Round Robin winners (left to right): Julie Clausen, Jim Coughlin, Bev Krueger (event organizer), Craig Birdsall, Susan Meitz, Stan Darling, Walt Woys (photo by Rhonda Stanford)
Diane Halpern
On Nov. 5 the Sun Lakes Pickleball Club IronOaks (SLPCIO) held their first event of the season, and it was a great success! The day started out with IronOaks Tennis Club and Pickleball Club members enjoying coffee and delicious pastries provided by talented baker Mary Ann Smith who clearly has skills in the kitchen, both on and off the pickleball court.
Then, the Pickleball Club conducted a Gently Used Athletic Clothing Sale. Organized by Pat Bruhn, with help from an enthusiastic group of volunteers, the sale featured over 1,000 items of apparel and accessories! Business was brisk, and the vast majority of items were sold. The club donated any remaining articles to the Assistance League of East Valley Thrift Shop, which provides funding for its philanthropic programs. The thrift shop is located at 2326 N. Alma School Road in Chandler and is a great place to find good quality, fairly priced merchandise while supporting a great cause.
As if this wasn’t enough excitement for one day, the Pickleball Club also hosted a round robin event. Bev Krueger and several dedicated volunteers organized the play and ensured everything ran smoothly. Joe Moreno outdid himself as DJ, keeping things hopping—and people dancing—throughout the event. It’s safe to say that a good time was had by all!
SLPCIO members, not known for sitting still long, are already planning two more events for early 2023. The first is the IronOaks Pickle Barrel Tournament on March 13-16, 2023, and is open to players from IronOaks, Cottonwood, Palo Verde, Sun Lakes Country Club, Robson Reserve, and SunBird. The second is a Neighbors Who Care fundraiser on April 1, 2023. Stay tuned for more details on both of these fun events!