Paddles up for a good cause
VANDALIA — Retired newspaper publisher and pickleball aficionado Frank L. Beeson has a vision. For 36 hours, pickleball players will fill the courts in Vandalia’s Helke Park for one unforgettable weekend in September.
Welcome to the inaugural Paddle-Palooza, slated for Sept. 26-27. You can register online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paddle-palooza. Registration deadline is Sept. 12.
For a two-day wristband, the cost is $20. Players can pre-purchase an inaugural T-shirt for another $20. (Both costs exclude fees). The event will run from noon on Friday, Sept. 26 until midnight on Saturday, Sept. 27. All ages are welcome, but participants must be at least 13 to play.
“Those with 36-hour wristbands are free to come and go as they please throughout the event,” Beeson said. “Players can play one match and move up to another court or, if no one is waiting on their court, they may play another match. At least one court must be in play for all 36 hours. And if four players want to go for the Guinness Book of World Records, which is 36 hours plus one minute, we will accommodate (and cheer them on) if they are willing to make the attempt.”
The event is sponsored by the Vandalia-Butler Foundation and the Vandalia Parks and Recreation Department, with all proceeds benefiting the Vandalia-Butler community through educational and community grants.
