Hillside Hosts First Pickleball Tournament & Expo

Lisa and Jim Wilcox came up with a brilliant idea for a new fundraising event for Hillside – an all-day Pickleball Tournament and Expo.  The event will feature pros Lauren Stratman, Julian Arnold, Emily Ackerman, and Wes Burrows! Lisa (a member of the Hillside Board of Directors) and her husband Jim, have a son named JP who lives at Hillside. They are staunch advocates for the residential facility that cares for adults living with moderate to severe intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy. 

The day will begin bright and early at the Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club in Goleta, who has donated the use of their facility. The players will play their way to victory or defeat at novice, intermediate, and advanced levels, however, it will be a win for everyone involved – especially Hillside. All proceeds from this event will benefit the 59 residents, ensuring they have all of the medical, therapeutic, and behavioral care they need to live their fullest lives.

 After a morning of competition, the afternoon will feature a variety of sandwich lunches donated by Three Pickles. McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams is donating ice cream cups for all the players. What a great way to cool off with after a rigorous round robin! There will be giveaways throughout the event; Swag Bags for all of the players, and a Silent Auction that will be open all day for bidding. Thank you to Santa Barbara Pickleball Shop, Nicole Bates, Procovry, and Tomi Topinko, for putting together such a wonderful surprise for all of the participants and supporters to take home with them. 

 There will be a medal ceremony for the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place winners from each bracket. Following will be a happy hour drinks provided by Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club and Drink Tilden. Appetizers will also be served. Stay tuned on our website www.hillsidesb.org for the chance to purchase a “Pay to Play with a Pro” option which will allow twelve individuals the opportunity to be team up with a Pro and compete against each other.

The Santa Barbara community has been generous: Powell Peralta, Paradise Springs Winery and Leslie: The Accidental Chef have donated packages for the auction. Lauren Adler from Santa Barbara Happy will have a pop-up display of her Pickleball-themed merchandise as well. Santa Barbara Pickleball Shop is donating many pickleball goodies for any level player! Don Logan is a “Kosher” Sponsor of the event, while Mission Linen is a “Classic” Sponsor. 

Hillside is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering around-the-clock medical care, therapeutic treatment, skills-training and enriching opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with levels ranging from moderate to severe. Hillside’s mission is to help residents’ efforts to maximize their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional abilities, so that they can attain their highest level of independence. Although this year’s tournament is already SOLD OUT, you can always contribute to Hillside’s efforts. Please visit hillsidesb.org to find out more information about Hillside, upcoming events, how to donate, or to become a volunteer. And be sure to sign up early for their Pickleball event next year!