Wishes Granted: Community Foundation Grant Helps First Paddle Expansion

The whack of pickleballs filled the air in the church gym last summer, but even louder were the shouts and laughter of some 18 kids from the Salvation Army youth program.  When the new player clinic held by the Southern Pickleball Academy was over, the kids didn’t want to leave.  “I wish we could do this again!” they pleaded.

We have news for them!

Because of a $15,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) recently awarded to our Academy, we will be able to bring our First Paddle program to even more youth in 2026! By partnering with youth-focused nonprofits such as Aiken’s Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Center and the Edgefield County Youth Empowerment Center, we will be able to provide our pickleball program to children who otherwise would not be able to participate. 

Board members Beth Eberhard and Cindy Ogden at the Community Foundation Awards Ceremony

This transformative grant is part of the Community Foundation's record-breaking 2026 Community Grants Program, which awarded more than $735,000 to 59 nonprofit organizations across the CSRA. We're honored to be among the recipients supporting education and youth enrichment in our region.

What is First Paddle?

First Paddle is our innovative pickleball training program for youth ages 9-14. More than just learning a sport—players build confidence, develop character, and create lasting friendships. Through high-energy instruction from certified pickleball professionals and caring mentors, participants discover the joy of America's fastest-growing sport while learning essential life skills like respect, responsibility, integrity, communication, perseverance, and sportsmanship. We believe pickleball is a pathway to personal growth, and First Paddle creates an inclusive environment where youth of all skill levels can thrive, meeting young people where they are and helping them discover what they're capable of achieving.

First Paddle participants practice court etiquette

What This Grant Makes Possible

Thanks to this funding, we'll be able to offer five First Paddle programs throughout 2026—both as school break camps and weekly sessions, serving youth in area nonprofits as well as children in the general public. The grant enables us to contract with a Program Director, purchase professional-grade equipment, train certified instructors and mentors, and provide scholarships to ensure every young person can participate regardless of financial circumstances.

Without this support, we would have been severely limited in our ability to provide adequate program leadership, essential equipment, and the full scope of programming we envisioned. This grant ensures we can deliver comprehensive, high-quality experiences to youth across our community.

An Academy volunteer works with two Salvation Army youth

What's Next

We'll begin implementation in January 2026 with staff hiring and equipment purchases, followed by our first programs launching in March. Registration details, program schedules, and scholarship information will be available soon on our website at firstpaddle.org.

Thank You

We're deeply grateful to the Community Foundation of the CSRA, the Augusta National Golf Club, community partners, and individual donors whose generosity has made this possible. For nearly 30 years, the Community Foundation's Community Grants program has invested over $12 million in nonprofits across our region, and we're honored to be part of this legacy of community impact.

Our Part

As vital as this grant is to allowing us to expand First Paddle, it covers less than half of the needed expenses.  The Southern Pickleball Academy will need to raise the balance for the rest of the money needed through sponsorships, financial campaigns, and individual donations. 

Help Us Help Kids

Do you have a business that could help sponsor this program? Are you at least 70 ½ and have the option of doing a  tax-free, Qualified Charitable Contribution from your IRA?  Or maybe you’d like to make a donation in memory or in honor of someone important in your life?  Click on the appropriate button for more information about how you can lend a hand. Your support will mean the world, and the future, to the kids in these First Paddle programs.

Sponsorship Info

QCD Info

Online Donation

Thanks to the Community Foundation and our generous supporters, 2026 will see area pickleball courts filled with the sounds of happy, excited children learning this great sport in a program that will carry them off the courts and into real life with confidence and character. Sometimes, wishes do come true!

Salvation Army youth celebrate pickleball!