More than 100 players of all ages and skill levels turned their passion into proceeds as they played in the second annual Paddles for Patriots pickleball tournament.
The event, hosted April 11-12 by the GFWC Mount Dora Woman’s Club, brought hundreds of players and supporters to Mount Dora as part of a weekend celebrating women veterans.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Ashley’s House, a 4,000-square-foot transitional home for women veterans run by Villagers for Veterans.
Barbara Little, director of Patriots Weekend for the Mount Dora Woman’s Club, said what started as a seed of an idea to host a tournament grew into a weekend celebration and fundraiser.
“We are very excited to launch Patriots Weekend,” she said. “Last year we had a very successful pickleball tournament, and because it was so successful, we decided to go bigger and broader this year. We added a vendor fest and what we’re calling ‘Party on the Patio.’ I’m excited we were able to expand the event and exceed our expectations.”
Eighty players competed in 110 matches during the tournament last year, leading the Mount Dora Woman’s Club to raise more than $12,000 for Ashley’s House.
“This event came about after we, as a district, chose the theme of supporting women veterans, in particular Ashley’s House, last year,” Little said. “We wanted to think of a fun, lively and interactive way to connect with the community and help raise money for Ashley’s House. During a meeting after someone mentioned pickleball … The next thing you know, we hosted a successful event.”
During this year’s Paddles for Patriots tournament, 130 players between the ages of 30 and 70 competed in 12 matches at Epiphany Pickleball in Mount Dora.
Brackets were broken up by age and skill, with both doubles and round robin format games played over two days.
Registration to play in the tournament cost up to $60 per player plus $10 per bracket, with registration money going to the proceeds.
“There were opportunities to play at a fast-paced speed, but it’s just meant to be an enjoyable tournament,” Little said. “A lot of our players aren’t necessarily tournament driven. They are doing it because they believe in the cause. You don’t have to be a pickleball person to come, engage and enjoy celebrating our women veterans.”
Kathryn Wilgus, volunteer with Villagers for Veterans, spoke to spectators and participants before the start of the tournament, explaining that Ashley’s House, located in Eustis, is named after Ashley White-Stumpf, an Army Special Operations Cultural Support team member who was killed in Afghanistan in 2011.
Wilgus is also a veteran.
“I was homeless for a year, couch surfing and living in my car,” Wilgus said. “People don’t understand us because they can’t see us, but we are there. We are the next invisible veteran generation. Women literally have been unnoticed, so the services are not there. There are services and shelters for men, but they are all full. The fact that this organization wanted to do something for our women veterans — that’s huge.”
Little said proceeds will be deposited in the Mount Dora Community Trust, a nonprofit that manages charitable trusts.
“Anyone with a set of house keys knows that there will be unexpected costs for continual maintenance,” Little said. “A window might break because of a hurricane or a broken dishwasher and it all costs money. The funds we raise are going into an endowment fund so that every single year, Ashley’s House will get money to put toward a paint job, new furniture, or whatever maintenance needs to be done.”
The group wanted to provide funding for the future, she continued.
“We want people to know it’s not just about getting donations during Patriots Weekend or as the Mount Dora Woman’s Club,” Little said. “That’s one of the reasons we chose to donate to the Mount Dora Community Trust, so that if others want to make donations throughout the year, they can do it.”
Sharlyn Underwood, of Winter Springs, and Wendy Lyn-Phillips, of Mount Dora, played as a team during the tournament, competing in four games on the first day. The pair received a silver medal after their games.
“I think we are playing well, but the fun is more important,” Underwood said.
Lyn-Phillips, who brought friends and family to watch her play, said the experience allowed her to have fun on the courts, support a good cause and enjoy the camaraderie among community members.
Coinciding with the two-day pickleball tournament, the Mount Dora Woman’s Club hosted the Pop-Up for Patriots Vendor Fest on the street next to the Epiphany Pickleball courts.
Little said the experience provided an eclectic mix of products from over 20 curated food trucks and vendors including That Pickleball Swag, The Crepe Company Lake County and Photosynth Inside.
The Mount Dora Woman’s Club also sold 250 stars to those in attendance to acknowledge America’s 250th birthday.
“The 250 stars represent the 250 years that women have been serving the United States,” Little said. “They haven’t been formally recognized, but history has proven that women started serving in the war from day one, so we want to honor that. There are a lot of hidden heroes throughout our history and women have served from the beginning, whether they served as spies or by making sure troops were fed. Women have always been an intricate part of our military history. I think the stars and weekend celebration are a wonderful way to acknowledge, honor and give thanks to them.”
The Party for Patriots on the Patio was the last event of the weekend, offering a free feel-good experience at the Eden Abbey Brewery in Mount Dora.
Army veteran Eric Groves played live music during the event, with participants also playing corn hole and other outdoor games.
With Mount Dora being known for hosting festivals, Little said members of the Mount Dora Woman’s Club want the weekend celebration to become an annual event in the city.
“We want this to become an annual event that people start looking forward to as much as the craft fairs and events on Memorial Day,” Little said. “Our heroes are fighting for us 365 days a year, so let’s celebrate them.”
For more information about the GFWC Mount Dora Woman’s Club, visit gfwcmdwc.com. For more information about Villagers for Veterans, visit villagersfor veterans.org.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
