NORWOOD — A pickleball tournament featuring some Bengals and the Ben-Gals, plus local celebrities, is raising money and awareness for HER Cincinnati and its work with women in need across our area.
The event is Wednesday, August 23 at 5 p.m. at Aces Pickleball + Kitchen in the Factory 52 development in Norwood.
HER Cincinnati - formerly known as Cincinnati Union Bethel - operates three major programs. The Anna Louise Inn provides safe, affordable housing for single women, and often some of the most vulnerable women in our community. The Off the Streets program coordinates resources and at times provides temporary housing for women involved in prostitution, sexual exploitation and human trafficking. The Cincinnati Scholar House provides services and affordable housing for single parents in college while raising kids.
Managing Director of Community Relations Jenny Jones joined the organization after volunteering for years.
"I fell in love with these women who were no different from myself, they could be any of us," she said. "Being able to see them and all the hard work that they’re putting in and watch the dedication to try to make their life better, it spoke to my soul and pulled at my heartstrings."
The idea for a pickleball fundraiser made sense to Jones, who wanted to offer something different and couldn't miss its surging popularity.
"It’s such an easy sport to learn, it’s very social," said Aces Director of Pickleball Operations Adam Painter. "People, when they engage with it, they get addicted to it. Once they learn it, they have a lot of fun with it, and then they keep coming back to play."
Painter, a longtime tennis player, was introduced to the sport six years ago and hasn't returned to tennis since then.
HER Cincinnati has set a $50,000 goal to raise during the tournament, which will also feature other opportunities to donate money.
"At HER Cincinnati, we focus on recovery education and really bringing people out of the cycles of poverty, addiction, and human trafficking," said Jones. "So all of that money will help go back towards the women who are coming in, showing up, using their power to get to the other side, and find a life of self-sufficiency and sustainability in recovery."
In some ways, the sport and HER Cincinnati's mission complement each other. They certainly will during Wednesday's event.
"I always felt that pickleball pulled people together," said Painter.
Tickets are available in advance here and the public is welcome to attend and make donations.
