In May this year, the John Zanini Foundation hosted a group of 40 underprivileged youth from Alberta together with youth from South Etobicoke’s LAMP Community Health Centre, ages 12 – 17 at Rally pickleball courts in Dunpar’s Sherwood Village Mall in Mississauga. The students from Edmonton were on an exchange program with Lamp who will be sending a group of their youth to Edmonton in June of this year.
For many of the young people, it was the first time trying pickleball, yet they all came with a feeling of anticipation and fun.
The day began with the students being trained in a stretching and exercise regime to prepare them for the court, followed by instruction from the Rally pros on the ins and outs of the game of pickleball itself. After a hearty lunch, thanks to the John Zanini Foundation, the students tried their hand at the sport with instructors giving tips throughout the afternoon. They practised and played with each other improving their skills as the day went on. The joy and laughter during the rest of the afternoon was contagious.
The fun was highlighted by a delicious dinner courtesy of Il Fornello restaurant which is located in Sherwood Village Mall.
This day was another example of John Zanini’s strong belief of introducing young people to sporting initiatives that in most cases they would not have access to. As a sport enthusiast himself, he believes in the importance of youth experiencing these opportunities to build confidence and learning to play a new sport together.
The John Zanini Foundation was established to assist at risk youth within the Community of Etobicoke. What has remained important to the Foundation is empowering the next generation of young people within the community by exposing them to new experiences and opportunities as they prepare to enter the workforce, while helping them build healthy, successful, and confident lives.
