Pickleball is a fastest-growing sport in the nation, and it only makes sense that a pickleball tournament will be one of the hottest fundraisers of 2024.
Although Starpoint, a local nonprofit, has hosted a variety of successful fundraisers throughout the years, the inaugural Pickle with a Purpose Pickleball Tournament was a smash hit in 2023 and they plan to follow up on that success this year.
"50% of last year's attendance actually came from outside of Fremont County," said Starpoint Community Outreach & Engagement Officer Mary Yang.
Nearly 60 competitors flooded into Cañon City in 2023 to compete in the tournament and, this year, organizers hope to repeat the immediate success.
The fundraiser was made possible by a grant awarded to Starpoint by the Fremont County Tourism Council and, when organizers began brainstorming event ideas, pickleball immediately rose to the top of the list.
"We have runners for the Rim to Rim, we have wine-lovers for the Forks and Corks upstyle event, so we were trying to reach a different demographic so that we could have a larger reach and larger impact in the educational aspect of Starpoint," said Starpoint Communications & Social Media Manager Cara Swearingen. "With it being the largest growing sport in America, it's something a lot of people are picking up on, and so we wanted to have something that is fun and accessible and anybody can play."
As a nonprofit organization, Starpoint relies on grants, donations, and especially their fundraisers to keep their vital services available to Fremont County. As an organization, they provide essential services to two vulnerable populations, children and their families and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.
All proceeds from the event will benefit Starpoint and its many programs and, after garnering nearly $2,000 in 2023, organizers are hopeful for 2024.
Although Starpoint has been in the community since 1977, organizers encourage curious community members to attend the tournament (even if they don't have a paddle in their hand) to learn more about the dedicated organization.
"We really want this to be a learning opportunity for people to understand more about Starpoint and what we do," Swearingen said.
However, for those whose primary interest lies in hitting the court, registration is already open.
Pickle with a Purpose Pickleball Tournament will take place April 27-28 at Rouse Park in Cañon City and will cater to both men, women, and mixed doubles. There will be three brackets available, in ascending experience levels, including 3.0 (beginner), 3.5 (intermediate), and 4.0 (advanced), and there is no age limit to register for the tournament.
Nearly 40 players have already signed up for this year's event and registration is now open at https://pickleballbrackets.com/ptd.aspx?eid=cfa49536-426d-4e3e-b8c7-2f44e31d8f1e. The cost to register is $35 for a single or $60 for two events but the fun doesn't stop with the action on the court.
Pickleball aficionados will immediately recognize the name Pickleball Central (one of the leading manufacturers of pickleball equipment and gear) and they will have a van onsite during the tournament to cater to both new and experienced players. Paddles, bags, nets, gear, and other items will be for sale while the tournament is happening so more players may emerge from the event than went in.
Sponsors for this year's event include Brendan Pardue, Reams Palace Drug, Cindy Curry-Olson, Cañon City Lanes, PickleballCentral.com, and Fremont County Tourism Council.
If an individual or business is interested in sponsoring the event, call Swearingen at 719-269-2228.
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