When Beth Fitzgerald and Dan Morneau decided to host a breast cancer fundraiser, they turned to pickleball – a sport known for its accessibility and fun. Through Komen’s Pickleball for the Cure fundraising platform, they united their community for an unforgettable event that raised more than $18,000 to support breast cancer research and awareness.
Finding a Cause that Resonates
As the general manager of Elysium Tennis, a pickleball and tennis club in suburban Columbus, Ohio, Beth often considered organizing a fundraiser, but struggled to find a cause she felt would be meaningful to club members.
Then, Dan, the club’s director of racquet sports, approached her about hosting a pickleball fundraiser for breast cancer.
“My wife, Heather, went through breast cancer,” Dan said. “That personal connection just motivated me to do more, and Beth and I just decided to go for it.”
Beth added, “We’ve had several members and staff who have been impacted by breast cancer, so it seemed like the right time to move forward with organizing a pickleball fundraiser.”
Joining Pickleball for the Cure
Dan and Beth discovered Komen’s Pickleball for the Cure, a Go Pink for the Cure program designed to help pickleball enthusiasts organize impactful fundraisers to support breast cancer research and awareness.
“While the majority of our members play tennis, pickleball is a sport that is easy to learn,” Dan said. “You can have success playing it right away. Plus, since pickleball courts are smaller than tennis courts, we were able to accommodate more people.”
After reviewing the fundraising opportunities available through Pickleball for the Cure, Beth and Dan planned a social pickleball fundraiser with activities that would appeal to players of all skill levels.
“Pickleball is fun for people of all ages,” Beth said. “You can play at any level, whether you just want to bounce the ball back and forth and play socially or play at a higher level in tournaments.”
Building Community Support
After setting an event date of Oct. 19 for their pickleball fundraiser, the duo set about securing support for the from local businesses.
“We got a group of folks together and made a list of the people we knew who had connections to businesses in the area,” Beth said. “We asked for donations of items for the raffle and silent auction, but we also sold court sponsorships.”
Eight businesses were recognized as court sponsors. “Getting sponsors was the easiest part of putting this event together,” Beth said. “People were so happy to participate and support a cause that impacts so many people.”
Creative Activities to Enhance Your Pickleball Fundraiser
The event was free to attend, but donations were encouraged to participate in activities. “We offered a free pickleball lesson before the event started so people who had never played could go out and enjoy themselves,” Beth said.
Additional fundraising activities included a duck pond raffle. Attendees contributed $25 and picked a rubber duck from a small swimming pool. Each duck had a number written on the bottom, and the participant received the raffle item that matched the number on the duck.
“We had around 30 smaller prizes, including lessons with our pros,” Beth said. “The ducks were a hit. They were gone in no time.”
Local businesses and club members donated higher value items that were included in the event’s silent auction. “We had a cooler full of grass-fed beef and a vacation rental in Florida,” Dan said. “We also had a number of pickleball-themed items and gift baskets that were also very popular.”
Attendees could also donate to challenge one of the club’s pros to a pickleball match. If the challenger beat the pro, the pro would match the challenger’s donation. After an hour of open play, the 75 attendees gathered for a short program, which included comments from two breast cancer survivors: Heather Morneau (Dan’s wife) and Stasi Trout, a Komen volunteer and fundraiser.
Raising $18,000 to Help End Breast Cancer
Elysium’s Pickleball for the Cure event demonstrated the power of community-driven pickleball fundraisers, raising more than $18,000 to support Komen’s mission to end breast cancer.
“It was really amazing to see what we could accomplish with this one event,” Beth said. “It’s a great feeling to be able to give back and do something to help the breast cancer community.”
Pickleball for the Cure is part of Go Pink for the Cure, Komen’s sports-focused fundraising program that empowers athletes of all ages to take action to help end breast cancer. Pickleball for the Cure offers players of all levels, from beginner to advanced, the opportunity to dink in pink while raising funds to fight breast cancer. To get involved or learn more about any of Komen’s Go Pink for the Cure initiatives, e-mail gopink@komen.org.
Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their healthcare provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.
