Madison House’s HELPLine program is incredibly thankful and humbled to be selected as the beneficiary of the 6th Will Barrow Memorial Flag Football Tournament.
On Saturday, November 8, members of the University of Virginia men’s lacrosse team hosted the Sixth Annual Will Barrow Memorial Flag Football Tournament. This event is a way for the men’s lacrosse team to make a difference in the community and to honor the remembrance of a member of the lacrosse program. Sixteen teams squared off in a flag football tournament on Lambeth Field at UVA. The teams included UVA lacrosse alumni, current members of other college programs, and members of other University organizations.
The event was created by UVA lacrosse alum Max Pomper in 2009 to celebrate Will’s life, raise awareness for suicide prevention, and raise money and awareness for the HELPLine. The event brings the University community, Charlottesville community, and college lacrosse community together to honor Will’s memory.
Will Barrow was a Virginia lacrosse captain who graduated in 2007. He was a member of the 2006 National Championship team and a leader in the University community. Tragically, Will took his own life in November 2008. Will was arguably the most talented defensive midfielder in the country during his career at UVA. He was also a highly recruited football player out of high school and the flag football tournament honors his love for the game of football.
The $4,066.84 raised from the tournament is donated in Will’s name to the HELPLine, a free, confidential resource for members of the community to call during a personal crisis. HELPLine volunteers provide callers with an empathetic ear for any issue that the caller wishes to discuss. Volunteers are trained to listen to callers with issues ranging from relationship issues to sexual assault to suicide.
