The Stonewall Pickleball Tournament Volunteer Committee has been recognized for its contribution to recreation in the Interlake, earning a Recreation Builder Award from the Interlake Municipal Recreation Association.
Nominated by the Town of Stonewall, the committee was honoured for its role in organizing and growing a major annual pickleball tournament that has become a signature event in the community.
The tournament, held in September 2025 at the Access Curling Rink, required extensive planning and coordination, with a team of approximately 50 volunteers working behind the scenes to deliver the event.
Committee member Emma Forbes said the group was both surprised and honoured to receive the recognition.
“Our pickleball tournament volunteer committee was very surprised and honoured to be presented with the Recreation Builder Award,” she said.
Over the past four years, the volunteer committee has expanded the tournament from approximately 210 participants to more than 290 competitors, while also significantly increasing the scale of operations required to host the event.
Forbes said the tournament now relies on roughly 700 volunteer hours, with volunteers filling a wide range of roles including registration, scorekeeping, scheduling, court convening, announcing, food service, photography and more.
“We have approximately 50 volunteers required to run the tournament smoothly,” she said. “A large number of those volunteers are needed at the three-day tournament.”
In addition to organizing play, volunteers also prepare food for participants, including muffins, fruit, vegetables, water and coffee.
The tournament itself has grown into a large-scale competition, featuring 479 round-robin games and 88 playoff games last year, for a total of 567 games played across six courts over three days. Teams are divided by age group and skill level, helping ensure a competitive and inclusive experience.
Teams have travelled to Stonewall from across Manitoba, as well as from other parts of Canada and the United States, including Fargo, N.D., Denver, Colo., and Kenora, Ont.
“Many of the participants have shared with us that they enjoyed our local restaurants, shopping and beautiful community we live in,” Forbes said.
The growth of the event reflects the increasing popularity of pickleball, an emerging sport that continues to gain traction among a wide range of age groups.
All proceeds from the tournament are directed to the South Interlake 55 Plus to support senior programming, while the success of the event has also contributed to increased participation in local pickleball programming.
“As a result of our local tournament and local volunteers running our weekly pickleball club, memberships have increased,” Forbes said.
The committee includes Laurie Briggs, Paul Pelletier, Kathy Turner, Eadie McIntyre, Cheri Kozokowsky, and Emma and Tom Forbes.
The nomination highlighted the committee’s commitment to promoting active living and creating opportunities for people to engage in recreation. Organizers noted the event has helped foster community connections while supporting participation in sport for individuals ranging in age from 20 to 80.
The Recreation Builder Awards recognize individuals and groups who dedicate their time and energy to enhancing recreation opportunities and improving quality of life within their communities.
Since 1988, the Interlake Municipal Recreation Association has supported recreation initiatives across the region by providing training, resources and networking opportunities aimed at increasing participation and strengthening community programs.
Winners of the award are recognized by their respective municipal councils or at community events.
