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Drink for a good cause at York Beer'lympics


If you go

What: York Beer'lympics

When: Games begin at noon July 18, sign ups begin at 11 a.m.

Where: 3561 Liverpool Turnpike, Emigsville

Cost: $40 per team (sold out), free for spectators

Proceeds benefit: Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation

To donate or for more information: Visit yorkbeerlympics.webs.com .

Maybe you can't run a marathon, balance on a beam or swim the 200-meter butterfly in under two minutes.

But don't worry. Those skills aren't required at York's Beer'lympics.

Rather than running and swimming, the fourth annual event in Emigsville July 18 features events like beer pong, flip cup, beer darts, beer dodgeball and an obstacle course.

"We kind of saw an untapped market of people who don't want to run marathons or that kind of thing, but don't mind coming around and having a barbecue and playing drinking games," Beer'lympics organizer Neil Stough said.

Stough and his niece started the event in his backyard in 2012 as a way for family and friends to raise money for local charities.

In its first year, the event drew seven four-person teams of family and friends and raised about $500 for charity. That number grew to about 10 teams and more than $2,800 last year.

Now, York Beer'lympics organizers have capped registration at 14 teams and hope to raise $4,000 for the Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation this year.

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"I could tell (the event) was going to grow after the first year, but I never expected newspaper coverage or anything like that," Stough said, adding that this year is the first year he's had to turn teams away due to limited space in his yard.

While registration is closed, Stough said he encourages spectators to come out for food, beer and to watch the games. Admission for spectators is free.

The Beer'lympics includes six games throughout the day, including two tournament-style games, Stough said. The team with the best time in the tournament-style events will receive 14 points, and the team with the worst time will receive one point. Additional points can be earned based on a scoring system for the remaining games.

"We try to make sure nobody's getting overly drunk," Stough said. "We have water there all day and we take breaks and stuff. It's a pretty family-friendly event."

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The winning teams will receive prize medals, but Stough said the main idea isn't winning. It's raising money.

Since 2012, York Beer'lympics has raised more than $5,000 for charities, including Autism of York, SPCA of York County and the Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation.

This year, the event will donate 100 percent of its proceeds to the Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation, which provides assistance and support to Pennsylvania veterans and their families.

"We would love to raise as much money as possible," Stough said.