Friendly Kitchen pickleball tournament raises $17,000 in Concord

More than 100 supporters filled Rolfe Park in Concord on Saturday as the second annual Friendly Kitchen Pickleball tournament had already raised about $17,000 for The Friendly Kitchen before the first ball was hit. The fundraiser turned a regular pickleball weekend into direct support for the Concord soup kitchen, with players, volunteers and spectators all feeding the total.

Jonesy Rainville, a Friendly Kitchen staff member and avid pickleball player, spearheaded the event and spent the day coordinating instead of competing. The tournament ran from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with men’s and women’s doubles on Saturday and mixed doubles on Sunday. Entry cost $50 for one event and $10 for each additional event, a simple format that helped turn a local courtside gathering into a sizable fundraising push.

The strongest image from the day belonged to David Stevenson, 86, the Concord figure who helped bring pickleball to the city in 2013. Stevenson was back on the court hitting balls in his match, a reminder that the sport’s local roots are still visible in the same places where it has grown into a community draw. That connection mattered at Rolfe Park, where the tournament was not just a one-off charity outing but a continuation of a sport that has been part of Concord’s recreation scene for more than a decade.

The Friendly Kitchen says it has been serving Concord for 40 years, and local reporting in 2024 put its annual meal count at almost 50,000. WMUR also reported that the original kitchen helps the organization serve about 45,000 meals a year, with an expansion plan that includes another prep kitchen and more pantry space. That scale is why a $17,000 pickup from one pickleball weekend matters: it lands directly in a kitchen that relies on steady support to keep breakfast, lunch and dinner moving.

The event also built on last year’s momentum, when more than 100 people signed up for the tournament at Rolfe Park and matches were split by level and type of game. Two years in, the formula is clear in Concord: a straightforward draw, a familiar park, and a sport that can still pull money from a crowd while keeping the rally going.