October 29, 2025 (Nanaimo, BC) – Nanaimo Pickleball Club’s Patty Tougas is at the forefront of Pickle for Hunger 2025, a signature charity tournament taking place on November 15, 2025 at the Oliver Woods Community Centre. The event will feature men’s, women’s and mixed doubles across eight courts, with cash donations benefitting food bank Loaves and Fishes’ efforts to help the hungry.
Learn more about Loaves & Fish
Tougas first spoke with Nanaimo Pickleball Club’s (NPC) president about the idea of Pickle For Hunger a year ago. It had been a dream of hers to organize a charity pickleball tournament in Nanaimo that gave back to the local community.
For years, Tougas has been involved in Thanksgiving and other food drives for the Food Bank in both Vancouver and Nanaimo. Over time, she has found that the time, gas, and effort spent collecting and delivering food mean that donations yield only about a 10% return. That, and several other factors, have resulted in encouragement for cash donations that allow for a much larger return on the amount of food that can be purchased and distributed.
Photo: Melissa Lavoie, MA, CFP, Director of Philanthropy and Revenue Generation, Loaves and Fishes Community (Black vest), Patty Tougas (Blue jacket), Stephanie Nash (Grey sweater).
“Hunger is a real issue in our community,” explained Tougas. “We want to make a difference. That’s why we’re partnering with Loaves & Fishes, a local food bank that can turn every dollar donated into five dollars worth of food! With your help, we can make a huge impact at a critical time of year.”
When developing the event’s tournament format, club members came up with the idea of a Major League Pickleball-style tournament with a twist that will be “fun, as well as challenging,” added Tougas.
Tougas hopes to have Pickle for Hunger become an annual, fun event that promises yearly support to Nanaimo’s hungry. Long-term, she hopes it evolves into a widespread effort with involvement from pickleball clubs across the Island.
All proceeds from the Pickle For Hunger tournament—less the cost of gym time—will go toward Loaves & Fishes. NPC has donated tournament balls, while NPC board member Donna Poburan has made medals. The group is now consulting with Oliver Woods Community Centre to begin planning for next year’s edition.
Pickle for Hunger Event Details
Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location: Oliver Woods Community Centre
Divisions: Men’s, Women’s, Mixed 3.0, Mixed 3.5+
Sign up/Volunteer: Contact Patty Tougas at (604) 831-7624.
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