Members of the Deptford Pickleball Club gathered on June 5 after hosting a charity tournament with council.
The Deptford Pickleball Club was joined by council members at Memorial Park on June 5 to present a $500 check to the township veterans committee.
The donation came after the club hosted a charity tournament in February involving 140 players who paid to participate, according to Recreation Director Charlie Kirchner.
“It was a great success for all the participants,” said Kirchner. “We make sure everyone has a good time and make sure it all goes toward a good cause, because it helps the veterans of our town. A lot of them (the players) are from our club, but we get some from down the Shore, Pennsylvania and Delaware.”
The club hosts two of the tournaments every year, with the second planned for after Labor Day in September. The events have netted more than $4,000 over the last two years, according to Kirchner.
Council members joined the presentation ceremony, Kirchner noted, because they’ve been a major supporter in developing township pickleball.
“We appreciate all our veterans and the work this committee does to lift them up,” the township said on Facebook.
“We can’t do this without them, and we wouldn’t have this (pickleball) without them,” Kirchner said. “They let us use the recreation center in the winter and they’ve added eight courts to Deptford Memorial Park.”
The courts are used in the spring and summer on days when the weather is appropriate. Pickleball itself has been around since 2018. On top of tournaments, the township club hosts clinics for kids and beginners to introduce them to the sport and get-togethers for casual games. The club has proven especially popular with Deptford’s senior community.
