BY HOLLY RICHARDS • Staff Writer • August 16, 2009 ZANESVILLE — Holding the metal object just inches from her face so she could
line up her pitch, one of Bev Hittle’s horseshoes landed with a victorious clink. Even though a few less successful pitches that put her out of the game were a little discouraging, she wasn’t upset for too long because it was all just for fun. “It’s a great day of competition and friendship we’re all friends here,” she said. “And we’re all here for a cause.” Hittle and her husband “Fuzzy” with the Ohio Chapter of the North Carolina Blind Pigs Horseshoe Club helped organize the eighth annual Lawrence Devoll Memorial Horseshoe Tournament for Hospice. Nineteen teams of men and women from around the area attended the Saturday event at the Shady Grove Horseshoe Courts owned by John Gildow near the South 60 Drive Thru. “Lawrence Devoll was a dear friend of ours who pitched horseshoes and was a true gentleman,” Hittle said. “He was killed in an auto accident and we wanted to carry on his memories through a horseshoe tournament. We decided the charity (it benefits) would be Hospice because it’s touched a lot of lives. The previous tournament we held that Lawrence pitched in a lot also was for Hospice.” Hospice patients weren’t in attendance, but Sheila Everett, manager of Genesis Hospice and Palliative Care, expressed her gratitude.
“Hospice is a passion of mine and it touches my heart that they think of us and consider us each year for donations,” she said. “Every year, they raise around $3,000, and I wasn’t sure if they would continue because of the tough economy. But we’re humbled and grateful for any donations we receive they go to providing indigent care in the home setting for patients who may not have Medicare or the funds to pay for it. We provide are to anyone with any terminal illness within the last six months of their life, not just their last two hours or days.”