Wethersfield UNICO Branch to Hold Bocce Tournament

WETHERSFIELD-The 3rd annual Wethersfield UNICO Bocce Tournament will be held on October 3rd at Millwoods Park on Prospect Street in Wethersfield.
Registration for the tournament may be made in advance or on the day of the tournament and the registration fee of $25 per person includes lunch.
“The net proceeds benefit the Jimmy V Foundation,” said Wethersfield UNICO president Michael Fortunato. “It’s a UNICO charity.”
By UNICO charity, Fortunato means the Jimmy V Foundation is a charity UNICO has designated to sponsor or promote.
The tournament will start around 10 a.m., and will go to about 3 p.m. said Fortunato. “Lunch is served along with prizes and awards,” he said. Prizes include bottles of Italian wine for those of age, as well as athletic shirts.
Fortunato said there are already 25-30 people registered for this years tournament. Some are new players, and some are veterans. It will be an open tournament, meaning teams can be mixed with men and women. Fortunato isn’t sure whether the tournament will be single elimination like last year, or something different this year. “It’s based on how many people we get,” he said.
Bocce, meaning bowl, was originally developed in Italy, and is a game commonly played by Italian Americans, but can easily be enjoyed by all. The tournament has no age limit, and there is no prior Bocce experience needed for people interested in playing.
The game is initiated by throwing a small white ball, called a Pallino, onto the court. Each team has four larger balls that are bowled towards the Pallino. For every turn, a minimum of one point and a maximum of four points can be awarded. Whichever team bowls closest to the Pallino is awarded a point. Matches in the UNICO Bocce League are to 12.
Every Thursday from 6 p.m. until the sun sets, the Wethersfield UNICO Bocce League gathers in the Millwoods Park picnic area to play a game that celebrates Italian culture. The league plays on two 74- by 15-foot Bocce courts donated by UNICO in 2006. UNICO is a national non-profit group with the goal of enhancing the image of Italian Americans, promoting the Italian culture and giving back to the community. Fortunato organized the league back in 2006 with the goal of garnering more attention for UNICO, which stands for Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, and Opportunity.
The registration form for the tournament can be found at http://www.wethersfieldunico.org.