NEWTON - A croquet tournament and wine tasting event will be held at Sussex County Community College from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.on Saturday, June 24, on the Connor Green. The event will raise funds for the college Foundation for Sussex County Community College. Jack Kraft, Esq., event chairman, said he is excited about the newest edition to the foundation’s fundraising activities. “Everyone I talk to has fuzzy recollections of playing croquet as a kid,” added Linda Nieman, foundation director. “Well, this is our chance to reacquaint people with the game, and help raise money for the Foundation for Sussex County Community College at the same time.” The day’s events can be enjoyed either as a player or as a spectator. The origins of croquet are traced back to the 1300s in France. The game was originally called “paille-maille,” which means ball-mallet. Because of the strong alliance between the French and Scottish, certain cultural exchanges crossed the channel. One of these was the game of paille-maille. Golfers took it up because the similarity to golf made it good practice. The name was later changed to “croquet” because of the crooked stick used to hit the balls through the wickets. Croquet became popular throughout the world and formal rules were established in 1868. Those rules have survived to today with little change. People can still be found playing croquet in their backyards or at the local park. There are associations throughout the English-speaking world where competition is fierce and standards high. The game can be played by all age groups. For information on playing or sponsoring the event, call 973-300-2124.