Our "Playing It Forward " Campaign Begins!
Eight Brand New Courts and a New Capital Campaign!!
Yes, you read it right!!! Eight new courts are on the horizon . . . in 2022! In order to make this happen we are launching a new capital campaign called “Playing It Forward.” The cost to build the courts is estimated at $450,000 and fundraising is already underway. There is a secondary goal to raise $300,000 to add a building with bathrooms, more storage and a concession stand with an adjacent patio area and shade structures. The timeline for the building is to be determined based on our successful fundraising efforts! We need all hands on deck to bring this dream to reality. We will keep you updated on the fundraising progress in future newsletters.
Show Me The Money!
The expectation is that the majority of funding will come from a variety of local, state, federal, and foundation sources, as well as sponsorship dollars from local businesses. Funding has already been secured from UnitedHealthcare. We will let you know about additional commitments we’re negotiating as soon as they are finalized. We are also asking that members and friends of PicklePlex give what they can toward the goal during this campaign. It takes a village.
UnitedHealthcare is in the House!!
On Tuesday, February 1st, many of you participated in a visit and photo shoot with representatives from UnitedHealthcare as they handed over a check for $20,000 as the Gold Sponsor of the Spring Fling Tournament! Because of this gift, the tournament will be called, “PicklePlex of Punta Gorda Spring Fling sponsored by UnitedHealthcare.” This was an exciting day for us all as our first sizable donation for the “Playing It Forward” campaign was received. Stay tuned…there will be others!
The Giving Challenge?
We are thrilled to announce that Pickleplex has applied for a fantastic and timely opportunity to be a part of The Giving Challenge in 2022. Sponsored by the Community Foundation of Sarasota, The Giving Challenge provides area not-for-profits the chance to receive matching funds for gifts up to $100. The Giving Challenge is a 24-hour online event held in April (from noon to noon April 26 – 27). For each unique gift Pickleplex receives, The Patterson Foundation will match that gift up to $100. Just imagine the fundraising progress we can make on this day! If you want a sneak peek to learn about The Giving Challenge please visit www.thegivingchallenge.org. We will be sharing more information about this exciting event in the coming weeks.
Board Buy-In:
In the spirit of “Playing It Forward,” we have 100% participation from the Board of Directors pledging an additional matching gift opportunity for the Giving Challenge. If you would like to join the Board in making a major pledge toward a triple-match opportunity please reach out to Board member Nancy Prafke at nancy.prafke@pickleplex.org.
