The second annual Triangular Football Fundraising benefit match at Bernard Park raised $2,000 to aid former footballer Mark (Burger) Jennings’ medical expenses overseas.The coming together of past footballers and others shows that the spirit of community still exists, said North Village president Shervin Dill, who would like to see more benefit matches held to assist former players who may be faced with medical challenges.Jennings, a former goalkeeper and later a coach for Devonshire Cougars and Hamilton Parish, had part of his right foot amputated last year and is due for a follow-up visit with doctors in Georgia next month.The two matches took place at Bernard Park on March 11, with North Village’s Corona team losing to Hamilton Parish on penalties after the teams finished deadlocked at 3-3. Devonshire Cougars’ former players then beat Village 3-2 in the second encounter, but Dill, Village’s president, insists it wasn’t about the results.“We’re grateful first and foremost for the players’ response. Each team represented about 20 players with North Village having two teams of 40 players and the other teams averaging 20 players, so that says a lot about them supporting the cause,” said Dill.“The public response was also well received in that people were coming to the field to give a donation. The game was played in good spirit, and even though North Village lost both contests it was a win-win situation for all who participated. That is something we hope sends a message out to the youth that even though we are competitive on the field we are friends off the field and looking out for each other.“The result is we raised $2,000 which will go towards Mark Jennings’ medical expenses and I’m sure it has been well received by him. We’re just grateful it was a successful event.”Added Dill: “We did have other donations in the form of Diamond Tent Rentals who donated the tent for the event and also there was a donation from Burrows and Lightbourne through George Hayward.”Last year’s benefit match assisted sailor and former footballer Stevie Dickinson with his medical expenses and the hope is to help others in need. “We’re trying to see if we can make it an annual event to raise funds to assist players who are in need, people who have made a contribution to the game over the years and find themselves in need of medical assistance,” said Dill.“We have been happy to host the last two matches and we’re happy to assist in any way that we can. Mark had an affiliation with all three clubs so it wasn’t an issue at all for the clubs to come together, plan it and make the event a success.”Former players who made a donation in order to play in the match included Herbie Bascome, Wayne Mouchette, Richard Robinson, Cal Blankendal, Carlos Greaves, Elliott Jennings, Keith Jennings, Nigel Burgess, Ricky Hill, Corey Hill, Donald Norford and Dennis Williams.“I feel good and appreciative because in these economic times people gave their time and their money,” said Jennings. “It was good to have the fellowship with a lot of the players I played against but haven’t seen for a while. It was more than a benefit game, you got the chance to mingle with people you haven’t seen for a while.“It was a good gesture of the community, not just the football community, coming together to help me in my time of need and hopefully in the future it will carry on and help other people as well. All of us need a hand from time to time. The ladies from Devonshire Rec cooked some food so we had some food and drinks after the game so it was a good atmosphere with a nice crowd in attendance.”