A Flower Mound nonprofit built by two Marine veterans who served together in Iraq is bringing its fifth annual cornhole tournament to Heritage Park on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Therapeutic Recreation Group, known as TRG, hosts the Mound Throwdown each Veterans Day weekend as a fundraiser for its programs serving veterans, first responders and their families. The event runs five hours at Heritage Park, 600 Spinks Road, and is open to all ages with free parking, according to the event's Eventbrite listing.

The listing bills the day as a cornhole tournament paired with a college football watch party on big screens, food and drink vendors, live music and a kid zone. Competitive players and spectators are both welcome.

TRG co-founders PJ Kratohvil and Robbie Horne enlisted in the Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq together. Kratohvil, a Flower Mound resident, served two tours before being honorably discharged as a sergeant, according to the group's website. He later co-founded a construction company, Complete Exterior Solutions, with his wife and sold the business to focus on TRG full time.

Horne served 13 years as a Marine military police officer, deploying to Iraq in 2003 and returning for a second tour in 2004. He earned a Purple Heart, a Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V" device and a Combat Action Ribbon, among other decorations, according to TRG's website. Horne's brother, also a Marine veteran, died by suicide in 2012. That loss drives Horne's work with the organization, TRG says.

The idea for the nonprofit started on a hunting trip. As first reported by the Cross Timbers Gazette in February 2022, Kratohvil and Horne were traveling home from a hunt when they decided to share that kind of outdoor experience with other veterans struggling to transition out of active-duty life. They formed TRG as a 501(c)(3) and began organizing fishing trips, hiking adventures and hunting excursions across Arkansas, South Texas and Colorado.

In that 2022 coverage, Kratohvil said the goal was lasting connection. "We want to create a community because once you get out [of the military], that's the one thing everyone is trying to recreate," he said.

TRG describes its mission as restoring hope, independence and well-being for veterans and first responders through outdoor activities, peer connections and follow-up support. The Flower Mound-based group lists two to 10 employees on its LinkedIn page.

Ticket prices and registration details for the Nov. 14 Mound Throwdown were not listed on the available Eventbrite page. Residents can visit TherapeuticRG.org for more information.

Upcoming community events

  • Saturday, Nov. 14 — Fifth annual Mound Throwdown cornhole tournament and family festival, Heritage Park, 600 Spinks Road, Flower Mound from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. All ages. Free parking.