Ipswich police association brings back cornhole fundraiser tournament

The most unusual prize on the board is also the one that best captures the night’s purpose: a chance for a dog to become an honorary K-9 for a day. That package, along with a police-boat ride past Crane Beach and rides to school or work in a cruiser or firetruck, will help turn the Ipswich Police Association’s second annual Cornhole Fundraiser Tournament into something bigger than a bracket night.

The tournament will run Thursday, June 4, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at True North Ale Company, with competitive-bracket registration priced at $50 per two-person team. Spots were still open heading into the event, and the field will again be managed by Scot Morrison of the Ipswich Bay Cornhole League, giving the fundraiser a real cornhole backbone as well as a civic one.

Danielle Quinn and Rich Micciulla, last year’s inaugural champions, will be the team everyone else is chasing. Their win at the first tournament set the standard for a second year that is shaping up as both a rematch and a community showcase, especially with the bracket drawing players who want more than a casual throw night at the taproom.

The police association is using the fundraiser to support a wide slate of work throughout the year. Proceeds from registrations, raffles and the silent auction will go to scholarships, upkeep of the police memorial at Highland Cemetery, community events, and direct help for residents when needed. The association says it was established in 1969, and its mission includes scholarship support and youth programs such as D.A.R.E.

That broader public-safety mission is part of what makes the event stand out. Ipswich police describe the town as a richly historic community, and the department’s Harbormaster role, including marine law enforcement and search and rescue, makes the boat ride past Crane Beach feel less like a novelty item and more like a reminder of the department’s day-to-day reach. The prize list also includes a summer pass to the Castle Hill Concert Series and limited-edition 250th anniversary apparel, tying the fundraiser to local institutions and a milestone year.

Last year’s debut tournament drew dozens of teams and strong support from local businesses, and it produced one of the night’s most memorable moments when six-year-old Isaac Randazzo used his own savings to bid on a cruiser ride to school. That kind of scene is what gives the tournament its edge: it is competitive, family-friendly and designed to pull in people who may never walk into a traditional police fundraiser, but will happily show up for bags, prizes and a chance to see their town’s officers in a different light.