What’s in this email
1) Channel 12 News Story about our Club
2) Getting Involved with Dysart School Kids
3) How did Pickleball get its Name.
4) Eagles tribute band Social Event for July 19, 2015
1) This morning, Monday May 18, at 5:23 & 6:25 am, Ch12 News aired a story about the SCG Pickleball Club and the help we have provided the Valley Vista Band. This relates to our fund raising tournament and Fun Day with the band. Here is the link to the broadcast:
http://www.12news.com/story/news/local/valley/2015/05/18/pickleball-helps-piccolos-at-valley-high-school/27369811/.
Some of you may not be able to open the link on your laptop, please try through your phone, tablet or ipad. You can also go to Channel 12 News and click on the video. http://www.12news.com/.
If not, below is the story on the Channel 12 website:
Ever heard of pickleball? Well in Surprise it’s a sport with growing popularity that’s helping piccolos and a few other instruments survive funding cuts at Valley Vista High School.
The game is played with a paddle and a wiffle ball on a short court and according to experts is growing rapidly in popularity.
“It’s actually the fastest growing racket and ball sport in the the entire country,” said Dennis Raggi, President of the Sun City Pickleball Club.
But playing ball isn’t all this club does. This past year, even though the club had no connection to Valley Vista High School, the club decided to help out the band.
It all started this past year in the Dysart School District. Their effort to pass an $18 million override failed and the arts were at risk.
“It was kind of on pins and needles,” said Steven Pierce, Asst. Principal at Valley Vista High School.
“I was really scared that something might happen to the band or choir or dance maybe,” said freshmen and flute player Mikayla McIntosh.
That’s where the Sun City Pickleball Club chimed in.
“You see that there is a need for that and you don’t want to deprive the kids,” said Raggi.
So far the club has raised $4,000 for the band helping them survive and buy a new synthesizer and performance platform.
But the two groups took it a step further than that. Valley Vista High School students said they’ve actually become friends with the club. Sun City Grand Pickleball Club said they invited the entire band to their courts to learn the game last month and they had a blast. They even surprised one of the students with a birthday cake on her golden birthday.
“It’s something I won’t forget as a 15th birthday,” said McIntosh.
“If everybody does a little, nobody has to do a lot, and you can contribute to quite a bit to help the kids and the school,” said Raggi.
As a side note you may be wondering where and how the pickleball got it’s name? Contrary to popular belief that it was named after the inventors dog, the name actually comes from the rowing term: pickleboat. It has a mixed crew just like pickleball is a mix of sports.
2) Getting Involved with Dysart School Kids. We should all be proud of our Club for starting an initiative between SCG residents and kids of the Dysart School system. This new initiative is focusing on human to human interactions and not fundraising or donating money….just time. If you personally or other clubs you belong to, have skills, knowledge, talents, and the desire to share those with kids, we encourage you to get involved. The superintendent of schools will be speaking before the our SCG’s President’s Club in September encouraging these new interactions between seniors and kids. It was discussed in this month’s President’s meeting. Please contact, Bob Ellis, Sharon Navratil or Angie Robinson for further details.
3) How did Pickleball Get its Name. Was the game named after a dog or the dog named after the sport? An interesting read in this article: http://www.hoffmanestatespickleball.com/the-history-of-pickleball.html
4) Please check the Club website under Activities/July 2015 Show and Casino Trip to see the next social / Casino trip that Jeff Cretors & Kathy Crotty have planned for your enjoyment. This event is an Eagles Tribute Band show, seating is limited so respond ASAP to reserve your seat on the bus. Thank You to Jeff & Kathy for all your hard work in putting this event together. You have until June 10 to reserve your spot. Do not wait, seating is limited to 56. If the link does not work when you go to the flyer, please call Jeff at 913-220-1448.
Thank You
Dennis Raggi
President SCG Pickleball Club