There are many veterans who have passed away since bravely serving the United States of America, and the Sleepy Hole Horseshoe Club will continue its role in honoring them later this month.

The club will be holding The Albert G. Horton Jr. Veterans Memorial Day tournament on May 30 at Sleepy Hole Park.

All the entry fees from the tournament go to the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery on 5310 Milners Road, and the funds have sometimes been used for grounds maintenance.

“The last few years that money was donated, they used it to put wreaths on the gravestones for Christmas,” Sleepy Hole Horseshoe Club president Scott Fencil said.

The tournament, which is free to watch, will begin at 10:30 a.m. and is now a National Horseshoe Pitchers Association-sanctioned event. Participants must be sanctioned NHPA pitchers, who have their ability measured according the percentage of ringers they get out of 100 attempts.

To become eligible for the tourney, non-sanctioned pitchers can arrive early on May 30 to have their ability measured.

“If they’ve never played in a sanctioned tournament within the last year, then they have to get qualified, and they would have to get there by 9 a.m. to get qualified,” Fencil said.

The cost associated with becoming a sanctioned NHPA pitcher is $27 for men and women 18 and older. For those 17 and younger, it is $5.

Fencil said that by making the tournament an NHPA-sanctioned event, “you’ll have more people out there,” as some dedicated players look for events with that designation to participate in.

He noted that in the past, typically 20 to 25 people have participated in the tourney. The competition could feature horseshoe pitchers from as far as Stuarts Draft, and others may come from Richmond and Gates County, N.C., in addition to those from Hampton Roads, he said.

Competitors will be divided into different classes based on their ability level, a key requirement for the event to be sanctioned. Fencil said if there are 30 or more participants, the club will create a second flight.

The tournament, which will have a round robin format, usually concludes by 3 p.m.

The event will also feature a 50/50 raffle to help raise money for the club, and concessions will be available, some of the money from which is also donated back to the club.

Fencil said there will probably be some veterans there, adding, “I know some of the club members are veterans.”

The tournament entry fee for men and women 18 and older is $20, and it is $10 for those 17 and younger.

The city of Suffolk will be providing plaques and trophies for the top finishers.

Fencil encouraged people to come out and participate because of the camaraderie that develops and because the event provides a little bit of exercise.

“You can be as competitive as you want, or you can get out there and just have some fun,” he said.

For more information or to sign up, contact Scott Fencil at 717-4307.