Pickleball Tournament Raises Funds for AJ Dillon Foundation in Ashwaubenon

The Picklr in Ashwaubenon turned into more than a bracketed tournament Saturday as AJ Dillon and Gabrielle Dillon came back to Green Bay for the second annual Pickleball for a Purpose, a fundraiser built around pickleball, socializing and a clear local cause. Held at 2610 Holmgren Way, the event was aimed at raising $100,000 for the Dillon Family Foundation.

The setup mattered. Organizers did not sell it as a pure competition, but as a full-day gathering with a morning mixer and other activities layered around the matches. That mix gave players a reason to show up for the pickleball and gave non-players an easy way into the room, whether they came to compete, cheer or simply be part of the crowd at a venue that already feels built for community turnout.

The foundation behind the event gives the fundraiser its sharpest edge. The Dillon Family Foundation says its mission is to empower families and combat hunger, a message that resonates in Northeast Wisconsin and fits neatly with the Dillons’ public work in the Green Bay area. AJ Dillon and Gabrielle Dillon launched the foundation in 2024 after volunteering with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, and one of the launch events included packing 375 meals for families across Northeast Wisconsin.

That background helps explain why this event carried more weight than a standard charity round-robin. The beneficiary is recognizable, the cause is direct, and the setting at The Picklr keeps the atmosphere close to the sport’s social roots. In a community where pickleball is already a reliable draw, a tournament tied to hunger relief and family support gives people an immediate reason to buy in.

It also showed why purpose-driven pickleball formats keep working. The first Pickleball for a Purpose was held the year before, and the return visit suggested the model had already earned enough traction to become an annual date. With AJ Dillon and Gabrielle Dillon back in the area and a $100,000 target attached to the day, the event had the ingredients that matter most in local fundraising: a familiar face, a clear mission and a venue that made people want to stay.