Pickleball Tournament Raises More Than $75,000 for Financial Aid at Skyland Trail

The Beth C. Jones Pickleball Tournament held on Saturday, January 20, 2024, raised more than $75,000 for Skyland Trail, a nationally recognized nonprofit mental health treatment organization serving teens and adults in Atlanta. Additional donations to Skyland Trail through the tournament are open through February 15, 2024.

The tournament was created in honor of Beth C. Jones, an ardent supporter of mental health causes who understood the importance of advancing the mission of Skyland Trail in the Atlanta community through volunteering and philanthropy. Ms. Jones served 15 years on the Skyland Trail Board of Directors and 11 years as a Board Emeritus. Ms. Jones passed away on December 28, 2022. Funds from the pickleball tournament will establish a financial aid fund in honor of Ms. Jones.

Financial aid allows teen and adult clients in treatment at Skyland Trail to engage in and complete psychiatric residential treatment and day treatment programs. Clients benefit from evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as well as holistic wellness programs like art, music, and horticultural therapy; fitness and nutrition counseling; life skills training; and vocational and academic services.

The event was organized by Leslie Wierman and Deborah Bald. Participants included Ms. Jones’s children and grandchildren, her family and friends, and many people in the community who wanted to honor her life and legacy.

The compass draw tournament featured 32 teams of doubles match-play hosted at the Atlanta Pickleball Center. The winning team was Bridget and Brad Prybis.

The event was made possible through the generosity of community sponsors. Thank you to King of the Court sponsor ROARK and Ace sponsor Dermatology Consultants. Rally sponsors included Mary Alice and Bennett Brown Foundation, Christmas Creek Charitable Fund and Darla Bone McBurney, Earthlink, Hennessy Automobile Companies, and MDH Partners. Lob sponsors included Kristin and Jim Howard; Stewart, Kizznar, and Brockelbank, LLC; and Betsy and Mark West. In-Kind sponsors included Tim Ball, Dermatology Consultants, Dick’s Sporting Goods, District, Le Bon Nosh, Sid and Ann Mashburn, PCKL, QueenBee Containers, ROARK, and Total Pickleball.