Keith Greene Horseshoe Invitational In North Sea To Benefit Children's College Funds

Keith Sea Greene always had a love for backyard games.

In fact, when his cousin bought a new house, the first words out of Mr. Greene’s mouth were said to be, “But where will the horseshoes go?”

So when his family was planning a fundraiser to benefit the late Mr. Greene’s two children, they automatically decided to host a horseshoe tournament in his honor. Now in its second year, the Keith Sea Greene Invitational, set for Saturday, raises money to put toward the Greene children’s future.

“We started this event as a way to, one, remember Keith and the kind of person he was,” his cousin and best friend, Brian Poppell, said this week. “And, two, to raise money for the children he left behind so they can have a college education.”

Mr. Greene, a local chef who most recently worked at Schmidt’s Market on North Sea Road in Southampton Village, was well known among the East End community. He had been a chef at several well-known restaurants, including Schmidt’s, Barrister’s and 75 Main in Southampton, and Jean-Luc in East Hampton. He also was known for having appeared on the Fox reality show “Hell’s Kitchen” in 2006. His nickname was “K-Grease.”

On August 15, 2012, at the age of 35, Mr. Greene died while swimming at Wyandanch Lane Beach in Southampton Village. He left behind his wife, Kristin Greene, and their young children, Avery, now 3, and Aiden, now 2.

The event will run on Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. at the North Sea Firemen’s Athletic Field on North Sea Road. The tournament will start at 1 p.m., and there will be bouncy castles for the kids, Chinese and silent auctions, several DJs and a pig roast.

At last year’s event, which was organized in less than a week, approximately 300 people attended the horseshoe contest, and the family raised roughly $20,000 for the Greene children’s college fund. This year, Mr. Poppell said the family will be happy with whatever money they can raise, and that it will all make a difference in Avery and Aiden’s lives.

“We are raising money for the kids,” he said. “If we walk away with some money in the bank, then I am happy and it will be worth it, but the more money we can raise for them the better.”

Tickets to participate in the tournament are $50 a person. Anyone wishing to attend the event, but not participate in the tournament, can buy them for $20 a person, and children under 12 get in for free. More information about the event can be found online at Keithseagreenememorial.com.

This week, Mr. Poppell said he is looking forward to the event dedicated to his cousin, adding that Mr. Greene always used games like horseshoe tournaments to bring people together.

“He loved backyard games—he loved the social aspect of it,” Mr. Poppell said. “So this seemed like a really good fit, and I hope a lot of people come and enjoy it with us.”