HCC Holiday Charity Event and Pro Exhibition

Hollyburn Country Club ("HCC") West Vancouver (www.hollyburn.org) Holiday Charity Event Highlights Giving Back and a Pro Exhibition with BC-Based Pros:

HCC Bash N' Dasher Holiday Event Saturday December 9th 2023: This holiday event, hosted by HCC's Pickleball Committee, featured a Pro Exhibition, round robin play with the Pros and a reception. All surplus funds will be donated to North Shore Family Services' holiday food drive. This charity program helps families on Vancouver's North Shore who are in need over the holiday season.

Dave Snell HCC Chair of the Pickleball Committee and PBC Board Member said "in summary, I believe we all had lots of fun, lots of great pickleball including the thrill of playing with the Pros, good holiday spirit and camaraderie, and HCC's pickleball enthusiasts raised donations for a very worthwhile charity in our community - North Shore Family Services."

Guest Pro's for the Pro Exhibition matches included HCC Pro Tim McVinnie (Top Canadian Mens Senior Player 50+) , Steve Deakin (Top Canadian Open Player and PPA Tour Pro), Robin D'Abreo and Jeffery Ho (Silver Medalist with his brother at the recent US Nationals in Dallas - see story here). The Pros then spent the rest of their afternoon mixing in with HCC members in a round robin, showing them how this game we love is really played!!

A bit about Steve: Steve is PPA tour Pro (just signed a new 3 year contract), a proud, card-carrying member of Team HEAD and works diligently to obtain podium status at every event he enters as they were early to find him and add him to their extensive line up of Pro players. At one of the US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida, Steve performed with his usual burst of athleticism and headed back to Vancouver with 3 Medals – Gold in Men’s Doubles 35+ with Erik Lange, Gold in Mixed Doubles 45+ with Susan Baze, and then the Coveted Bronze on the big stage Men’s Doubles Pro Event with Randal Zbinden of Utah. Steve is also a pickleball Ambassador with Pickleball Canada.

More importantly, all surplus funds from this Event are to the benefit of North Shore Family Services as mentioned above. Additional donations were raised by Family Services attending and selling pickleball-themed Xmas items made by HCC volunteers, and by onsite pledges.

This Event is just one example of a Club in BC that is hosting holiday events and "paying it forward" to the benefit of their local charities. We would love to hear about your Club initiatives over this holiday season by sending your info and pics to [email protected] and we will post those stories here.

Happy holidays to all our enthusiastic BC pickleball members, Clubs and their families on behalf of your Board of Directors!

From the Left (top on mobile): Tim McVinnie, Robin D'Abreo, Dave Snell, Jeffery Ho and Steve Deakin
Center: "Charley Brown" Pickleball-Themed Xmas Tree 
Right (bottom on mobile): Pros on HCC New Pickleball Courts (repurposed curling rink)

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