Pickleball is a fast-growing sport in Niagara-on-the-Lake: within a few short months, the town’s club has grown to 600 members from 400 members.
Using this popularity to benefit a charity organization is a no-brainer, says Shie Gorman, a member of the NOTL Pickleball Club and a development co-ordinator for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.
“We’re looking for new and innovative ways to raise funds for Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis and also amplify all the great things going on in our community,” Gorman said.
With pickleball’s immense attraction, a tournament supporting Crohn’s and Colitis Canada makes for a “fun way to play and raise funds for a good cause,” she said.
Smash the Guts Pickleball Tournament is this Saturday, March 2 at the NOTL Community Centre, with the first session starting at 11:30.
As of Wednesday, there were 28 registrants and the tournament has a capacity of 60, so anyone interested who meets the required skill rank of 2.5 or 3.0 is encouraged to register online.
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada is also hosting a sister tournament in Toronto.
As an employee of the organization, Gorman feels she can speak to the need for fundraising for the cause.
Crohn’s and colitis are inflammatory bowel diseases that afflict thousands of Canadians, many of them young adults.
“We’re looking at someone every 48 minutes in Canada that will be diagnosed with either. We have the highest rates for the disease in the world,” Gorman said.
All money raised from the Smash the Guts tournament will benefit finding cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, she said.
Volunteers will also collect any donations participants wish to leave during the tournament and there will be an online auction for pickleball swag.
“Ideally we can continue to host it every year,” Gorman said.
For more information and tickets, visit crohnsandcolitiscanada.akaraisin.com/ui/smashtheguts.
