Dinking for our Military Pickleball Tournament: The Blue Star Mothers of the High Country hosted the “Dinking for our Military” pickleball tournament on Saturday at The Summit courts in Boone, North Carolina. The event brought together 53 players of various skill levels to raise funds for local active-duty military members, veterans, and their families.
The tournament featured two sessions of mixed doubles games. The morning session included 25 advanced players ranked 4.0+ or 3.5+, while the second session welcomed beginner and intermediate players.
A Rescheduled Event with Purpose
According to Shannon Cox, the group planned to hold a similar tournament last November in Wilkesboro, but it was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene.
“We are just happy that we were able to move it here to Boone and do sort of a make-up date here this summer,” said Shannon Cox. “It’s our first time here in Boone at The Summit, and they’ve been great working with us and helping us get it together.”
The event was more than just a competition. All proceeds went to The Blue Star Mothers of the High Country, a local chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America. This nonprofit group was formed in the High Country in 2008 and serves Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties.
Community Helps Support Troops
The group’s mission is to support military families, veterans, and those currently serving. They use donations to send care packages, write cards, and take part in national events to honor veterans.
“The money that’s raised through entry fees and donations, we’re also raffling off a couple of products and things, all of that money goes directly to help active-duty servicemen and women or veterans of the armed services,” said Shannon Cox. “Our group is made up of mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers of military personnel, either active-duty or veterans. We do things like send care packages to deployed troops that are overseas. Today, we have a table with cards where people can sign a thank-you card to a deployed military person, and we’ll mail those over in packages at Christmas time and special occasions.”
“We also do things like participate in Wreaths Across America, where we donate money to have wreaths placed on veterans’ graves,” added Shannon Cox. “We have made donations to the Honor Flight that takes veterans from World War II to the Capitol once a year.”
Winners, Prizes, and Giveaways
Medals were awarded to the top three teams in each division. Gift certificates and pickleball gear were handed out as prizes. Every player received a rally towel.
Items raffled at the event included a Joola pickleball bag, a Pursuit Pro1 paddle, and a bottle of Horse Soldier Bourbon.
Lasting Impact on Local Military Families
This tournament was not only fun for players but also meaningful for the community. With funds going directly to care packages, support services, and national veteran programs, the Blue Star Mothers of the High Country continue to make a difference for those who serve.
News in Brief: Dinking for our Military Pickleball Tournament
The Blue Star Mothers of the High Country hosted a pickleball tournament Saturday at The Summit in Boone. The event raised money to support active-duty military and veterans in the High Country. Fifty-three players joined the mixed doubles event, with medals and raffle prizes awarded to winners and supporters.
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