While parents and children teamed up in a basketball free-throw contest in Chicago Ridge last week for a chance to bring home a turkey, bragging rights were prized as well, at least based on the thoughts of Nicholas Fandl, 7, of Chicago Ridge.
“I did better than my mom,” Nicholas said. “I made two shots and she didn’t make any.”
That was still good enough for Fandl and his mother, Nicole Brown, to come in second place in the 6- to 7-year-old category to earn a gift certificate from a local grocery store.
The Chicago Ridge Park District’s 25th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot took place Thursday at Frontier Fieldhouse, 9807 S. Sayre Ave. The event features teams of a parent and a child, divided into groups based on the child’s age: 5 and under, 6- to 7-year-olds, 8- to 9-year-olds, and 10- to 12-year-olds.
Each parent and child shot five free throws, and the teams that made the most in each age category were the winners of certificates for a free turkey.
Turkey winners were Laura Roberts and her son, Ryan Kiefer, of Chicago Ridge, in the 5-and-under category; Rich Albon and his daughter, Mia, of Chicago Ridge, for the 6- to 7-year-old category; Christ Fernandez and his son, Xavier, for the 8- to 9-year-old category; and Don Pratl and his son, Rob, for the 10- to 12-year-old category.
“We participate in a lot of park district activities, and this is always one of our favorite ones,” Laura Roberts said. “The kids have a lot of fun and it is a nice community get-together.”
Chris Gecan was part of two second-place finishers, with his sons Christian Osmolski in the 10- to 12-year-old category and Keilan Deehan for the 8- to 9-year-old category.
Even the nonwinners seemed to have a lot of fun with the friendly neighborhood competition.
“My son loves basketball, and this provides a way where we can both enjoy the sport together,” Tony Rizzo, of Chicago Ridge, said about his son, Giovanni Rizzo, 7.
“In the past we have had to go into overtime to figure out the winners, which makes it even more fun for the families that are participating,” Chicago Ridge Park District Recreation Supt. Dominic Malito said.
The number of teams increases every year, according to Malito, who said there usually are 30 to 50 teams.
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“What makes this event unique is parents may have to team up with multiple children depending on how many they have, and if a parent wins with one child and not the other, it makes for some funny conversation,” Malito said.
The event was free for residents, and there was a $2 charge for nonresidents.
Kelly White is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.