Pickleball tournament raises $5,600 for Family Resource Center and scholarships

Submitted by Orcas Island Pickleball.

The Orcas Island Rotary Club’s Pickleball Tournament hosted more than 30 teams in a full weekend of friendly competition August 6 – 7 at Buck Park. While there were some clear winners in the pickleball brackets, the big winners were the Family Resource Center, who will receive half of the donations – and islanders seeking an education in the trades with the Rotary scholarship fund receiving the other half of the $5,600 raised.

The events include Mixed Doubles (two divisions) on Saturday, Open Doubles and Women’s Doubles. The gold medal winners are: Gib and Lia Black – a father/daughter team from Friday Harbor – in both the mixed doubles (A division) AND open doubles brackets; Mark Fossenier and Marcie Moore of Seattle in mixed double (B division); Christine Lee and Maggie Kulyk of Orcas Island in the women’s doubles.

“This was our biggest and best tournament yet,” said tournament director Linda Hamilton. “We are so grateful for the generous support from the community: the local sponsors and the players who showed up from throughout the islands, the mainland and British Columbia. There’s a friendly rivalry between San Juan and Orcas Islands – and San Juan definitely came out on top this year.”

Hamilton relayed big thanks to the sponsors who made the tournament such a success including business sponsors: Banner Bank, Ray’s Pharmacy, Island Hardware & Supply, Chicory Wealth, Rainshadow Solar, Island Thyme and Orcas Food Co-op; and individual sponsors: Bob McPherson, Linda Hamilton and Frank & Barbara Fagen. Special thanks to pickleball superstars Jem Morris and Jennifer Corbin who made tournament day go smoothly. Donations for the prize bags were donated by Chicory Wealth and Island Thyme. The big prizes of the day were jars of delicious pickles, donated by Orcas Food Co-op. Thanks to Orcas Island Parks and Rec District for their support!

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 is an unofficial organization of players who meet at Buck Park. Court times are scheduled on playtimescheduler.com and include open sessions for all. Newcomers and visitors are welcome to join in play and new player orientation sessions are available. Contact orcaspickleball@gmail.com for more information.

Contributed photo Mark Fossenier and Marcie Moore of Seattle, gold winners of the mixed double (B division) with silver winners Cathy Trogdon of Orcas and Jennifer Corbin of Point Roberts, BC.