23 February 2026

PADDLES FOR PADS Second Annual Pacific Assistance Dog Society (“PADS”) and Hollyburn Country Club (“HCC”) Partner For A Great Cause

19/5/2025 PADS Companion-in-training left (top on mobile device) and David [...]

19/5/2025

PADS Companion-in-training left (top on mobile device) and David Snell Chair Hollyburn Pickleball Committee and President Pickleball BC at the 2025 event check in desk right photo (bottom on mobile device). (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Monday, May 19, 2025, Vancouver, BC—On Saturday, April 26, 2025, Hollyburn Country Club (a Pickleball BC [“PBC”] Associated Club), hosted their 2nd Annual PADDLES FOR PADS Pacific Assistance Dog Society (“PADS”) Pickleball event to benefit a wonderful charity that supports people with disabilities and community care providers by partnering them with certified assistance dogs.

Meredith right with her companion and left, HCC Volunteers

About PADS
PADS dogs are raised and trained on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the Skwxw.7mesh (Squamish), Səlílwəta (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Meredith Areskoug attended the HCC event with several companions and says: “We breed, raise and train fully certified assistance dogs. Our service (mobility & PTSD) and hearing dogs provide life-changing independence to those with disabilities. Our accredited facility dogs work with community professionals, such as teachers, RCMP and psychologists to help support healthy communities.” PADS is a fully accredited member of Assistance Dogs International.

The PADDLES FOR PADS pickleball event day included a Pro Demo with Canadian National Senior Pro Singles Champion Davi Singh from Whistler; US Nationals Silver Medalist Jeffery Ho; Canadian National Champion and PBC Director and BC Head Coach Robin D’Abreo; and PPA Masters player and MLP head coach Steve Deakin. Watch the YouTube video here for just a taste of the high-level play.

Above, PADS Companion Dogs were present at the event. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Teams of 8 players were arranged of equal skill level in a Scramble Format, where they played doubles with everyone on the team for the “highest points” honour and a free drink. Also each team had its own dog name:

The Dinkin Skittles—The Winning Team!
Bernese Bashers
Dash Hounds
Golden Retrievers
Pickle Poodles
Rescue Dogs (Spares)

You get the idea—just fun and dedicated play time!

PBC President David Snell states: “In absence of our province-wide PBC 2024 PADDLES FOR PADS initiative, such as HCC in 2025, I encourage other PBC provincial clubs to have a similar event this year. The PADS cause is a worthwhile one which embodies many of our PBC and Affiliated and Associated club 2025 missions and objectives: in line with our provincial focus and mandates, PADS supports people with disabilities and community care providers which they partner with by providing them with certified assistance dogs. Similarly to our pickleball community, PADS is also inclusive and is committed to equality across race, gender, age, religion, identity, ability and experience.

To summarize, the tournament was well attended and a success for both PADS and HCC generating a 2025 donation of $2,000 to this worthwhile cause bringing our HCC Pickleball Committee pickleball ‘Giveback Event’ charity donations total over the last 2 years to $24,000.”

For more information, contact:
David Snell
President, Pickleball BC
[email protected]