Hudson Pickle is hosting their 3rd annual pickleball tournament fundraiser on Saturday March 29th at 11 a.m in an effort to support the Kids’ Club of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow.
Pickleball’s popularity has been growing rapidly over the past decade, with the most prominent spike having been during and directly after the pandemic as people searched for activities that could be played both inside and outside. Pickleball can be played between all age groups and physical abilities, making it one of the more accessible sports in recent years. Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow residents Marni Rose and Rich Pacheco both tried pickleball back in 2021, and quickly incorporated the sport into their everyday lives. With the growing need for more organized play in the community, Rose and Pacheco founded Hudson Pickle, which has since grown to involve outside coaches, clinics and organized games ranging from open play to tournament style events throughout the river towns.
Rose herself is a recognized USA Pickleball Ambassador, which goes to show how much the sport has shaped her life and those around her, “I’m really into growing the sport and getting new people involved. It’s easy to pick up, you can get into it very quickly, and you can spend the rest of your life gaining new skills,” Rose said.
The Pickleball Round Robin Fundraiser in collaboration with the Kids’ Club of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow is in its third year at the Sleepy Hollow High School and Middle School gymnasium. At $60 a person with discounts for kids and teachers, all proceeds go towards the Kids’ Club and their mission to support the underserved local youth through food pantries, school programs, summer camps, enrichment programs and even college prep programs.
Jennifer Green has been the President of the Kids’ Club since 2016, as well as a Board Member since its inception, with this year marking their 15th anniversary of helping over 1,500 children each year. “Kids’ Club is thrilled to again be the beneficiary of Hudson Pickle’s third annual fundraising pickleball tournament. We look forward to another great day of community fun and competition, and are eager to put the funds raised to use,” Green said.
The Kids’ Club serves nearly 1,500 families and their children each year, donating over $1.5 Million in grants and scholarships since 2009 when the Kids’ Club was formed after the closing of the Boys and Girls Club of Tarrytown. Green wants to thank their largest local sponsors ENT Allergy Associates and Allan Block Insurance, as well as all of the volunteers and participants involved for helping to make the event possible and meaningful. New sponsors this year also include Yoga Love NY in Irvington and The Pilates Movement in Tarrytown.
In previous years the event is recorded to have at least 100 attendees, with the past two raising over $4,000 each according to Green. Between the past two tournaments, almost $10,000 has been donated directly to Kids’ Club. This year, two new youth divisions have been added on top of the original Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced categories. The games will be played double round robin style sorted by skill level so that everyone is evenly matched. People will advance to playoffs as the all-day event progresses.
“It’s a great day, there are bleachers for people to come and watch. It’s such a social sport, people become fast friends and it’s great to see everyone coming back for this event.” Rose commented.
As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the Kids’ Club relies on public support to fund their programs. For donating $200, you’ll receive a T-Shirt and a dedicated Instagram post. For $500, you’ll receive a T-Shirt, dedicated Instagram posts, shout outs during the event, and 3 free sign-ups. Finally, with a donation of $1,000 or more, you’ll receive a T-Shirt, vendor booth and signage displayed throughout the event, dedicated Instagram posts, shout outs during the event, and 3 free sign ups.
If you’re a local sponsor and want to get involved, visit hudsonpickle.com or email hello@hudsonpickle.com. If you’re looking to get involved as a participant, visit not only their website but their instagram @hudsonpickle. For those who aren’t familiar, there’s a well known organizing app used by pickleball players to find local games in their area called “TeamReach”. If you enter the code 2023HP into the app, you’ll be in tune with all of Hudson Pickle’s happenings.
