On Saturday, May 9, 2026, the Lerner & Rowe Gives Back 5th Annual Cornhole Tournament in Crown Point brought together 105 teams, spectators, sponsors, volunteers, and vendors for a full day of competition, community, and celebration in Crown Point, Indiana.
When all was said and done, we raised close to $70,000 — every dollar of which goes directly back into the Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland communities we are proud to serve.
A Crown Point Cornhole Tournament for Every Skill Level
This year marked the first time we introduced three competitive divisions, giving players of all skill levels a true home in our tournament:
- Pro
- Competitive
- Backyard
Administered by South of the River Baggers and run in a double-elimination format, the tournament brought out incredible talent from across the country.
Ten of the top-ranked professional cornhole players in the world made the trip to Crown Point, traveling from Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Ohio to compete alongside players from Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland.
Every registered team received an event-day t-shirt and swag bag, but more importantly, every player, whether they came from across the country or just across town, competed on the same fields for the same community.
2026 Lerner & Rowe Gives Back Cornhole Tournament Champions
| Division | Winners |
|---|---|
| Pro Division | Mark Richards & Trey Burchfield |
| Competitive Division | James Osborne & Andy Tibbe |
| Backyard Division | Tony Scheub & Kyle Kapitan |
| Last Man Standing | John Berg |
Photo gallery from 2026 Crown Point cornhole tournament:
Raffle and Last Man Standing: Every Dollar Counts
Beyond the bags and boards, this year’s event raised over $1,500 through two crowd favorites that kept the energy high from check-in to the final round.
Attendees had the chance to purchase raffle tickets for a premium $500 booze basket, generously sponsored by Horizon Bank, as well as entries into Last Man Standing, where one lucky winner took home $250. We are grateful to everyone who grabbed a ticket, entered the bracket, and gave a little extra to the cause.
Thank You to All Our Sponsors, Vendors, Players, and Volunteers
Every dollar raised from our 5th Annual Cornhole Tournament in Crown Point came from the generosity of this community. Competitors, vendors, volunteers, and spectators all played a part, and so did the incredible organizations that chose to put their names behind our mission.
A special thank you to our presenting sponsor, APM (Advanced Physical Medicine and APM Surgical Group LTD), whose support made this event possible at the highest level.
Thank you as well to our supporting sponsors — Sklare Law Group, La Clínica Injury Specialists, Custy Law Firm, Vito & Dollenmaier Law, and Lamar — for standing behind a cause that gives 100% back to the community.
Our beer garden was brought to life by Molson Coors and Carbliss, and our $500 booze basket raffle was generously sponsored by Horizon Bank.
Because of all of you, families across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland benefit from every registration, raffle ticket, and round played.
To every team that registered, whether you have been with us since year one or stepped on the boards for the first time this year, thank you for being part of it. Bulldog Park was filled with incredible energy all day long, and that is because this community continues to show up year after year.
Our team is proud of how much this tournament has grown, and we are already looking forward to what year six has in store.
Surpassing $1 Million in Community Reinvestment
The success of this year’s cornhole tournament is about more than one day at Bulldog Park. Every dollar raised adds to a milestone that Lerner & Rowe Gives Back has been building toward for over a decade: more than $1 million reinvested into the lives of families, students, first responders, and nonprofit organizations across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland.
This tournament is a cornerstone of that fundraising achievement, and every team, sponsor, and volunteer who has ever shown up for it is part of that story. That milestone deserves to be celebrated, and it will be.
On Thursday, June 4, Lerner & Rowe Gives Back will host an evening reception at Journeyman Distillery in Valparaiso, Indiana to mark the occasion. The event will bring together the foundation’s network of nonprofit partners, local chamber and business leaders, and invited guests for a night of hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and meaningful connections. More details to come.
For media inquiries or questions about the June 4 celebration, contact Outreach Director Arianna Hensley at 708-222-2222 ext. 6325 or hensley@lernerandrowe.com.
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