SUNDRE — A local pickleball group recently restructured itself as a non-profit run by a board of volunteers.
Formerly the Sundre Pickleball Club, the new Sundre Pickleball Association has continued fundraising efforts to upgrade and improve the outdoor court behind Sundre High School.
“The newly formed board of the Sundre Pickleball Association have been working hard behind the scenes,” said Marie Snippa, one of the association’s board members.
Through “a very successful garage sale” held in May at the Sundre Elks Hall as well as two $500 donations from local companies – Sundre Forest Products - West Fraser and RLB Roofing – plus some additional grant funding from the municipality to the tune of $2,200, the organization was able to obtain more durable nets, she said.
While the group already had a set of indoor nets for use at the Sundre Community Centre during winter months, the association sought heavier duty nets that will better withstand weathering conditions outdoors.
Two of the association’s members – Rick Hertz and Rob Fahrlander – invested plenty of time designing the new nets that were made locally, she said.
“We now have two of these nets on the courts behind the Sundre High School,” said Snippa. “Doing this work ourselves, rather than just order such a net online, saved us loads of money.”
The Sundre Pickleball Association has also joined Pickleball Alberta and Pickleball Canada. Visit www.pickleballcanada.org for more about that organization.
Snippa described pickleball as a sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.
“It is easy to learn and fun to play,” she said.
The community, she added, “is very welcoming to newcomers and many people are finding it a very social sport. It gets a person out, gets the blood pumping, gets people laughing. What a way to improve mental health and physical health all in one.”
