Mars Hill to host pickleball tournament to benefit Neighbors in Need
MARS HILL - Mars Hill's pickleball courts have become quite a draw for Western North Carolina residents after a number of courts were repaved in late September and early October.
In May, the courts will see even more action, as the town will host a pickleball tournament May 20-21 at Mars Hill Recreation Park to benefit Marshall Presbyterian Church's Neighbors in Need Crisis Organization and Food Pantry.
Susan Sewell worked with Town Manager Nathan Bennett to facilitate repaving the courts to provide pickleball courts at Mars Hill Recreation Park.
Sewell and former Neighbors in Need board member Cathy Hicks approached Bennett about the potential of the town hosting a tournament, and the town board decided to co-sponsor the event.
According to Sewell, all of the proceeds from the event will benefit Neighbors in Need.
Pickleball's soaring popularity in Western North Carolina has yet to result in bringing a big tournament to Madison County, but the May competition will be the first of its kind in the county.
According to Sewell, the Mars Hill pickleball community now has 58 participants who communicate on the Team Reach app to coordinate times and organize games. There are even more than that who aren't registered on the app, too.
"There are many not on the app who play on their own," Sewell said. "I've probably run into at least another 12 playing at different times. Many just play on their own."
Board members expressed their approval of the tournament in the Mars Hill Town Board meeting Feb. 6.
"I have heard so many positive comments on pickleball," board member Nick Honeycutt said.
National Pickleball Association will put on the tournament, and Hicks will serve as the volunteer tournament director.
"I think the purpose is good," Bennett said. "There's a great use from the community. Pickleball is a big thing."
Tournament registration has not opened yet. According to Sewell, the maximum registration will be 100 participants.
Check back with The News-Record for more information on the tournament.
2022 fire report
In his annual report to the town board Feb. 6, Mars Hill Fire Chief Nathan Waldrup delivered the same message to the board as he did Jan. 3, 2022: The previous year's fire season was the busiest he's seen.
According to Waldrup, the department received 1,385 calls in 2022, almost a 10% increase from 2021.
"It was our busiest year to date," Waldrup said.
The department's busiest month was July 2022, as Mars Hill responded to more than 150 calls, according to the chief.
"It's the highest single call count that we've had in the history of the fire department," Waldrup said.
Friday was the busiest day of the week for the department, while 4 p.m. was the busiest time, Waldrup said in the report.
According to the fire chief, the department is now using a new database reporting system.
"We'll switch from a network server-based software system to a cloud-based system made by ESO (Solutions, an integrated software suit provider for EMS agencies, fire departments and hospitals)," Waldrup said. "A lot of the hospitals and EMS units are using ESO. They bought out pretty much every option in the game, so that's pretty much it."
In the department's January 2023 report, the board was issued data obtained by ESO.
In the 2021 report, Waldrup said calls for service has increased 26% in the last five years, and 93% percent in the last 10 years.
According to Waldrup, the department also received $3,500 in grant funding from the state Department of Insurance. He said the department plans to use the funding to buy a breathing air compression system.
The fire chief said he hopes the department would receive the equipment by the end of this budget year.
Waldrup added that the department plans to continue to seek out sites for potential substations.
"We need at least two substations in our area, and we have a very large response area (of) 84 square miles," he said. "So, we're going to have to put some substations out there to put some resources out in those areas, one being in the Grapevine area and one in the Middle Fork area."
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Mars Hill to host pickleball tournament to benefit food pantry
