HERMISTON, Ore.-The Watermelon Slam Pickleball Tournament is set for June 27 at the Good Shepherd Pickleball Complex in Hermiston.
Sponsored by Good Shepherd Health Care System, Watermelon Slam is a fundraiser for ShelterBox and the Hermiston Rotary Club and will be the first time that all 10 courts of the Good Shepherd Pickleball Complex will be utilized in/for a single tournament.
“We’re super excited about everything Good Shepherd is doing to make pickleball accessible in Hermiston and their support of the Hermiston Rotary Club,” said Daniel Wattenburger, President-Elect of the Hermiston Rotary. “We are very grateful for the help the City of Hermiston and 541 Pickleball Club have provided to make this tournament work.”
The Hermiston Rotary Club has participated in disaster preparedness training in Echo, Oregon in support of ShelterBox, an international disaster relief charity, for the past five years.
Last year the club committed to supporting the training event annually and began exploring fundraising ideas, eventually coming up with the idea for Watermelon Slam.
“We have several pickleball players in the club and have seen how popular the game and new Good Shepherd Pickleball Complex have been, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to host the first ‘official’ tournament here,” said Wattenburger.
Kitchenfire Sports, which has hosted pickleball tournaments in both Tri-Cities and Walla Walla is coordinating sign-ups, seeding, and the bracket for the tournament. Registration for the tournament is now open online until June 19.
Registration is $65 per player, with proceeds supporting the ShelterBox Cascadia event in September, and the Hermiston Rotary Club’s local projects, such as scholarships, Christmas Express and others.
Watermelon slam is a men’s and women’s doubles tournament that is expected to bring in players from around the region and beyond.
Seasoned players, those new to the sport of pickleball or who have never played in a tournament before are encouraged to register for Watermelon Slam and players will be seeded in pools with others of similar skills and experience.
“We want this to be a tournament that fits the Hermiston community, so we will have a place for all skill levels,” said Wattenburger. “We’ll also have food available on site and a place to relax between matches.”
ShelterBox
ShelterBox provides emergency shelter after disaster, while also supporting people as they rebuild, repair, or return home.
“Most emergency agencies can take care of the sick or injured but they don’t stay and help them resettle again,” said David Hansen, Hermiston Rotarian and member of the club’s Pickleball Committee.
Founded by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, England in 2000, ShelterBox has grown, with Rotary support, to become an international non-governmental organization and has been the official project partner of Rotary International since 2012.
ShelterBox provides shelter solutions and resources including tents, tarps, blankets, water filters, tool kits, and more, working with communities and partner organizations to respond in disaster-affected areas.
“ShelterBox is one of the only organizations that works in country after a disaster, with local Rotarian groups worldwide working as boots on the ground,” said Hansen.
By pre-positioning aid in warehouses around the world, including Europe, the Middle East, South America and Asia, ShelterBox ensures those who need help the most receive aid quickly following a disaster.
S.A.F.E. Cascadia Training
The Hermiston Rotary has long been a ShelterBox supporter and has coordinated the Cascadia disaster preparedness training exercise in Echo, Oregon, every September for the past five years.
“What if Cascadia really happened?” said Hansen. “The training simulates what it would look like if thousands of people started moving toward Eastern Oregon as the result of a disaster like an earthquake or tsunami.”
The Cascadia Subduction Zone, the 700-mile long fault about a hundred miles off the coast, runs from British Columbia to Northern California and could trigger earthquakes or a tsunami.
The Situational Awareness For Everyone (S.A.F.E.) Cascadia training exercise brings Rotarians, ShelterBox representatives, donors, and those who are being trained in disaster relief together for a disaster staged for training purposes.
During the S.A.F.E. Cascadia training people will learn about the aid ShelterBox delivers and what it’s like to “deploy” as a member of the ShelterBox team to help those affected by disaster, according to ShelterBox.
“The key is neighbors helping neighbors,” said Hansen, of the training. “It’s about community, teaching and training people, and volunteering.”
The S.A.F.E. Cascadia training is September 11-13 at Sno Road Winery in Echo. Registration for the training is now open.
More information on Watermelon Slam and the Hermiston Rotary is available online.
