Pickleball Tournament Unites Community Efforts for Scholarships and Wellness

In the heart of Bluefield, West Virginia, a pickleball tournament has become the unlikely catalyst for a unique partnership between the United Way of Southern West Virginia and the Sons of Italy. This event not only raises funds for the crucial causes they champion but also highlights the growing popularity of a sport that is captivating the community and promoting active lifestyles.

A Winning Collaboration for Scholarships and Community Wellbeing

Utilizing Pickleball to Boost Fundraising and Wellness

The United Way of Southern West Virginia has long been the driving force behind their annual "Dancing with the Stars" competition, their most significant fundraiser of the year. This year, they sought a new approach to engage the community and promote physical activity. WVVA's Martin Staunton and Karen Bowling, the president and CEO of WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital, teamed up to utilize the recently opened pickleball courts at Bluefield City Park as the venue for a fundraising tournament.Bowling emphasizes the hospital's role in this endeavor, stating, "It's also a way for us to work within our community here in Bluefield and support activities that, really from a healthcare perspective, that support the health and wellbeing of people." Pickleball, a rapidly growing sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, is seen as an accessible and enjoyable activity for people of all ages and skill levels. Bowling notes, "Pickleball is not that complicated, I've been told; It's not as difficult as tennis; and it seems like it's, right now, a lot of people are really, really getting into it."

Partnering with the Sons of Italy for Scholarship Opportunities

The pickleball tournament, however, was not solely the United Way's initiative. The Sons of Italy, a local organization, had also expressed interest in hosting the event to raise funds for their scholarship program. Jeff Disibbio, a Sons of Italy member, emphasizes the importance of supporting the youth in Southern West Virginia, stating, "The advancement of our children and the youth here… is integral to what we're doing in Southern West Virginia. To be able to educate our kids, to be able to have a better life for themselves, to help reenergize and reinvent Southern West Virginia is going to be our future."Recognizing the synergy between their respective causes, the United Way and the Sons of Italy decided to collaborate and co-host the pickleball tournament. By partnering, they were able to split the proceeds from entry fees and food sales, ensuring that both organizations could benefit from the event's success.

Reinvesting in the Community

Trena Dacal, the executive director of the United Way of Southern West Virginia, underscores the significance of the funds raised at the pickleball tournament. She explains, "These monies are vital to our community. I know the kids that depend on the scholarships are so appreciative of them and then the agencies that we fund at United Way, we make programs come together like supervised child visitation, recovery programs, food pantries, all this money gets reinvested back in those programs locally, and so that's vital to our community."The tournament's success has not gone unnoticed, with those involved expressing their hope to continue this partnership in the future. The collaborative effort between the United Way and the Sons of Italy has not only benefited the recipients of the scholarships and the community organizations supported by the United Way but has also fostered a sense of unity and shared purpose within the Bluefield community.