Pickleball tournament raises funds to help shelter animals
By Casey Zanowic
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NOBLESVILLE, Indiana (WRTV) — Pickleballing for a good cause. That was the theme at The Picklr in Noblesville this weekend as hundreds of players from across central Indiana came to play their favorite game and support shelter animals in need.
“When you can bring pickleball and a great cause together, it just makes it all worthwhile!” Lisa Martin, a participant in the tournament, exclaimed.
Whether they were playing, watching or making the rules, the Picklr was filled to the brim with pickleball fanatics on Sunday, and all weekend long.
All to celebrate the fifth annual Furry Fracas.
“It’s a really big event,” Kevin Huff, President of the Victory Pickleball Series, said. “It runs four days, and 672 people signed up to play in this tournament.”
It started as a way to save the lives of some of our furry friends.
“Five years ago, I started the idea of us having a pickleball tournament to raise funds for the Hamilton County Humane Society,” Steve Cage, who helped create the tournament, explained. “[To help with] everyday expenses, everyday help for the volunteers.”
Now, they have raised over $150,000 for the cause.
“When you give them [the humane society] the check, you see the tears,” Huff said. “They’re just so grateful, and it’s hard to pass up that joy.”
“To see the amount of people that come out and play pickleball and support their friends, their families… and just knowing it’s for a great cause – for the Hamilton County Humane Society – just makes it all the more worthwhile,” Martin said.
This year’s event had more participants than ever, but tournament leaders said they hope to grow it even more.
“We want to always expand what we’re doing here, so next year we’ll hopefully have 1,000 people versus 675,” Cage said with a laugh.
“It’s our biggest tournament ever, and, not only that, it’s the state’s largest tournament ever, so we’re pretty stoked about where we’re at,” Huff exclaimed. “And now targeting even a thousand-person tournament coming up in October.”
As well as continuing to support causes in need.
“I think it engages the community more, and we want that. We want as many people as engaged as possible,” Huff said with a smile.
During this year’s tournament, Huff said they raised over $30,000 for the Humane Society for Hamilton County. All of that will go towards helping the shelter and saving animals in need.
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