Scarborough nonprofit plans pickleball fundraiser
Photo / Courtesy Kids First Center
Scarborough-based nonprofit Kids First Center is planning a pickleball fundraiser in Saco from July 21-23. Shown here is Timothy Robbins, the organization's executive director.
Kids First Center, a Scarborough-based nonprofit that helps children of families in transition because of separation or divorce, is planning a pickleball fundraiser next month in Saco.
The indoor, climate-controlled event will take place from July 21-23 at the Maine Sports Arena at 15 Lunt Road in a facility furnished with nine hardwood pickleball courts and ample spectator seating.
"Pickleball is a sport that brings people together, promotes healthy competition, and creates lasting friendships. We welcome players and fans from all over to provide an unforgettable experience that showcases Maine’s best of this incredible sport," said Timothy Robbins, executive director of the Kids First Center. “We were looking for a different kind of event to raise funds and awareness of the programming of the Kids First Center. The positive response to running a pickleball tournament has been overwhelming and gratifying.”
He told Mainebiz that while it's hard to predict how much net revenue the event will generate, the group hopes raise between $20,000 and 30,000 from the tournament.
"As the sport is growing at a very fast pace, our tournament director is suggesting that in Year No. 1 our task is to establish the tournament and we should expect much higher numbers in future years as the pickleball community learns more about it," he said.
Kids First has a full-time staff of two and part-time staff of four. The organization’s annual budget is $437,079.
Pickleball
The organization isn't the only Maine entity seeking to capitalize on the country's fastest-growing sport, estimated to be played by close to 9 million people nationwide.
Pickleball, invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game on Bainbridge Island, Wash., is played with a baseball-sized wiffleball and is sometimes described as a cross between tennis, badminton and ping-pong.
Once considered a fringe sport, pickleball has gained recent traction as an easier, more accessible alternative to tennis, with lower nets and courts a fraction of the size. It's also gaining traction with celebrities including Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish and Kelly Rowland.
In Maine, the state's largest indoor pickleball facility is under construction in South Portland, and Lincolnville's Glenmoor By the Sea held its first charity pickleball tournament last month.
Registration for the Kids First tournament is now open, and players are encouraged to secure their spots early due to limited availability. The tournament will feature a variety of competitive brackets for players of all levels.
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