Several of you have asked who Nelson Swartzentruber was. Nelson started playing pickleball about the time he turned seventy, eight years ago. He enjoyed golfing, kayaking and spending time with his family. Like many of us, he became an avid pickleball player. His greatest passion, however, was his mission work. Throughout the years, Nelson traveled to poverty-stricken third world countries to help those in need.
Unbeknownst to most of us, Nelson had Parkinson's Disease. A devoted member of Hillview Baptist Church, he introduced the game of pickleball to others with Parkinson's and the church supported this endeavor. Thanks to Nelson, there is now an active pickleball program for players with Parkinson's.
If anyone has any suggestions of other worthy causes for donations from future events, please let us know via email at info@aikenpickleball.com. Thank you
PS:
I visited Nelson at Aiken Hospital four days before he passed away with complications from Leikemia. I asked him if he thought there was pickleball in heaven. His response was "you betcha".