Year-By-Year Doings
2024 Year Doings
As we look back on the year 2024 the Rohnert Park Pickleball Club has been amazing yet again. The biggest achievement and one that we are most proud of is this incredible village that we all created and to which we are members. This Pickleball Club is more than people meeting at the courts and playing a round of pickleball. The Pickleball Club has become an undeniable family. We have all met friends who have become family, family that has become even better friends and newbies who have found numerous new besties. Whether you are just walking into our clinic, taking classes or lessons or just heading to the courts to see who is there, Rohnert Park offers it all.
Toy Drive for the kids of the Early Learning Institute: Our most recent achievement was unparalleled. We hit it out of the proverbial ballpark or definitely over the pickleball fence. We organized once again a “toy drive” for the kids of the Early Learning Institute. ELI serves approximately 600 children and families per month and 350 children with weekly on-going services and therapeutic play groups.
It was amazing to be a part of the Santa’s Elves delivery of gifts for the children and gift cards for families. The need this year proved to be higher than ever and the wish for gift cards to help families put food on the holiday table and get the children a little something for the holiday was obvious. Well, the Rohnert Park Pickleball Club came through. We also thank our neighboring clubs for their participation. Together we raised a whopping $3350.00 in gift cards and 146 toys for the children. The director of ELI told us that just as we made a delivery, a head of household had been laid off with no money coming in. The gift cards assured that the family would have a meal and a gift for their children for the holiday. This was heartwarming and painful to behold.
Wine Country Senior Summer Pickleball Games: This year were able to host the Wine Country Senior Summer Pickleball games in collaboration with the Council on Aging. We hosted a 3-day event of women’s, men’s and mixed play. With 275 players and a basket extravaganza drawing, the weekend was full of fun and surprises for everyone. It’s always a great weekend and best part of the weekend is the money raised by the entry fees goes to benefit the Council on Aging.
Donations! We also were able to raise as a club enough funds to give donations to the Rohnert Park Boys and Girls Club, the Sonoma County Animal Shelter and the Rohnert Park Senior Center. We also followed the lead from one of our club members, Joanie, and we were able to give a donation to World Pasta Day sponsored by the Redwood Empire Food Bank. In addition, we were able to make numerous donations throughout the entire year to Unsheltered Friends of Sonoma County based in Rohnert Park.
2023 Year Doings
A YEAR TO REMEMBER…….What a year we have had 2023. Counting our blessings and reflecting on all our Rohnert Park Pickleball Club successes it brings us great pride to share all that this awesome village has accomplished.
Annual Holiday Toy Drive: Starting from most recently, our Annual Holiday Toy Drive benefitting those in need within the Early Learning Institute collected over 350 gifts for children and $2500.00 in gift cards. If this doesn’t make you smile, nothing could.
Keep Maui Strong: After the wildfires of recent years in the Northbay and seeing victims of the wildfire in Maui, we collectively asked for donations and to our amazement, this club raised $10,500 to try and Keep Maui Strong. This was heartwarming to say the least.
VAPTR: The amazing water-picker-upper-court-drying contraption became a huge success to those who were skepticle of this in the beginning. We raised enough money to pay for this machine and other wet weather supplies so our community could get back out playing after the rainy days.
Council on Aging: As has become our custom, we hosted the tournament in June in collaboration with the Council on Aging. 290 players, three days of pickleball excitement, too many volunteers in our village to count, and a basket extravaganza drawing to top it off made for a fantastic weekend. In addition to the Council of Aging we were able to donate to the Rohnert Park Animal Shelter, Rohnert Park Boys and Girls Club and Unsheltered Friends Organizations.
City of Rohnert Park: The relationship that we have with the City of Rohnert Park, Park and Rec, Public Works, the City Council and City Manager is unparalleled. The recognition of the need for better courts and giving everyone, including our aging community, a safe place to play is undeniably unique.
In June, after our Annual Tournament with the Council on Aging, ground breaking is set to begin on our NEW PICKLEBALL COURTS. These courts will start brand new, from the underlayment up, with dedicated courts and surrounding area with the goal to make things right, safe and fun. We cannot overstate our gratitude to the City of Rohnert Park for your commitment to this fastest growing sport and the Pickleball Club of RP.
The Rohnert Park Pickleball Club has become synonymous with giving. We have reached up and down the 101 corridor and also thank the Sonoma County Pickleball Club and the Petaluma Pickleball Club for their consistent support. The free clinics every Saturday that are always a huge success, the round robins, extra classes, and coaching and also the welcoming spirit that all of our village portrays are a few of the gifts that make OUR club unique. The friends made along the way. The long-lasting bonds that reach beyond pickleball are what we cherish the most. Without this village we are just another club, with our village there is nothing we can’t do. Thank you all and Happy New Year 2024.Pickle On Peeps🏓🏓🏓
Your Rohnert Park Pickleball Club Board:
Bill, Molly, Mir, Brooke, Elyse and Dave