It's easier than you think!

In support of our May 20-21, 2010 PickleBall Tournament and as part of a Media Day event that we are hosting on the 19th of May, we decided to seek a proclamation from the City of Portage that declares Portage Michigan "Center of the World for PickleBall."

The decision to seek a proclamation came about when brainstorming with Discover Kalamazoo our local visitor's bureau. It is being undertaken on an extremely aggressive schedule - but manageable.

Here's how we did it:

• First task was figuring out the who and how of local government!
• We zeroed in on the City of Portage - the location of our Tournament. A bit of web surfing yielded names but the ultimate solution was to create a request letter and a sample Proclamation and then make an appearance.
• Before creating the request letter we also thought through how to add additional interest to our request and how to meld together our thoughts regarding a Media Day event (that post to follow shortly).
• With sample paperwork in hand we traipsed into City Hall. It only took three tries to get directed to the City Clerk's Office. Once there we found out that the City Council meets twice a month and routinely issues proclamations for all kinds of things. Our request was rated as one of the more unusual, but is scheduled for approval in early May.
• Our turn around time is less than two weeks but we recommend starting the process a few months in advance.

April 22, 2010

Mayor Peter J. Strazdas
City Hall
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002

Dear Mayor Strazdas:

Proclamation Request: We are writing to request that you proclaim Portage the “Center of the World for PickleBall” during May 19-21, 2010. Your proclamation would be in support of Media Day on the 19th of May and a USAPA sanctioned PickleBall Tournament both being held at the Portage YMCA (more information www.where2pickle.org).

History of PickleBall: PickleBall is America’s fastest growing sport!  The key ingredients of a whiffleball, badminton size court, tennis style net, paddles and a unique set of rules set PickleBall apart from all other sports. From the beginning,  it has combined badminton, tennis, ping-pong, and the antics of a gregarious cocker spaniel into a very engaging game! The history of PickleBall began with the familiar summer whine that often causes parents to take drastic measures. In the summer of 1965, the “I'm bored” mantra was chanted by the children of three families on Brainbridge Island in the Puget Sound area of Washington. It invented was three dads: Bill Bell, Barney McCallum and Joel Pritchard (Joel was also a US Congressman).

The game started on an asphalt badminton court in Pritchard's backyard. But, alas, no one could find the shuttlecock. The dads quickly improvised with a whiffleball. The kids found it difficult to hit the 3-inch ball with the lightweight rackets. Once again, necessity was the mother of invention. The dads made wooden paddles that resembled ping-pong paddles. As the game evolved through the afternoon it was determined that players could hit the ball on the bounce as well as out of the air.

"Pickles, you bring that back here right now!" The whines of "I'm bored" were quickly replaced by kids yelling at the dog. Pickles, the Pritchard's cocker spaniel, took an interest in the new game, particularly the ball. When he could get away with it, Pickles would fetch the ball and hide in the bushes. He wasn't the most popular dog at the party, but he did get the game named after him.

And the rest in history! PickleBall is the fastest growing sport in America! A favorite with seniors it is a mainstay at the Senior Olympics. There is an active PickleBall community throughout Michigan and all across America. Twice each year a nationally sanctioned Tournament is held at the Portage YMCA.

Event promotion: As part of the promotional activities we are holding a Media Day May 19, 2010 from 9:30am – 11:00am. The proclamation would be read at this event. We also will have a pickle tasting competition featuring pickles from Michigan producers. We will be awarding a gold medal for the “Best PickleBall Deli-Dill Pickle”. Attendees will be media people, local players and key people from venues that offer PickleBall in our community.
We request to receive the completed document in time to have a Public Reading at the Media Day being held May 19, 2010 at the Portage YMCA. If your schedule permits we would welcome your attendance!

Thank you for your consideration, Mayor Strazdas. We would be honored to have your support and presence at this nationally recognized, Portage-based event.

Sincerely,
Bob Northrop – USAPA PickleBall Ambassador of Kalamazoo
P.O. Box 19202 – Kalamazoo MI 49019    (269) 352-9407   rpn@vwworks.com
Melissa Muha – USAPA PickleBall Ambassador of Portage
5418 Circlewood Drive West – Portage MI 49002                (269) 501-6497   gardenwebb@gmail.com

Resolution

Whereas, PickleBall is the nation’s fastest growing sport, and

Whereas, the Portage YMCA is hosting the third nationally sanctioned Portage–Kalamazoo PickleBall Tournament, and

Whereas, the tournament supports the YMCA’s Healthy Kids – Healthy Families Programs.
Now, therefore with great relish I, Peter J. Strazdas, Mayor of the City of Portage Michigan, hereby proclaim that May 19-21, 2010, Portage, Michigan is the “Center of the World for Pickleball.”

And I call on all residents to support this great sport! On this 19th day of May, 2010;

Peter J. Strazdas, Mayor
The City of Portage Michigan