Pickleball enthusiasts play with a purpose with gift to Christmas Happiness
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 19, 2017
- Illustration by Mark Brincefield
On Friday, people from all over the region gathered to play, to eat and to give.
For the second year running, the Davidson-Rowan Pickleball group collected donations at its “Holly Jolly Pickleball Games” and then sent the final sum to the Christmas Happiness Fund.
“We like to play for a purpose,” said organizer Gregg Dunn.
The group’s motto is “serving with a purpose,” and this year’s more than $3,000 donation fits it perfectly.
Pickleball is a recent phenomenon that’s been gaining popularity throughout the nation and the region. It’s a sociable game that Dunn says is “like playing ping-pong standing on the table, is one way to describe it — but it’s a bigger table.”
Friday’s event itself was a relaxed game at the J.F. Hurley YMCA. Players were asked to bring a covered dish and a $15 donation to Christmas Happiness.
“Many gave more than the $15 suggested,” Dunn said.
There were no prizes, no shirts and no awards — just good company, good food and good Samaritans. According to Dunn, about 85 people attended from all over the region.
“So we had people come from Winston-Salem, Charlotte, Gastonia, Indian Trail, …” he said.
The players chose to give to Christmas Happiness, Dunn said, because they knew the money would go to underserved people in the area.
All in all, Friday’s game was a good one.
“We played, we ate and we gave,” Dunn said.
Contributions to Christmas Happiness may be delivered to the Salisbury Post, 131 W. Innes St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or mailed to Salisbury Post Christmas Happiness Fund, P.O. Box 4639, Salisbury, NC 28145-4639. Make checks payable to Christmas Happiness Fund and indicate how you want your donation listed.
Today’s contributions are:
In memory of Ryan Olsen, Love Mom and Dad, $100
In memory of Don, Julie and Parkie by Sheila and Deal, $30
In honor of Dugan, Lucky, and LuLu by Nan Zimmerman, $25
In memory of Susan Dennis and Jane Johnson, $100
Anonymous, $100
In honor of Daryl and Phillip by Pennie and Dick Martin, $100
In honor of Jimmie Webb by Pennie and Dick Martin, $100
In honor of Linda Adams by Pennie and Dick Martin, $100
In honor of Alda Davies-Mother by Robert and Sandra Cobb, $200
Christian Reid Book Club, $100
In memory of Vickie Buchanan and in honor of Sisters of Beta Sigma Phi, $50
In honor of Mrs. Willie Mae Stout by Hallie Hawkins Missionary Circle, $25
In memory of Henry Bernhardt by his loving family, $100
In memory of my sweet parents, John and Dot Rebhan, by Dottie, $100
In loving memory of my husband, Boyd Moon, and my parents, Bill and Melda Killion; miss you so much during the holidays by Peggy, $75
In honor of my girls: daughter, Heather Broome; granddaughters, Alexis Locklair and Brittany Livengood, and our newest great-granddaughter, Blake Locklair, love you bunches, Momma, Grandmommy, and G-Grand-mommy, $75
In memory of Mama-Daddy and in honor of Peggy Huffman by Suvy, $35
In memory of Ruby Alley by Frances Lomax, $25
In memory of Sandra Reitz and Martin Shotzberger, $200
In honor of Debbie Suggs by Declan and Delaney Fisher, $25
In loving memory of William “Bill” G. Cline Jr. by your wife, Doris Cline, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, $100
In honor of our teachers, Harriet Fisher, Judy Lefler, Suzanne Deal, Melinda Walls and Carol Harper, by the Brownie Fisher Class of St. Luke’s Reformed Church, $50
Anonymous, $25
In memory of Earline Ayars, $50
In memory of Robert McBride, $50
In loving memory of Susie-Tom Thurston and Dick Thurston by Susan and Joe, $100
In loving memory of parents, LeRoy and Laura Neely; husband, Vernon Thomside; and son, Anthony Neely; by Phyllis Thomside, $100
Dixonville/Lincoln Community Association, $100
In memory of Katherine Hobson by Karen Hobson, $100
In memory of our parents, W.L. and Pauline Morgan and M.H. and Mildred Bell, by Gary and Ann Bell, $25
In honor of Hunter, Harrison, Laney, Rachel and Reagan Bell by MaMaw and PaPaw Bell, $25
In honor of our first great-grandchild, Daxton Lane Rowland, by MaMaw and PaPaw Bell, $25
In honor of my card-playing friends, Nancy Lippard, Barbara Waggoner, Mot Arey and Yvonne Cregger, by Dinah Carpenter, $50
In memory and honor of all veterans past, present and future by AMVETS Post 565, $50
Serving with a purpose from DRC Pickleball, $3,198
Today’s total: $5,713
Running total: $39,068
