Bike Box Project and Twin Rivers YMCA have partnered to host New Bern’s first “Serving Up Hope – Pickleball Tournament for Parkinson’s Awareness,” on May 20 and 21, 2023 at locations throughout the city. Participating New Bern Pickleball courts will include the Twin Rivers YMCA, Carolina Colours, Cottle Park in Trent Woods, and West New Bern Recreation Center. The tournament will host four levels of Recreational and Competitive play, from Beginner to Expert. Picklers (as Pickleball players are known) will be able to choose the level of skill and/or energy they prefer.
It’s a Big Dill! All money raised by this event will go to support the work of Bike Box Project, a nonprofit providing funds and programs to cure and mitigate the progression of Parkinson’s. To learn more about the tournament and/or register, go trymca.org/servinguphope.
“We thought, ‘What better way to bring attention to Parkinson’s disease and the resources available to those with PD and their caregivers than a Pickleball tournament.’ The game is so hugely popular with all ages that having a tournament for Picklers could only broaden our community’s awareness of this disease and all that’s being done to serve the Parkinson’s community. We are thrilled to be working with the Twin Rivers YMCA to ensure we have a well-organized, fun event,”said Bethany Richards, founder of Bike Box Project.
Pickleball is a paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and Ping-Pong. Having increased in participants by 40% between 2019 and 2021, Pickleball is considered one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States with approximately 4.8 million Pickleball players (“Picklers”) in 2022.
Bike Box Project is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Through its fundraising, awareness campaigns, and programs, it provides support and hopes to people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers in New Bern and the surrounding area. It also contributes to Parkinson’s research through the Michael J. Fox Foundation. One Bike Box Project program is Rock Steady Boxing, a research-based Affiliate Training Camp program that works to mitigate the symptoms of Parkinson’s. Through non-contact, fitness classes, those with Parkinson’s work on mobility, coordination, flexibility, balance, and voice projection utilizing the Rock Steady Method in an upbeat, positive atmosphere surrounded by energetic and fun coaches and volunteers, amongst friends that are battling with similar struggles.
The YMCA’s mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. The Twin Rivers YMCA focuses on serving through programs and services that focus on Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility in the New Bern area.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominantly the dopamine-producing neurons in the brain which can impact motor skills, cognitive function, and mental health. There are over 10 million people affected by PD worldwide, with an estimated million in the United States alone, and another nearly 90,000 being diagnosed each year. There is no cure currently, but advances in research have provided breakthroughs in diagnosis, medication, and mitigation procedures and treatments, including exercise.
For more information about the event, Bike Box Project, Rock Steady Boxing, and Parkinson’s disease, go to bikeboxproject.org or call 252-631-2445.
By Bike Box Project