WHS graduates turned entrepreneurs invent new lawn game to be enjoyed by all

By Lorraine Glowczak

Creative ideas and endeavors have often been inspired as a result of late evening conversations around a backyard bonfire. And that is exactly what happened when two friends, Brad Carpentier and Gabe Purves, both 2013 Windham High School graduates and budding businessmen, designed the concept for a new lawn game.

2013 Windham High School graduates
Brad Carpentier, left, and Gabe Purves
have invented a new yard game based on 
the favorite Cornhole with 10 slots in
the platform instead of one.
PHOTO BY BRIGITTE PARADY

“It was at the end of last summer when Gabe and I were having a bonfire in my backyard and were brainstorming ideas for our next venture [as entrepreneurs],” Carpentier said. “We came up with the idea of a lawn game based upon the combination of the two popular games, cornhole and beer pong.”

The evening’s discussion created what is now known as Cover10 Cornhole, and the rules are simple. Much like cornhole, players take turns throwing bags filled with pellets at a slanted platform (board), with the intention of throwing the bag through a hole placed at the upper end of the board. However, with Cover10, there is an additional twist.

“The platform has 10 holes instead of one,” Purves said. “Teams of two players stand on each side taking turns attempting to throw their bags into an open hole. Once that happens, the hole is covered with a wooden disk. Each team takes turns throwing their two bags until one team covers all 10 holes.”

Once the two young inventors solidified the concept of the game, they set out to build, create and manufacture the outdoor pastime for all to enjoy. Carpentier and Purves recently began their entrepreneurial endeavor through Kickstarter, an online funding source for creative projects where people can pledge money to make an innovative idea happen, much like the role of an ‘investor’. These ‘investors’ believe in the project and will pledge money, much like a pre-order, in return for their selected reward if the campaign goal is reached.

“We just found out on Sunday that we have officially reached our Kickstarter goal,” Carpentier said. “And we will be filling those orders soon! We are now on our way to making our new business come to life.”

This is not the first entrepreneurial rodeo for Purves and Carpentier. While sophomores in 2014 at the University of Maine-Orono, the two 2017 Black Bear graduates created a philanthropic business in their dorm room called Full Circle, a company that gave back to those in need with the purchase of a T-shirt. In fact, they were highlighted in the Nov. 28, 2014 edition of The Windham Eagle newspaper in an article written by Michelle Libby. (For the full article: http://business.thewindhameagle.com/2014/11/business-spotlight-full-circle.html)

Although they no longer own Full Circle, their mission to own their own business is not new.

“We have always wanted to do something that we are passionate about and to be our own bosses,” Purves said. “We are always thinking about various possibilities and have formed a partnership called GB Goods to try to keep our business broad. We don’t want to be limited to one product line.”

For Cover10 Cornhole, they both share the vision of the lawn game becoming a nationally competitive sport.

“Our goal is to build a community around the game,” Carpentier said. “When cornhole first became really popular, no one thought that it would be on TV as a competitive sport. We want to try to replicate that with Cover10.”

Purves added that as they receive feedback, they plan to fine tune and streamline the board design. “We are not really sure what the specific design updates might look like in the future, but we may change things slightly as we grow with the business and discover possible improvements.”

The pair are contacting outdoor eating establishments to see if those businesses might consider including Cover10 as part of a yard entertainment to help spread the word about their invention. Both Carpentier and Purves note that although a portion of this lawn game mimics the rules of beer pong, alcohol consumption is not needed to play this game nor is it endorsed and can be a safe and healthy outdoor activity for the whole family.

Interested in trying out the game for yourself? They will be participating in the Family, Fun, Fitness and Film Festival event that will occur at Tassel Top Park in Raymond beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday Aug. 26. The event is hosted by the Raymond Parks and Recreation Department, Windham Parks and Recreation Department and Be The Influence Coalition.

To follow the progress of these young Windham entrepreneurs, one can do so at various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok at @cover10cornhole. Their website is: cover10cornhole.com. <