Vernon’s Pickleball Tournament Serves: A pickleball tournament in Vernon has raised money to help people of all ages improve their reading and learning skills. The first Raise a Paddle, Raise a Reader event took place on Saturday, June 21, at the Predator Ridge Racquet Club. The tournament supported the Literacy Society of North Okanagan and brought in thousands of dollars to fund free programs.
A Fun Way to Support Literacy
The event drew 13 teams, with a total of 52 players competing. Debbie Nurse, executive director of the Literacy Society of North Okanagan, said, “It’s the first one that we’ve held, and we had 13 teams register and that’s 52 players.”
Alongside the games, a silent auction gave people a chance to make extra donations. The goal was to raise $15,000, and the group collected $7,652 so far. More donations may still come in. Nurse explained that the target might not be met this year since it takes time to build support. She said, “And it takes time to build a following and for the community to understand what it’s supporting.”
How the Money Will Help
Funds from the tournament and auction will go to three main programs. The Reading Together program helps elementary students with one-on-one reading support. The Skills Boost program gives kids after-school activities to build their confidence in reading and math. The Adult Digital Literacy program helps seniors learn to use phones and computers with help from volunteers.
All money raised will also be matched by the province and Vancouver’s Decoda Literacy Solutions. This extra support means these services will stay free for everyone who needs them.
Positive Energy and Future Growth
Debbie Nurse said the event was full of energy and excitement. Players were happy to help a good cause while enjoying their games. She said, “We also had a successful silent auction on hand for those who wanted to increase their donation and support for the Literacy Society.”
The Literacy Society plans to grow the event in the future so more people can take part and more funds can be raised to help the community.
News in Brief: Vernon’s Pickleball Tournament Serves
The Raise a Paddle, Raise a Reader pickleball event in Vernon raised over $7,600 to support free literacy programs. Thirteen teams competed at Predator Ridge Racquet Club. Organizers plan to grow the fundraiser in the future to help even more learners.
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