By Adam Brazeau
CORNWALL, Ontario – Can Cornwall take home another $20,000 from the Shoeless Joe’s Sports Grill’s “If Your Team Wins, Your Community Wins!” competition? Owner Ayhan Ercenik says we can.
As the NHL season opener between the Leafs and the Habs plays across 63 high-definition TVs, the popular Cornwall eatery is set to launch its sports-based and community-driven competition at a party on Wednesday, October 8, from 7 to 11:00 p.m.
With a total of 48,993.21 points, Cornwall jumped ahead of the pack last year in the province-wide competition. The restaurant chain’s Dufferin site placed second with 42,693.52 points and won $10,000. Napanee claimed third place and $5,000.
Thanks to the appetites of 65 registered local sports teams the city was rewarded with $20,000 to be used for a community refresh project – an addition to the Cornwall Football club house at Joe St. Denis Field.
“We were so far ahead, nobody was even close,” said Ayhan. “But this year we need the community’s cooperation because competition is going to be big.”
As part of the Home Team Advantage program, the competition rewards sports teams that have registered at their community’s location with points every time they eat at the sports grill. Participants must notify their server that they are part of the contest in order to receive points.
For every dollar a team spends at the restaurant, one point goes toward the rankings, and 15 per cent of every team order is reserved for a year-end party.
Ercenik said the competition is open to all sports teams. But of course, hockey played a big part in the city’s unexpected victory.
“The River Kings were a huge help for us,” he said. “They would come after the games and really boost the numbers. Of all the chains, their team was ranked first.”
At the launch party, tickets for the Ottawa Senators’ October 18th game will be up for grabs, as well as other prizes. Guests will also have a chance to discuss what community sports venues are in need of refreshing. Last year, the Cornwall area had several options to vote on.
For more details, visit Cornwall’s Shoeless Joe’s Sports Grill at 1110 Brookdale Avenue and www.facebook.com/CornwallShoelessJoes.
