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MEDINA, Ohio -- A Thanksgiving Day tradition raises thousands of dollars for a Medina County High School football player, injured during a game.

For the past 20 years, Mike Meadows has been hosting the "Meadows Turkey Bowl" football tournament in his backyard in Medina.

What started out as a small backyard football game soon turned into a huge fundraising event. Organizers say the work began months ago.

"It's highly organized now. It's really exploded into a fundraising event that it is now," said Jason Nemeth.

Each year, the money raised goes to St. Vincent Depaul Society but this year Meadows decided to donate half of the proceeds to Highland High School football player Kory Wiita.

"One of the turkey bowler's nephew is a ball carrier. He called me about 2 weeks before the invitations went out. He said, 'I want my portions of the proceeds to go to Kory Wiita,'" said Meadows.

Last month, Wiita was injured while playing in the Highland-Cloverleaf football game. The senior defensive back fractured three vertebrae in his neck while making a tackle. Wiita suffered several spinal injuries and has remain hospitalized ever since.

Thursday afternoon, several Highland High School football players and band members attended the Turkey Bowl to show their support.

Highland Football Senior Andrew Kronenberger said, "It means a lot to him and his family. His expenses are going to be a lot."

"He's in good spirits. He's working hard in rehab," said teammate Anthony Petrilla.

Organizers hoped to raise $35,000, but this year they exceed their goal by raising $67,000.

"We're a group of average Joe's. It's an eclectic fraternity of guys that come from different backgrounds. Not rich entrepreneurs, just average guys that went out and raised a lot of money," said Meadows.

Kory Wiita continues his recovery at the Cleveland Clinic.