Bama Beach Pickleball Club recently held a tournament and made donations to local charities.

The club's annual Pickle Gras tournament at the Foley Event Center took place Feb. 11-13. Organizers said It was a success with 319 players coming from all over the Southeast to play – more than half from outside of Alabama.

"This tournament has always been one of the most successful and fun pickleball tournaments around, and its success is due largely to the amount of effort put into the planning, decorating and running of the tournament," Sam Strite said. "The three-day event featured women's doubles, mixed doubles and men's doubles, with the mixed being far and away the most popular.

"What separates this tournament from most other pickleball tournaments is the local volunteers who come forward to make it smooth running and fun to play in."

The club is more than fun and games. After a successful year in 2024, Bama Beach Pickleball Club made four donations to local charities, with each receiving a check for $3,000.

Each year, Bama Beach donates its excess funds to support local nonprofits at which its members volunteer. Since its formation in 2019, Bama Beach has donated over $80,000.

This year, the recipients are: American Legion Gulf Shores – Post 44, to help them support our local veterans who are in need; The Christian Service Center, which for over 30 years has provided meaningful help to those in need throughout Baldwin County; Southern Star Search and Rescue, which offers certified K-9s and handlers in support of law enforcement searching for missing people; and The Table – Baldwin County, a new organization that provides free meals to the needy throughout Baldwin County.