Utah County Commission raises funds for Children’s Justice Center through pickleball tournament
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- Pickleball players compete in a tournament to help raise funds for the Utah County Children’s Justice Center on Friday, April 25, 2025, in Orem.
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- Women participants in a charity pickleball tournament are pictured Friday, April 25, 2025, in Orem.
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- Male winners of a charity pickleball tournament are pictured Friday, April 25, 2025, in Orem.
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- Former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, left, and Utah Valley Chamber CEO Curtis Blair chat at a charity pickleball tournament Friday, April 25, 2025, in Orem.
Pickleball players competed in support of children and families in crisis at a charity tournament hosted by the Utah County Commission on Friday.
At least $17,750 was raised for the Utah County Children’s Justice Center through entry fees, general donations and tournament sponsorships at the event at Hillcrest Park in Orem. The funds will help the center provide services to child abuse victims.
“The Children’s Justice Center has faced significant federal budget cuts and this is one way we are helping support the organization and continue servicing our community’s most vulnerable children after they’ve experienced trauma,” Commissioner Skyler Beltran said.
Utah County spokesperson Richard Piatt said the Children’s Justice Center lost some of the increased federal funding it gained during COVID, and that the budget cuts were not a result of the Trump Administration’s recent actions.
The Utah County Commissioner staff, Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, Explore Utah Valley, Orem City and the Children’s Justice Center rallied together to put on the event. Attendees included former Gov. Gary Herbert, and 50 teams participated in the event across three divisions: men’s, women’s and mixed.
“It was such a great day and the weather turned out perfectly,” Beltran said. “There was great energy, over 100 players participated and many people helped make it a success.”
