It’s been about a week since our second annual Paddles with Purpose event at Fairgrounds Leaside, and we’re still reflecting on an incredible evening of competition, community and generosity. Once again, clients, partners, sponsors, team members and friends of the firm came together to make this event something truly special. Put simply, we couldn’t have asked for a better night. And this year, we added a new twist.
While pickleball remained a major part of the action, padel made its Paddles with Purpose debut, giving our guests another way to get involved and adding even more energy on the courts. Whether you were a seasoned racquet-sport player or simply there to have some fun and support a great cause, there was something for everyone—and the competition was spirited. Our Bridgewell team was definitely impressed by the level of skill and sportsmanship on both the pickleball and padel courts. And if you missed the A-pool finals, you missed some seriously high-calibre play.
In pickleball, congratulations to Chris Carr and Christina Morcos, our champions, and Patrick Gill and Dominique Gagliardi, our runners-up. On the padel side, Gavin McCulloch and James Sharpe came out on top, with Simon Kay and Josh Kay finishing in second place. Well played to everyone who took to the courts!
While winning on the court is always nice, the real purpose behind Paddles with Purpose has never changed. We came together to support JA Canada and Keep Playing Kids, two organizations doing transformative work to help young Canadians build brighter, healthier futures. And once again, our Bridgewell community delivered.
Together, we raised $75,000 for these two deserving charities. Combined with the more than $70,000 raised through last year’s inaugural event, that brings our two-year fundraising total to more than $145,000.
That’s an incredible result—and one that simply wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of everyone who attended, played, donated, sponsored, volunteered or helped make the evening happen.
For JA Canada, the funds will support programs that help young people develop skills in areas such as financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Keep Playing Kids is dedicated to breaking down barriers to sport and play, creating inclusive opportunities for children who might otherwise be unable to participate. Both organizations share something that matters deeply to us at Bridgewell: a commitment to helping the next generation build the skills, confidence and foundations they need to thrive.
The evening itself was about more than tournament play. Between matches, guests had plenty of opportunities to connect, catch up and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere at Fairgrounds Leaside. The silent auction was a tremendous success, with an impressive collection of prizes and experiences helping generate even more support for our charity partners. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who donated an auction item, placed a bid or helped spread the word.
A special thank you also goes to the Fairgrounds Leaside team for hosting the evening, to JAM Sports for keeping the tournament running smoothly, and to all of our volunteers for their time and energy. We also appreciate the contributions of Daniel et Daniel and Amsterdam BrewHouse, who helped keep everyone well fed and refreshed throughout the evening.
And, of course, we couldn’t do it without our sponsors.
Our sincere thanks go to our Grand Slam Sponsors for their tremendous support of this year’s event.
The commitment of our many sponsors helped us expand Paddles with Purpose, bringing padel to the tournament for the first time and raising more funds for JA Canada and Keep Playing Kids.
We truly can’t thank all of our sponsors, partners, volunteers, players and guests enough. Your generosity and enthusiasm transformed a fun evening of sport, networking and fundraising into something much more meaningful. Giving back to our community is a fundamental part of who we are at Bridgewell. We believe financial wellness is about wealth, benefits and planning for the future. But it’s also about helping create stronger, healthier communities and supporting the people and organizations working to make a difference.
That philosophy is reflected in our ongoing charitable efforts—and in our 10-year goal to raise $1.5 million for charity by the end of 2034. Paddles with Purpose has quickly become an important part of that journey. After two years, we’re already more than $145,000 closer to our goal, and we’re excited to see where this tradition takes us next.
So, thank you for showing up, playing hard, bidding generously and, most of all, giving back.
We hope you left Paddles with Purpose feeling inspired, energized and perhaps with a new appreciation for either pickleball or padel. We’re already looking forward to next year. Until then, keep playing, keep connecting and keep making a difference.
The Bridgewell team
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