The fun starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday at The Wild Game in Bergen Park. Our annual Holiday Gala and Benefit will provide much-needed funds for EChO (Evergreen Christian Outreach), so please join us for good deeds and good times..

With the $15 admission you will receive one free drink ticket and a raffle ticket. Bring cash or checks and feel free to buy multiple raffle tickets to increase your chances of winning prizes. Tickets are each $1, five tickets for $5.

The raffle prizes this year are quite generous and include two Paddletek club paddles, shirts and hats, and even a down vest for a lucky winner that could be you!

No registration or RSVP is needed to attend the Gala. Attendees must have an EPC membership, but their spouses and guests need not.

Annual Club Meeting is Open to All Members

The 2023 Evergreen Pickleball Club annual general membership meeting and election will take place Thursday, Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Birch Room at Wulf Recreation Center. All EPC members are encouraged to attend. Two EPC Board incumbents, John Dunlop and Monte Poague, are running for reelection. Travis Ervick is the only candidate for the third open position.

EPC President Bob Taber will present year-end reports, an update on plans for improvements at the Marshdale courts, and comments on 2024 challenges and opportunities for EPC.

All EPC members may vote on board of directors candidates, but only in person at the meeting per EPC Bylaws.

Ambassador Change Is Underway

Linda Jacobsen racked up a long list of significant accomplishments during her two years as USA Pickleball Ambassador for the Evergreen area. Tapped for the job just six months after she arrived on the scene, she is ready for a break from her many, many projects and has endorsed a successor.

Paul (aka Pablo) Cook took up pickleball only last winter, but has quickly advanced his play and become well known and liked on the courts. It was Linda’s prerogative to recommend a successor, which she did when tendering her resignation to USAP.

She fully expects Paul, who has submitted his USAP application, to be approved as the next Ambassador. “He’s the right guy and the right temperament,” she said.

Linda, who also recently left a board position with Evergreen Community Gardens after serving a two-year term, has built up some serious pickleball promotion cred in the last two years. She is proudest of establishing a pickleball program for EPRD’s Summer Youth Sports Camp.

She created the drills and format for the program, organized it, recruited volunteers and ran the sessions with assistance from Sarah German, Evergreen’s first pickleball Ambassador. They met with EPRD recreation supervisor Jeff Sweet to present Linda’s idea.

“I saw for the first time how well received this offer was, and a true excitement about her idea,” Sarah said. “The relationship Linda formed that day was the turning point for cooperation between EPRD and pickleball, which has only grown stronger with her involvement.”

The Ambassador position is a nonvoting part of the EPC board of directors, and independent of it. “I love the fact that I started the camp on my own,” Linda said.

In September 2022, Pickleball Magazine featured an article about the youth camp pickleball program, which brought EPC to the attention of Element 3. Element 3 allows club members to record their pickleball activities monthly, earning money for EPC and potentially paying the member’s dues for the year. Linda will stay on as an unofficial adviser if Element 3 so desires.

In addition to the camp program, Linda created Snow Angels, updated USAP Places to Play, instigated the locker at Marshdale, worked with Evergreen High School gym teacher Beau Brake to bring the sport to students, started Pingles play, organized club members to promote pickleball in the Evergreen Rodeo Parade, worked with Sarah German to increase Wulf pickleball court time and teach adult beginners, and fund-raised for the AED at Marshdale.

In her spare time . . . oh, never mind.

“I’m going to actually relax, I’m going to play and I’m going to not have so many things on my plate that I can’t remember what to do,” Linda said.

“Needless to say, we won't be able to replace Linda's outstanding commitment, enthusiasm and energy in that role,” EPC President Bob Taber said. “Her two years were packed with initiatives she created, planned and executed. The pickleball community owes her our deepest gratitude. Let's give both Linda and Paul a round. She deserves it and he has stepped up to earn it.”

Paul Cook is happy to be gearing up to promote the game of pickleball in the community: “I actually played once four years ago at Marshdale and thought, ‘Well, that was interesting.’ I was introduced again last winter and the social aspect of it is really what I needed in my life. To me, that was meaningful to me even more than the game.”

Paul is something of a mystery man and likes it that way, at least on the record. He did reveal that he moved to Evergreen six years ago from Sioux City, Iowa. He grew up in Minnesota and served in the U.S. Navy submarine force for four years. He worked in the food industry until recently.

“I just love the game and the members,” he said. “I want to help out any way I can. I welcome ideas from people and will try to answer any questions.”

It may take a few weeks, but if he’s accepted by USAP as expected, Paul will serve on the EPC board as a nonvoting member.

New or Renew, It’s Time to Join EPC

New and renewal EPC memberships purchased now are good through the end of 2024. Almost 30 people have already qualified for a free 2024 membership by posting their pickleball activity to Element 3 each month. If you’re one of them, you owe nothing when you renew. If you’re not, you could be next year.

EHS Lacrosse Will Hold Pickleball Fundraiser

EPC will help Evergreen High School lacrosse organize a pickleball tournament to raise funds for the team.

You can register now for the Polar Pickleball Palooza to be held at EHS Saturday, Dec. 9, at 3 p.m. Mick Pearce, EPC director of tournaments, will help with play and scoring the day of the tournament. There will be seven courts set up in the large and small gyms at EHS, and the lacrosse team will supply scorekeepers.

Emily Weber, parent of a sophomore lacrosse player, said all ages are welcome to register for one of two levels, beginner and intermediate/advanced. Price is $65 per person (single). The price if registered as a team (double) is $120.

“It is going to be very festive with fun prizes and entertainment,” Emily promised.

https://cougsmlax.sportngin.com/register/form/943666394

Cory Nails It

We reported earlier that Cory Vander Veen, EPRD executive director and pickleball ladder player when possible, was nominated for Young Professional of the Year by the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce.

Cory nailed it and was honored with winners in other categories at the Chamber’s Sparkle & Shine event Nov. 11.

Congratulations, Cory.

Wednesday Gala and Benefit Features Paddle Prizes