Rick Meyer Fights Child Hunger Through Pickleball: When Rick Meyer and his wife relocated to Florida 15 years ago, he was determined to make a meaningful contribution to his new community. His mission became clear after meeting Carrie Torres, founder and executive director of Provision Packs—a local initiative dedicated to alleviating child hunger. Meyer, 75, saw an opportunity to link athletic events with charitable causes.
“I wanted to connect some type of athletic event with feeding kids. The first year, I took up boxing, raised a bunch of money.” – (Meyer)
However, after a knockout in the ring and a push from his wife, he pivoted to powerlifting.
“We ended up going to the nationals, and I did a fundraiser based on (people) sponsoring me at x number of dollars per pound.” – (Meyer)
His efforts yielded substantial funds and set the stage for his current endeavor—pickleball.
Embracing Pickleball
About a year and a half ago, Meyer discovered pickleball at Pictona Pickleball, a 49-court facility in Holly Hill, Florida. Despite starting from scratch, Meyer quickly embraced the sport.
“I came off the court the first time and immediately entered a tournament. In two months, I’ve got a deadline (with my first tournament).” – (Meyer)
With a background in tennis, Meyer adapted swiftly to pickleball, particularly excelling in singles.
“Singles is like tennis. The best strategy is to hit it hard to the backhand and rush the net. … So learning singles pickleball, especially strategy-wise, was pretty easy.” – (Meyer)
Success and Fundraising
Meyer’s competitive spirit shone through in 2023 as he participated in eight tournaments, eventually winning gold in the men’s singles 3.5 age 75+ bracket at the March 2024 Golden Ticket event in Miami. This victory secured his spot at the 2024 BioFreeze USA Pickleball National Championships in Mesa, Arizona.
He also competed in the 2024 Minto US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida, which fueled his excitement for the upcoming nationals.
Meyer’s fundraising efforts have been equally impressive. By auctioning off high-quality paddles from Selkirk and organizing a local tournament, he has significantly contributed to Provision Packs. His local tournament attracted 82 participants, far surpassing his initial goal of 50.
“We’re here to play pickleball, but what we’re really here for is to feed kids.” – (Meyer)
Impact and Community
Provision Packs now provides meals to 1,000 children weekly. Meyer’s local tournament raised $3,000, enough to feed children for a month at Wadsworth Elementary School. Meyer’s approach combines community engagement with fundraising. “That combination is good,” he said, highlighting the impact of blending sports with charity.
Prior to retiring to Florida, Meyer had a career in sales and marketing at Monroe Shocks & Struts, a company founded by his grandfather. Despite his brief tenure in pickleball, Meyer appreciates the unique community aspect of the sport.
“It is a community. Playing in nationals, that gets somebody’s attention. I start out every fundraising meeting (asking), has anybody heard of pickleball? Of course, everybody raises their hands.” – (Meyer)
News in Brief: Rick Meyer Fights Child Hunger Through Pickleball
Rick Meyer, a Florida resident, has combined his passion for pickleball with a mission to combat child hunger. After transitioning from boxing and powerlifting to pickleball, Meyer has used his competitive success to raise funds for Provision Packs, an initiative feeding 1,000 children weekly.
His recent efforts, including a local tournament that raised $3,000, demonstrate the power of merging sports with philanthropy. Meyer’s commitment shows the impact of community-driven solutions to pressing issues like child hunger.
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