Partners of Parks is serving up an inaugural pickleball tournament and fundraiser to help Long Beach youth take free recreational classes.
The local nonprofit is launching Pickleball for Parks, a two-day competition taking place this weekend at the Billie Jean King Courts near Recreation Park. Proceeds for this event will go to the Parks, Recreation and Marine youth scholarship program.
Registration is open until April 30, with an entry fee of $75 for each doubles team. The tournament is open to all ages and skill levels with cash prizes, medals and giveaways rewarding contestants.
There will be six divisions of play:
- Womens Adult
- Mens Adult
- Mixed Adult
- Womens Seniors 55+
- Mens Seniors 55+
- Mixed Seniors 55+
The $75 fee to enter the tournament is a tax-deductible donation toward the Partners of Parks’ long-standing Youth Scholarship Fund, a program which pays for children ages 3 to 18 to attend classes in the Recreation Connection catalog free of charge. The goal for this event is to raise $10,000.
“We typically receive a minimum of 300 applications within a calendar year. This program continues to be a need and the need continues to grow,” said Partners of Parks Executive Director Ashley Jones in a public statement.
The players won’t be the only ones serving on the court, as pop-up food vendors Glizzy Street hot dogs and Krispy Kreme donuts will be on site Saturday, while Funky Brewster coffee and Proper’s Pickle will make their appearances Sunday.
Signal Hill Petroleum, Windes Accounting Firm, Lazy Acres, F&M Bank and the Port of Long Beach are sponsoring the event.
Interested players can register here and find more information at parnersofparks.org, or by emailing info@poplb.org or calling 562-570-3209.
