Lake Zurich mayor, chef to join pickleball record attempt
It is estimated that about 38 million people have played pickleball in the last year, making it one of the fastest growing sports.
Dean Matt and Shannon Yeager hope to spread that popularity with an attempt to set the Guinness World Record for Fastest Time to Play a Game of Pickleball in all 48 Contiguous States.
"This Guinness World Record attempt will showcase the tapestry of who and where pickleball is played across the United States," Yeager said.
Representing Illinois in this world record attempt, their 27th stop will be Lake Zurich.
Not only will it be a homecoming for Dean, who hails from Illinois, but he will also be playing local dignitaries for a great cause.
Lake Zurich Mayor Tom Poynton and Masato Suzuki, chef and owner of DJ Bistro in Lake Zurich, will play for two local charities: Emmaus House of Hospitality, which supports local residents facing food insecurity, and A Safe Place, which provides services addressing domestic violence and human trafficking.
Raceway Car Wash of Lake Zurich is sponsoring the event, with $3,000 going to the organization represented by the winning team and $2,000 going to the organization represented by the other team.
The public is invited to come see this special event at 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at the Foglia YMCA, 1025 N. Old McHenry Road, Lake Zurich.
Along their 26-day journey, Matt and Yeager will also play other local "picklers," celebrities, pickleball professionals, differently-abled individuals, mayors, and even a governor or two.
For example, at the 44th stop in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the duo will play against former Virginia governor and U.S. Senator George Allen and Bobby Dyer, mayor of Virginia Beach.
A full itinerary of their world record attempt can be found at www.mucho-dean-aero.com/the-pickleball-challenge.
Emmaus House of Hospitality is a 501(c)(3) charity that is dedicated to those struggling with poverty and its many challenges. Although the weekly community dinner has been placed on hiatus, a Volunteer Harvest Team continues to collect and distribute food every week, which includes meats, poultry, fish, produce, dairy and bakery items.
Through private donations and grant money, they also provide qualifying local residents diapers, baby-related items, feminine products, and shoes for school-aged children at an annual footwear event.
The public is invited to join them for the Harvest Room Food Pantry from 4-5 p.m. most Sundays in the basement of St. Francis de Sales Church in Lake Zurich. Visit www.emmaus-house.org.
A Safe Place is the sole provider of services exclusively addressing domestic violence and human trafficking in Lake County. Through multifaceted programs, they assist victims in transforming their lives after violence, strive to prevent future abuse by addressing its root cause through abuser intervention programs, and educate the community about domestic violence and human trafficking and how to be involved in ending them.
A Safe Place is a recognized 501(c)3 listed under Lake County Crisis Center for the Prevention & Treatment of Domestic Violence Inc. Visit www.asafeplaceforhelp.org.