Four seniors from Nease High School in St. Augustine are organizing a charity pickleball tournament scheduled for Sunday, July 12. The event, titled the Serving Hope Charity Pickleball Cup, will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Holey Ballz, located at 190 Thomas Industry Way.
The participants hosting the event are Sophie Liao, Keira Taank, Malia Muhaimeen, and Parmis Molavi. Their goal is to gather healthy snack donations for refugee children who receive support from the nonprofit organization Kim’s Open Door.
Instead of charging an entry fee, the organizers have asked participants to bring snack donations. The tournament aims to reduce the financial pressure on Kim’s Open Door regarding snack purchases, allowing the group to direct its resources toward other programs for underserved youth.
Kim’s Open Door was established in 2013 by Kim Bogart. The organization assists children who have immigrated to the United States under extraordinary circumstances. It offers weekly activities including arts, dance, English, science, and sports. Volunteers and staff at the nonprofit provide snacks to the children before each program day.
The pickleball event will feature continuous matches and a raffle that begins at 1 p.m. Winners will be selected every 10 minutes throughout the afternoon. An awards ceremony is planned for 3:30 p.m., followed by a presentation from Bogart at 3:45 p.m.
