SCARBOROUGH, Maine — More than six months after the tragedy in Lewiston, survivors, family members, and friends of those affected met Saturday in Scarborough for a cornhole tournament fundraiser.
Hosted at Throttle Car Club, over 200 people attended not only to connect over a game of cornhole but to support those affected by the Lewiston mass shooting.
"Today is going to be a lot of telling stories, a lot of tears, a lot of hugs," Maineiac Cornhole Family Fund President John Maloney said, who organized the fundraiser.
To give back to those affected, the Maineiac Cornhole Family Fund was created to fundraise for several different programs and needs. So far, money raised has gone toward scholarships, programming at the Baxter School for the Deaf, and more.
Proceeds from several raffles and prizes on Saturday also went straight to the fundraiser.
"Just people donating their time [and] energy into those things, it means a lot to a lot of people," Maloney added.
While cornhole is a pastime for many, for the Lewiston community, the sport has been a way to connect with others both before and after the October tragedy.
"Everybody comes together for everybody," Cyndy Ayotte said, who has ties to those lost in the shootings. "[It's] emotional, thinking about all of the people that we lost."
One of the survivors of the Lewiston mass shooting, Tj Miller, said he got his start in the cornhole community thanks to Peyton Brewer-Ross, who was one of the 18 people killed in October.
Although many are still healing from the shootings, Miller said seeing the amount of support for the cause has been heartwarming.
"The game is kind of the glue that keeps us together, you know?" Miller said. "But the friendships that we make here, it's like a bond for life."