With only a few events remaining Saturday in the 2002 Corporate Cup, the competition was a close one.

Participants carefully scrutinized the posted scores, calculating just what it was going to take to win it all. Fists were pumped as finish lines were crossed and water quenched throats dry from cheering.

Despite their competitive flavor, the egg tosses and tugs-of-war at Free State High School were really more silly than serious. But the cause behind them  raising money for Special Olympics Kansas  was real and brought in more than 200 participants and about $6,000.

Hallmark, E&E Display Group, Packerware/Berry Plastics, Allen Press and NCS-Pearson all participated in the 15th annual Corporate Cup, which serves both as a fund-raiser and team-building event for local businesses, said Howie Olson, associate vice president of cause marketing for Special Olympics Kansas.

To participate, each business pays $500-$750, all of which goes to Special Olympics Kansas, an organization that provides year-round sports and training opportunities for more than 6,000 individuals with developmental disabilities.

Although Olson said turnout was about the same Saturday as in past years, he hoped to double participation next year and possibly move the event to July when Special Olympics athletes are at a Lawrence training camp.

Moving the event to July would “create some more interaction between the participants and the athletes,” Olson said, adding that the idea was well-received when discussed with participants Saturday.

Margaret Ostronic said her team was working hard to maintain its reigning champion status. Her company has been participating in the event since it began in 1989.

“We have so much fun,” said Ostronic, human resources administrator for E&E Display Group. “I think all our team members have fun, and it’s raising money for what we consider a good cause.”

More than that, the event gives employees who might not otherwise know each other a chance to meet, said Robin Ulrich, human resource coordinator for Allen Press.

In the end, E&E Display Group squeezed out a narrow win by two points. But, participants said, even without the victory, it was a fun  and tiresome  day.

“In some ways, it’s the mature individual getting to relive events from when they were kids,” Ulrich said. “A chance to play all day.”