The Y was closed last Sunday afternoon, but you wouldn’t have known it inside the Fieldhouse. Pickleballs were flying, the Patriots were dominating the Jets on a TV screen in the corner, and friends and neighbors were enjoying time together. There were snacks, specialty cocktails, cold beer, and some seriously good door prizes.

The occasion? “Pickleball and Pints,” the first event dedicated to thanking the Boothbay Region YMCA’s Business Partners and their employees. “Those are two of my favorite things,” stated Andy Hollon, when asked if he would help organize the event. “Having beer and pickleball at the same time is almost a dream come true!” Andy, recovering from a second knee replacement surgery, is also a Y trustee as well as an official USA Pickleball Ambassador.

At the event, some came to learn pickleball while others were eager to play. There were opportunities to tour the Y, meet new people, and catch up with familiar faces. And apparently, a few particularly enthusiastic players kept the pickleballs bouncing on the court until 7 p.m.

Behind every Business Partner are the people who care about the peninsula and the neighbors who call it home. Their annual sponsorships help keep the Y welcoming and accessible, and this special event was the Y’s chance to greet them, spend some time together, and say thank you.

Dogfish Head co-founders Sam and Mariah Calagione joined us for the afternoon, generously bringing beer, specialty cocktails, and plenty of fun swag. They named their brewery for Dogfish Head in Southport, where they have a seasonal home and deep family roots. We were delighted to have time with them and grateful they could meet so many people.

Mariah shared, “The Boothbay YMCA is a community hub and our company’s benevolence and philanthropy program is focused on supporting organizations like the Y that impact the community in such a broad way. Plus, we have so many connections here and love being back to spend time with our family and friends.”

That sense of community is something our Business Partners help sustain. Their generosity helps children learn to swim, gives working parents dependable child care, welcomes teens looking for a place to belong, and helps adults build strength and friendships. We love the chance to show our sponsors the Y so they can see what their generosity makes possible.

“We are so grateful to our Business Partners who support our mission through their annual sponsorships and want to show our appreciation through events like these,” said Meg Benvenuto, the Y’s CEO. “We’ll have other opportunities to thank our Business Partners and will invite them and their employees to enjoy the Y and all it has to offer later this year.”

Special thanks to Brooke and Andy Hollon, Eventide, and Dogfish Head Brewery for offering amazing door prizes. We are very grateful to our wonderful volunteers who offered a variety of skills, including set-up on Saturday, welcoming guests, playing and teaching pickleball, helping to clean up, and giving tours. We are so thankful for their time, good humor, and willingness to pitch in.

So much about what makes our Y unique is all of the different ways people can connect. Last Sunday, those connections happened over a pickleball net, during a tour, and in conversations with people who share a commitment to this special community.

So, "Cheers" to our Business Partners and everyone who helped make the afternoon possible!