The Guilford Swim and Racquet Club (GSRC) is partnering with Guilford’s Meals on Wheels (MOW) for their third annual Paddleball Tournament on Saturday, March 26. The event was originally started during the height of the COVID pandemic, according to the organizers, to provide an outdoor activity for members but has since grown into an important fundraising effort for MOW.

Christi Burton, executive director of Guilford Interfaith Volunteers and director of MOW, said after proposing the idea several years ago, the racquet club immediately jumped on board. The event has become a critical part of her organization’s focus to raise much-needed funding.

“I have been a member of the club for a while and they have different initiatives to support various causes during the year,” said Burton. “They support autism awareness through a tennis tournament and they support Parkinson’s awareness through a pickleball tournament, so this is kind of new for them and didn’t have a dedicated organization or designated paddleball tournament that benefited a specific organization. I proposed [the idea] to Pam Welch, who runs the paddleball section and she embraced the idea right away, as did the owner Sarah Boone. They want to support meals on Wheels on an ongoing basis from here forward.”

According to Burton, MOW does not receive state funding due to the restrictive nature of state mandates, and fundraising events like the Paddleball Tourney are vital in sustaining the organization and its efforts.

“Most area meals on wheels take state money, which helps their organizations. We don’t take any state money, and that is by choice, because when you take state money they impose limitations on who you can help and limitations on the financial situation that you can provide for,” Burton said. “We never wanted to limit who we were able to help. We want to be able to help anybody. Despite how old they are or their financial situation, so we rely on these fundraising events. This tournament is another fundraiser that allows MOW to thrive and remain in good order.”

Pam Welch, who runs the GSRC’s Paddleball program and is an instructor there as well, said this event is important to both the company and members.

“We started during the pandemic and it was such a wonderful outdoor event to offer, and it was such a great event and everybody had such a great time, doing something social during the that difficult time that we did it again last year,” Welch said. “To be able to support MOW and to be able to give back in that way is just wonderful for everybody involved. Christi organizes such a great and fun time, we really are honored to be part of it. It’s wonderful way to give back to our community. We love that it is a food-oriented program and that it helps families. It is a great way to support such a great organization. It is a really fun event that supports someone we love and that supports an organization we love.”

MOW is part of the non-profit Guilford Interfaith Volunteers, which was established in 1985 with a motto of “neighbor helping neighbor.” MOW services any Guilford resident in need of a nutritious meal, regardless of age or financial status, according to their mission statement.

According to Burton, MOW provides meals seven days a week if needed, and volunteer drivers deliver these meals five days a week. The organization delivered more than 35,000 meals in 2021 alone.

“Our organization exists thanks to the time and dedication of our volunteers and from the thoughtful and generous donations of our supporters of which the GSRC is part of,” said Burton. “We are so appreciative of the club and the donations to the raffle. It’s really been a lot of fun the last few years and we are so grateful that the club and Pam Welch embraced this idea. All we really need is good weather.”

Other area donors to the event include lunch compliments of Physical Therapy Specialists of Guilford and its owner Paul Bauer. Paddle balls are being provided by Racquet Koop owner Chris Gaudreau, and coffee and hot chocolate will be compliments of Dunkin Donuts franchise owner the D’Andrea Group.

The third annual Paddle for a Cause will be held at the GSRC on Saturday, March 26. For more information about MOW and the other entities under the Guilford Interfaith Volunteers umbrella, and to make a donation visit, www.givct.org or via phone at 203-453-8359.