The Bea Fisher Group of Companies served up a weekend of fun and fundraising in Lloydminster as the organization hosted its second annual pickleball tournament—an event that’s quickly becoming a community favourite.
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“It’s gone so well,” said Kim Crockett, Bea Fisher’s marketing and business development co-ordinator, reflecting on the growth and impact of the event.
“The three things we want to see happen are happening. One, we want to give pickleball players in the area a fantastic event. The second thing was to create advocacy for Bea Fisher — what we do, the individuals in our services — and specifically, continue fundraising for an accessible van. The third thing was to raise funds for that van.”
With support from local businesses and volunteers, the tournament achieved all three goals.
“We’re hopeful this weekend will have a significant impact on that van,” said Crockett.
TD Bank returned as the event’s title sponsor, while Synergy Credit Union stepped in as the primary food sponsor. Subway donated a generous supply of subs for players and spectators to enjoy, and SORE Oilfield Services sponsored the lounge area.
“We’ve been enjoying Subway, homemade soup and homemade pies thanks to a couple kind ladies and the Grace United Church,” he said. “Lunch by donation’s been paying off dividends.”
Participation nearly doubled from last year’s inaugural event.
“Last year, for our first year, we had 46 teams, three divisions in one day,” explained Crockett. “This year, we’re going over two days, there’s seven divisions and we have 86 teams, so we’ve almost doubled over the course of a year and we’re thrilled about it.”
The growth hasn’t gone unnoticed by participants and spectators.
“We’ve already had people come and ask how they can get involved next year,” he said. “People are learning about the event and want to be a part of Year 3. It’s building.”
As the tournament wrapped up, organizers couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.
“Like any big event, you spend so much time preparing for it and getting ready, hoping things will go as planned. Now that it’s happening, we couldn’t be happier with how it’s come together,” said Crockett.
The Bea Fisher Centre, which supports individuals with developmental disabilities, continues to use such events to connect with the community and fund key initiatives — one rally at a time.
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