Key Peninsula’s elderly residents.
Jeff Tritt, volunteer Master of Ceremonies who wore a hat with two croquet balls stuck to the top, commented on the success of the inaugural event.
“It turned out so well, I’ll think we’ll have another one next year,” he said.
The club’s grounds were abuzz with activity during the two-hour event. Four croquet games went on simultaneously while contestants good-naturedly bumped the colored balls across the equally bumpy grounds in an attempt to pass them through horseshoe-shaped goals.
Some teams showed up in costumes — some even followed the outlandish croquet-playing characters in “Alice in Wonderland.” The Red Queen held court with her “cards,” and one even took a playful shot with a plastic pink flamingo.
Contestant Ramona Dickson, a massage therapist who works near the Mustard Seed Project’s office, said she once participated in a croquet tournament on Martha’s Vineyard. She said the sport is much more popular there than on the West Coast.
“They use much bigger mallets back there,” she said. “These are tiny. You have to bend way over to take a shot.”
Margaret Campbell, who represented the Book Discussion Club, competed with a book on top of her head that read, “Bookworms,” said playing croquet reminded a lot of people of backyard fun they had as children.
“I played as a kid, but I’ve never been in a tournament,” Campbell said.
Tim Heitzman, who organized the event, said he was overwhelmed by the response the tournament received. More than 35 teams signed up to play. The “Cloggers” emerged as the winners.