On Tuesday, the Beautiful Lives Project hosted a pickleball event for people with living with a disability. The event took place at Club Pickleball, inside the Meriden Mall.
“I always say that the greatest gift you can give them is to include them,” said Beautiful Lives Project executive director Tony Gionfriddo. “That’s what we’re doing today.”
The organizations work to connect people living with disability to different types of sports. In the past they’ve hosted football clinics and even took participants to the U.S. Open. Now, they’ve expanded with the world’s fastest growing sport: pickleball.
“With pickleball, it’s very community orientated,” said Club Pickleball volunteer Sal Scarpati. “You know bringing the community together. It’s for all ages.”
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Around 20 people from different communities came together Tuesday to play the sport.
“They get a little nervous at first. It’s a new experience,” said CCARC direct support professional Tom Cadden. “It impacts them greatly. I mean they really do; it affects their attitudes. They are more, happy. They are more engaging.”
