Brodies host pickleball tourney; beer released by Sons of Kent
Number three is in the books.
A full lineup of teams and players of all ages were to convene in Dresden on the weekend for the third annual Rally at the Barn pickleball tournament.
NHL defenseman T.J. Brodie and wife Amber are the event organizers. Brodie said more than 150 people were to take part at the Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre.
“It’s nice to see young kids get involved with pickleball. It’s a sport everyone can go out and play,” he said. “The whole family can enjoy it together.”
Participants played in men’s, women’s and mixed classes and Sunday featured a youth clinic.
The event is a fundraiser for the Brodies’ charity The Lighthouse Foundation (TLF), which raises funds in support of cystic fibrosis (CF) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Amber, in 2015, was diagnosed with MS, and one of T.J.’s cousins has battled CF for much of his life.
It also coincides with the annual release of The Rally amber lager from Sons of Kent, another fundraising avenue for TLF.
Doug Hunter, one of the owners of Sons of Kent, said the Brodies approached the brewery three years ago for support.
“They asked us to make a beer. It went over super well and is for a great cause,” he said. “We like to support charitable causes, and this was pretty close to home with T.J. and Amber.”
The beer is available on tap and in cans. All proceeds go to TLF.
T.J. said the support from Sons of Kent has been greatly appreciated.
“Doug has been awesome since we started this. He’s helped us every step of the way,” he said.
