UTAH COUNTY, Utah — The sounds of balls hitting paddles echoed inside The Picklr on Friday night, especially in Alice Black and James Longhurst’s court.
“I've only played three weeks now, and he got me into it, and I'm hooked,” Black said.
Pickleball has meant a lot to the adopted siblings, but on Friday, the sport had a deeper meaning.
“These children have already been dealt a bad deck of cards, and if we can be some sort of help to make their lives a little bit better, totally worth it,” Black said.
The Utah County Commission hosted the pickleball tournament in support of the Children’s Justice Center, which takes in children who are victims of physical and sexual abuse.
“We can't prosecute those that are doing these crimes if we don't have the information we need, and if a child is too afraid to speak to the authorities, to a police officer, or if they get re-traumatized when they do, they don't want to,” said Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner.
That’s where the Center steps in.
“We create a safe and comfortable, child-friendly environment where they can feel at ease to be able to tell their story in their own words,” said Heather Allen, associate director for the Children’s Justice Center.
However, after losing nearly $50,000 in federal funding used to pay for the victims’ therapy, the Commission knew it needed to step in.
“We as a county have chosen to use general fund dollars to backfill so that they don't have to lay off any employees,” Gardner said, “last year, they served almost 4,000 people because they served not only the child, but also their caregivers and siblings. That work is critical.”
The Center told FOX 13 News the funding cuts will not hold them back.
“We are looking for different ways to navigate these funding cuts, and we know that we'll make it work. We know that we're not going to take away these resources from families,” Allen said.
This is why community support is critical.
“There's not enough funding to take care of the needs without getting help and support from the community. Really, it makes a huge difference. And the work that they do, the Children's Justice Center for example, is just life-changing,” Longhurst said.
“The phrase it takes a village,” Black added.
If you are interested in supporting this cause, visit their website here.
