Breaking News

The new Sawmill Outdoor courts opened early June. Currently to play at the Sawmill Courts a player needs to be a resident of Litchfield or a member of the Litchfield Pickleball Association.

The LPA Board has been monitoring the SUG signup for courts 1-4 that are assigned for use by the LPA. At the September Board meeting it was voted to allow non-residents to join the LPA membership for play at Sawmill Park

To Non-Residents: As of September non-residents may join the LPA for play at Sawmill Park.

LPA members, feel free to advise your friends of the change for membership for Sawmill Park

SAVE THE DATE – LPA Member Cookout

The LPA is hosting a lunchtime cookout at the new Sawmill Park Pickleball Courts on Saturday, September 23.  Rain date is Sunday September 24.

We are inviting all members to come for a day of fun play and celebration of the wonderful new pickleball venue. LPA Board members and volunteers will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs, and sausage sandwiches along with drinks and some dessert items. We are also planning on having some addition items that I will update you on as planning progresses. Because we expect that a good number of folks will be bringing younger ones, we will have Mac and Cheese and, fingers crossed, ice cream novelty treats. (Those are really because I want them too!!) 

Members may bring as many quests as you would like. This is a great way to introduce kids, grandkids, grandparents, and friends to the game of pickleball. Play on the courts will be open to all and folks will be available to teach the basics of the game to beginners.

Play can begin as early as anyone would like. We plan to begin serving @ 11:30 and will continue until 1:00 pm.

PLEASE NOTE: To help with the planning for the event, we have established a SUG slot for Saturday September 23. Please sign- up on the Sawmill SUG and include the number of people that will be joining you. Please add a note on how many adults and kids in your party to help with final menu planning.

Volunteers:  We are looking for folks to help with set up, assisting with cookout activities and clean up and organizing play on the courts. I have added a SUG sign up for Volunteers – Please indicate what area you can assist with. Anyone that has a pickup able to a haul trailer (we have the trailer) to assist with getting tables and chairs to/from Talent Hall would be greatly appreciated.

Please remember we are not allowed to have any alcohol on any Litchfield facilities so please refrain from bringing any to the event.

Look forward to seeing you all on the courts!!!!

 

The LPA Board

 

SESSION IS NOW FULL. WE WILL ARRANGE ANOTHER SESSION LATER!

LPA is again hosting a New Player/Beginner session at Sawmill Park. This session is scheduled for Wednesday August 30 at 6:00 pm.

This session is open to LPA members AND Non-members who are residents of Litchfield at no cost. The purpose is to introduce those that have never played, or only played a little, to the game. Instruction will include rules of the game, scoring, and basic techniques and play strategies.

The limit on this session will be the first 24 to request to attend.

To gauge interest please email us at [email protected] that you are planning on attending and the number in your group.

LPA will furnish pickleballs and will make available a limited number of paddles if you don’t have one. If you have a paddle please bring it.

It is requested that those attending be aged 15 or over. Per our use agreement with the Recreation Commission, a waiver will be required to be signed. Parents will need to sign for anyone under age 18 and remain present.

LPA held introduction to pickleball sessions on Saturday July 22 and Wednesday evening July 26. The attendance at each was much greater that we had expected. Each session had over 25 attendees with the Wednesday evening session having  the greatest number with over 30 folks trying their hand at pickleball. We were actually surprised at the attendance of the evening session and we had wondered if there would be many there.

The LPA Board would like to give a big thank you the many volunteers that were present to provide instruction and encouragement to the new participants.  We are already planning another session for late August.

To Litchfield Pickleball Association Members

Trust you have all found a way to enjoy the summer while dodging rain drops (and sometimes buckets of rain).

And by the way. the new courts shed water incredibly well with no puddles. And the girt in the surface provides great traction even if still wet so play can occur soon after rain. So keep that in mind as you consider whether to try playing after some rain.

I wanted to give you all an update on the Sawmill Park courts.

The Rec Commission staff have been working hard to add the final touches to the new courts.

I am happy to report that a dedicated Port-a-Potti at the pickleball courts is now in place.

Also, a storage box has arrived and also is now in place. LPA WILL NOW STORE PICKLEBALLS IN THE STORAGE BOX FOR USE BY LPA MEMBERS. Additionally, there is a first-aid kit in the box. The combination for the storage box has been sent to the membership via the SUG email system.

The Rec Commission is also working to get some picnic tables on site. These should be in place soon. Additionally, they are working on improving the main walkway onto the courts – the middle one we all use.

I am sure that the Rec Commission would appreciate some kind words from LPA members regarding all the hard work they have given to make our new courts so special. The following email address (copy and paste) goes to all Rec Commission members – please consider sending them a note of Thanks

[email protected]

Looking forward to seeing you on the courts

Ron O’Blenis     LPA Board Chair

 

LPA is hosting our first New Player/Beginner sessions at Sawmill Park. They are scheduled for Saturday July 22 at 9:00 AM and Wednesday July 26 at 6:00 pm. These sessions are open to LPA members AND Non-members at no cost. The purpose is to introduce those that have never played, or only played a little, to the game. Instruction will include rules of the game, scoring, and basic techniques and play strategies.

To gauge interest please email us at [email protected] that you are planning on attending and the number in your group.

LPA will furnish pickleballs and will make available a limited number of paddles if you don’t have one. If you have a paddle please bring it.

It is requested that those attending be aged 15 or over. Per our use agreement with the Recreation Commission, a waiver will be required to be signed. Parents will need to sign for anyone under age 18 and remain present.

 

 

Thanks to many who showed up for a great ribbon cutting day for the new Sawmill Courts. It was a marvelous start to many years ahead of wonderful play.

Cheryl Lang and I were honored to share the ribbon cutting with Judy Brennan and Chris Burns from the Recreation Commission.  Both Judy and Chris have put in countless hours to make today a reality. In their comments they noted that many folks and companies had contributed to make this happen. Specifically:

• The Litchfield Board of Selectman – for approving the use of the impact fees and the land for the project.
• The Recreation Commission for supporting the project from start to finish.
• Gregg Jeffery – Jeffery Land Surveying (Donated all work to town)
• BAG Land Consulting – Surveying and staking off the wetlands
• Continental Paving – Donated all site, pad work and paving to town

As a Litchfield resident I am amazed and appreciative of the efforts and generosity of all involved to not only made it happen, but to have created as one person remarked. “The best pickleball courts in NH!!”

And to LPA members, thanks for all the kind words today. The Board appreciates hearing from you all.

See you on the Courts!!

Ron O’Blenis                                                                                                                                                for the LPA Board

While weather for today’s start was perfect for the ribbon cutting, the weather for tomorrow is not so fine. So it is with sad faces we are announcing the cancellation of the Cookout scheduled for tomorrow Saturday June 17.

The Board agreed that we will plan an end of summer cookout in September.

One good thing about this change is that with so many new people expected to join the LPA than we can have a gathering that encompasses all the more members.

See you on the Courts!!

Well the opening of the new outdoor courts at Sawmill Park is on our door step.

The Recreation Commission has set the ribbon cutting for Friday June 16 at 9:00

I would like to invite LPA members to come to this great event. Cheryl Lang and I have been invited to participate. We will be there wearing our LPA T-Shirts. Hope to see you there dressed in the same.

Regards,

Ron

LPA