FAIRHOPE — A new standard was set when the 10th-annual Spina Bifida Awareness Game on Friday, Oct. 13, raised $10,500 to help Alabamian families with medical and non-medical expenses.

A tailgate was held before Fairhope’s region game against Daphne where members of the Dogwood Trail Court were featured guests. The students stepped into the spotlight when they ran out of the Pirate inflatable onto W.C. Majors Field with all of Fairhope Municipal Stadium cheering them on.

As an added bonus, Tucker and Brooks Bell served as honorary captains and joined Fairhope seniors Dixon Davis, Clayton Noblitt, Dallas Boothe and Preston Godfrey at midfield for the coin toss.

A partnership with the Children’s Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham will facilitate the donation to help families with disabilities. Spina Bifida is a birth defect where the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly.

The event was hosted by Heather Horne and her husband Brett, the Pirates’ defensive line coach, who said the fundraising efforts will help families local and statewide take steps forward in the process.

“An average family with medical complexities spends over 1-million dollars for extra expenses throughout their lifetime. With fundraising opportunities such as the Awareness Game, we are able to contribute in a small way to help ease the stresses for these families lives,” Heather said. “There are an estimated 166,000 people in the United States living with Spina Bifida. It is a permanent paralyzing deficit that affects individuals neurologically.”

Despite the less-than-ideal diagnosis, Heather said the togetherness shown by the Fairhope representatives and participants was nothing but heartwarming.

“The best part is how the community, school, administration, coaches, student body, and so many come together to support a greater cause,” she said. “You feel the love for these families and the support is beyond any expectation.”

Follow @GCMSportsAL for more photos from this year’s event. More information on next year’s event can be found by emailing heatherhornephotography@gmail.com. Donations can be made directly through the rest of the month at give.childrensal.org/sbawareness.