Axe throwing fundraiser held for local robotics teams

Nov. 5, 2019 | Danielle Eaton
DanielleE@thereminder.com

Local politicans, residents, and others gathered at the Agawam Axe House on Oct. 9 to raise money for Robotics First teams in Agawam. The money raised during the axe throwing event will be used to help cover the cost of some registration fees and spare parts for the robotics building teams.
Reminder Publications submitted photo

AGAWAM – Local politicians and residents gathered to throw axes and raise money for local robotics teams in Agawam.

Dana Henry, who co-founded Rosie Robotics in 2002 with the late John Burns, told Reminder Publishing the event at the Agawam Axe House took place on Oct. 9 and drew about 100 people.

Henry said this was the second year the event took place and it was a “rousing success.” He hopes to turn the axe throwing into an annual event.

The event featured celebrity axe throwers such as Agawam Mayor William Sapelli, West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt, state rep. John Velis, the Agawam Axe House’s summer league champion Brandon Simmons, and Kristen Carlson from Peerless Precision.

Henry said Carlson is also the president of the Western Massachusetts chapter of the National Tool and Machining Association (NTMA), and worked closely with the robotics team to make the axe throwing event a success.

“It was a joint effort with the Western Mass chapter of NTMA. We’ve had a relationship with them for a few years now and decided to do a fundraiser,” he said. “They made a bunch of phone calls, raised a bunch of sponsorship money, then ran a tournament type throwing event in which individuals donated $25 to throw one match against the celebrities.”

The event ran for about three hours with people coming and going as they pleased. Henry said, in total, the axe throwing contest raised almost $2,400 for the Agawam Robotics Education Association. The total included a $1,000 donation from the Larry A. Maier Memorial Education Fund.

The winner of the event, Jack Barry, won a plaque and a $25 gift certificate to the Back Room Bar and Grill.

Henry said the money raised will be used to cover part of the cost of registration fees and spare parts for the nine First Robotics teams in Agawam. He told Reminder Publishing about 150 kids from kindergarten to the twelfth grade participate on the various teams.

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