MARTIN COUNTY \u2014 Whether a seasoned player, a novice or someone who just enjoys watching the fast-paced game of pickleball, the Martin Chamber Foundation\u2019s upcoming \u201cDinks, Drinks & Pickleball for Charity\u201d might just fit the bill.<\/p>\n
The event, a fundraiser for the foundation\u2019s CareerConnect Martin Program, will be at Diadem Pickleball Complex Jensen Beach, 3342 NW U.S. 1, Jensen Beach on Thursday, June 25, from 6 to 9 p.m. Team registration is closed since the event has reached its capacity but there\u2019s room for spectators at $25 per person.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s super fun to play and super fun to watch, too,\u201d Angela Hoffman, vice president of the Stuart\/Martin County Chamber of Commerce, said. \u201cIt\u2019s a very, very popular sport, one for all ages.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spectators can help themselves to appetizers and up to two drinks per person.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a contest where, for a donation, anyone can grab a paddle and try to serve a pickleball into a bucket. If you sink the shot, you\u2019d win the mystery prize inside.<\/p>\n
Prizes include wine; premium spirits; gift cards; wellness and self-care items; and other items donated by local businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the first one and we\u2019re hoping to make it an annual event,\u201d Hoffman said.<\/p>\n
The event\u2019s name was chosen because a \u201cdink\u201d is part of pickleball terminology, Hoffman said.<\/p>\n
A \u201cdink\u201d in pickleball means a gentle, low-trajectory shot hit from near the \u201ckitchen\u201d line that lands in the opponent\u2019s non-volley zone which also is called the \u201ckitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n
The benefiting program, CareerConnect Martin, is designed to help unemployed and underemployed Martin County residents gain new skills; overcome employment barriers; and connect to local businesses who want to hire, train and retain employees.<\/p>\n
The Stuart\/Martin County Chamber of Commerce started CareerConnect Martin in 2022 with financial support from the County Commission.<\/p>\n
In its first two years, CareerConnect achieved an 83 percent success rate, enabling the organization to establish the Martin Chamber Foundation, a 501c3 charity to continue the work, according to the mission statement on CareerConnect\u2019s web site.<\/p>\n
To learn more about the Martin Chamber Foundation and how it supports economic prosperity for Martin County residents, go to www.martinchamberfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n CareerConnect offers step-up training; trial employment opportunities; career exploration paths. It also posts available jobs through the chamber\u2019s web site.<\/p>\n To learn more about CareerConnect and the employment opportunities it offers, go to careerconnectmartin.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n