We partied, we dinked, we raised funds for a couple of amazing causes that mean a great deal to our team. It’s been several weeks since our first annual Paddles with Purpose at the Fairgrounds Leaside (a huge ‘thanks’ to their team for their hard work in making our night so special!), and we’re set to reflect on the incredible support we received from across the Bridgewell Financial community. Put simply, the event exceeded our expectations in every possible way.
The first was the turnout. Nearly 150 clients, partners, sponsors, team members and friends of the firm arrived ready to play—and blew us away with their enviable pickleball skills. We had no idea there were that many strong players in our network. The feverish competition was all in good fun, of course, and the focus stayed on the real reason we came together. That was to fundraise funds for youth mentorship and development organization JA Canada and Keep Playing Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to breaking down barriers to play by providing free, accessible sports programs for underserved children. We’re thrilled to announce that we raised more than $70,000 for these great charities, funds that will help foster the growth and development of the next generation of Canadians.
A few questions we were asked throughout the event: why pickleball, why these causes and why now? Regarding the first query—why not? Pickleball isn’t merely one of North America’s fastest-growing recreational sports, it’s also a ton of fun. And it’s a highly social game that’s usually played by four people at a time. What’s not to love? As for why we wanted to support JA Canada and Keep Playing Kids, both are dedicated to improving the health, well-being and long-term success of children across Canada. Their focus on skills development and entrepreneurship (in the case of JA Canada) and athletics and recreational play (Keep Playing Kids) create meaningful impact. We’re honoured to play a small part in helping these organizations achieve their game-changing mandates.
So, why this event now? You probably know by now that as a firm, we’re deeply committed to enhancing the well-being of our community. We strive to help foster the financial wellness of our clients with the many group benefits, wealth and financial planning, insurance and executive planning solutions that we deliver every day. But it’s also part of our wellness-focused mission as a firm is to support a wide range of charitable causes. That would include our ongoing efforts to fundraise for organizations such as JackRide: Canada’s Ride for Youth Mental Health in support of Jack.org, Youth Unlimited, the Daily Bread Food Bank—and many more. That emphasis on giving back culminated in last year’s announcement of Bridgewell’s 10-year giving goal, our drive to raise $1 million for charity by 2034. Paddles With Purpose was another big step towards achieving that goal—with more events to come in the years ahead.
We’ll be sure to continue welcoming insightful speakers along the way. This year we enjoyed an inspiring keynote presentation from renowned business coach Emile Studham. Emile draws insights from the sports world, leveraging advanced behavioural science and translating athletes’ principles of success into actionable strategies for leadership, trust, and collaboration in the workplace. His talks are always highly engaging, and this one was no exception.
Of course, we also want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the many partners whose support was key to this event’s success, including the donation of a host of incredible prizes. Thank you to our Grand Slam Sponsors:
Our Kitchen Sponsor:
Our Smash Sponsors:
- Fidelity IT Solutions
- RBC Insurance
- Greybrook Realty Partners
- EOS—Entrepreneurial Operating System
- Connor, Clark & Lunn Private Capital Ltd.
Our Pickle Sponsors:
Our Ace Sponsor and Contributing Sponsors:
- CommonWealth
- Genus Capital Management
- Armstrong
- Equitable
- Amsterdam Brew House
- CFL
- Well Juices
- Daniel et Daniel Catering & Events
- Sapsucker
- Guardian Mortgages
- Black Bear Ridge
- Cleveland Clinic
- Desjardins
- Stretch Health Canada
- Jam
- PKG
- Tall Oaks Farm
- TPH
- Kind
- Newport Private Wealth
- Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
- Regenalife
- Beneva
We can’t thank these partners enough for their generosity and eagerness to lend a hand. As we look forward, we’re already beginning preparations for the next installment of this new Bridgewell tradition. We can’t wait to play pickleball and raise funds for charity with all of you again next year.
The Bridgewell team
For assistance with your wealth and financial planning, insurance or group benefits planning needs, contact a member of the Bridgewell Financial team today.
