Midnight Sun Pickleball Raises Over 7K Dollars: On Friday, Panama City residents gathered for a heartwarming event that combined the love of pickleball with the desire to give back. Midnight Sun Pickleball Panama City hosted the Pickling for Wishes Pickleball Tournament at Papa Joe’s Bayside, with all proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida. The event was a chance for locals to enjoy their favorite sport while supporting a life-changing cause.
Community Support in Action
Jill Lutz, the Pickling for Wishes Tournament Pickleball Director, shared her enthusiasm for the event, saying,
“Getting to play their favorite sport and coming together as a community while supporting such a great cause at the same time seemed like a no-brainer to me.” – (Jill Lutz)
The tournament attracted a large turnout, with participants eager to contribute to the foundation’s mission.
The Power of a Wish
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing experiences for children battling critical illnesses. The director of development for Make-A-Wish Northwest Florida, Kathleen Hampton, explained the impact of the organization’s work:
“Families and children allow me to come into their lives and just sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives. I see it as lifting the curtains, letting the sun in, and having children experience joy and hope and plan for a future.” – (Kathleen Hampton)
All players’ registration fees from the event were directed to granting wishes for children in the Northwest region of Florida.
A Tangible Impact
Thanks to the generosity of the participants and additional donors, Midnight Sun Pickleball successfully raised over $7,000 to help grant wishes for children.
One such family benefiting from the efforts is Kristen Leynes’ family, whose daughter was hospitalized for several months at the age of 4. Kristen Leynes reflected on the difference Make-A-Wish made for her family, particularly when her daughter’s dream of going to Disney came true.
“I remember going to Disney for the first time with her after her treatment, and it was so special because it was something we didn’t know that we would get to do again.” – (Kristen Leynes)
“When she was hospitalized, that’s what she was asking her doctors when she was going to get to go to Disney again, and that was the most special thing that I think we could have done with our daughter, it was what she wanted to do, and Make-A-Wish made that happen for us.” – (Kristen Leynes)
Looking Ahead
The success of the Pickling for Wishes Tournament is just the beginning. Make-A-Wish Northwest Florida plans to continue its efforts to bring joy to children by expanding to other major cities in the region, including Destin and Pensacola.
As more pickleball tournaments are held in support of the cause, the foundation remains dedicated to making children’s wishes come true, one game at a time.
News in Brief: Midnight Sun Pickleball Raises Over 7K Dollars
Midnight Sun Pickleball Panama City hosted the Pickling for Wishes Pickleball Tournament at Papa Joe’s Bayside on Friday, raising over $7,000 for Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida.
All registration fees from the pickleball event were donated to support the foundation’s mission of granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. Participants and donors made a significant impact on families, such as Kristen Leynes’ family, whose daughter’s wish to visit Disney was made possible by Make-A-Wish.
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