In its seventh year at Buck Park, the Orcas Island Rotary Pickleball Tournament raised $12,000 for the Orcas community.
Tournament Director Linda Hamilton said, “It’s our mission with this tournament to use our pickleball nets to strengthen the social services safety net in our community.”
The proceeds will be donated to Orcas Island Community Resource Center, Music Advocacy Group, the Pea Patch Community Campus and the Orcas Island Pickleball Club. A gallery of photos is available at: https://orcaspickleball.org/photos/tourney24-photos/.
Congratulations to the following first and second place pickleball finishers, who all received a pickle jar trophy (pickles donated by Island Market):
• Group A Mixed Doubles: 1) Jordi Grigsby and Ivan Koveshnikov; 2) Tammy Pollard and Paul Pollard
• Group B Mixed Doubles: 1) Patty Miller and Ron Claus; 2) Suzanne and John Olson
• Group A Women’s Doubles: 1) Jenny Shrum and Carolyn Storey; 2) Eloisa Borbe and Michelle DiLeonardo
• Group B Women’s Doubles: 1) Diana Stepita and Emily Grindeland; 2) Po Powell and Mary Grove
• Group A Men’s Doubles: 1) Michael Harlow and Valerie Alexandrov; 2) Aaron Rock and Ethan Schmidt
• Group B Men’s Doubles: 1) Ethan Brazil and Bob Connell; 2) Avi Alvaro and Fernando Arevalo
The two-day tournament (August 10-11) hosted 62 players from Orcas, San Juan, Lopez islands, Oahu, and the mainland. Featured events included mixed doubles, women’s and men’s doubles; a BBQ in the park Saturday afternoon; and a prize raffle to support the Orcas Island Pickleball Club. Next year’s tournament is scheduled for the weekend of August 16-17, 2025 – mark your calendars!
The key to success was the generous support of the following community sponsors: Chicory Weath, Island Market, and Island Petroleum; Frank & Barbara Fagan, Gudgell Properties, Linda Hamilton, Bob McPherson, The Naan Stop/Country Corner, Orcas Online, Rays Pharmacy, Sea Island, Star Surveying, and WaFd Bank; American Pacific Mortgage, Island Hardware & Supply, Island Thyme, Rainshadow Solar and Greg Stafford; and generous in-kind donations from Luke Bronn Pottery, Eastsound Sporting Goods, Forest Ceramics, Island Water Taxi, Lewis Chiropractic, Mijitas, Jemuel Morris/Experience Pickleball, Suzanne Olson, Orcas Island Parks & Rec, Orcas Island Pickleball Club, Shearwater Adventures and Wildlife Cycles.
Special thanks to Tom Bridge of Island Water Taxi for donating interisland rides to and from the tournament so that players from San Juan and Lopez islands could participate without the anxiety of ferry unreliability.
Many players wore black armbands to recognize the loss of our own John Kelly, who passed away in July while playing pickleball, the game that he loved. The group observed a moment of silence and Michael Harlow sang a beautiful tribute to John.
Orcas Island Rotary supports the values and efforts of Rotary International. As a satellite of the Rotary Club of the San Juan Islands they embrace the club purpose: “Changing our community, our country, and the world through good will and service above self.” Orcas Rotary meets by Zoom every 1st Friday at 9 a.m. and every 3rd Friday at 5 p.m.
Orcas Island Pickleball Club is an organization of pickleball players committed to supporting a fun and fair pickleball community where everyone can play. Memberships in OIPC are available at https://orcaspickleball.org/ – and that’s where you can find out about upcoming pickleball events. Pickleball is open to everyone. Court times are scheduled on playtimescheduler.com and drop-ins are welcome. Newcomers and visitors are welcome to join in play, equipment is available in the OIPC box at the courts and new player orientation sessions are available.
