Carlsbad pickleball fundraiser raises over $17,000 for youth programs

One night of pickleball turned into a real budget line for local kids: the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad raised more than $17,000 through its third annual Dink & Drink fundraiser, a haul built from 70 competitive teams and a busy day at Pickleball Republic South Carlsbad.

The event was held Saturday, May 9, at the new South Carlsbad facility, with 10:00 a.m. check-in, 11:00 a.m. qualifying play, a 1:30 p.m. champions tournament and a 3:00 p.m. awards and happy hour close. BGCC opened registration to players 21 and older, with men’s, women’s and mixed doubles divisions, general team entry at $150, VIP entry at $250 and sponsorships starting at $1,000. Strong turnout forced the field into Premier and Classic brackets, giving the fundraiser the feel of a legitimate tournament rather than a casual social hit-around.

The setting mattered. Dink & Drink left Vista and landed in a venue built for events like this, with Pickleball Republic South Carlsbad adding tournament-sized indoor and outdoor courts and expanded training space in early 2026. The night was padded by a long list of local food and beverage partners, including Graze Craze, Pizza Port, Señor Grubby’s, Luna Grill, CaliFino Tequila, Henebery Whiskey, Culver Beer Co., Brewery X, Karl Strauss, Fuego Hard Ginger Beer, Pure Green, Peet’s Coffee and Drink Um, the kind of lineup that makes a fundraiser feel like a full community gathering without losing the competitive edge on court.

There was also a deeper connection under the surface. Shawn Walker, the facility’s owner and general manager, has a personal history with BGCC, having attended its youth programs as a child. His son later participated in BGCC youth sports, which gave the fundraiser a rare sense of continuity, not just another sponsorship night but a family story circling back to the same organization that once supported him.

That matters because Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad is not running on a cushion. Founded in 1952, the club serves roughly 600 to 700 children each year from two locations, in the Carlsbad village and Bressi Ranch, and it is 99% funded by donations and community support. For an organization that depends on outside dollars to keep youth programs alive, a pickleball fundraiser that clears more than $17,000 is more than a nice result. It is money that helps keep the doors open, the programs steady and the next generation inside the lines.