“ You ’ ll usually find me having a good time playing pickleball , making and receiving jokes ,” Claude adds . “ I understand the game , and I generally know what I should do , but I ’ m far more interested in just having fun , enjoying the company and the activity .”
He is a huge advocate for the growth of pickleball and credits the growth and success of the sport to the ability to play pickup games and the opportunity to play with people you ’ ve never met with various skills and abilities . Pickleball also offers an excellent level of exercise for seniors , and is accommodating to all physical abilities because it ’ s easier on the body .
Claude and his second wife , Annie , currently split their time between Sun City Shadow Hills in Indio , California , in the winter — where they play three to four times a week — and Bellingham , Washington , where they play multiple days a week at the nearby Cornwall Park .
It was after playing regularly there that Claude made a donation to his first pickleball-related project . Maggi Kriger and Barbara Goebel , who worked for years to facilitate the installation of courts through the local parks system , mentioned they were trying to raise funds for ball carrier fences between the existing outdoor courts . He immediately wanted to help and wrote a check for $ 8,500 .
It was after that first donation that Claude decided to continue to help as many communities as he could and created a plan to help guide his future pickleball philanthropy .
His three-pronged pickleball philanthropy plan for Whatcom County and Skagit County , Washington , includes the construction of two 12-court pickleball sports pavilions , one per county , with a contribution of up to 100 percent of the cost or $ 1.5 million ; tennis court to pickleball court conversions of half of the tennis courts with a contribution of up to 50 percent of the cost ; and the construction of new outdoor pickleball courts , two dozen per county with a contribution of up to 25 percent of the cost .
So far , Claude ’ s biggest contribution to pickleball courtcreating projects is $ 1.5 million for the construction of the multi-use gymnasium at the new Skagit Valley Family YMCA in Mount Vernon . “ Passion for life meets kind generosity — this is Claude ,” says
Pickleball courts in the Skagit Valley Family YMCA .
Dean Snider , CEO of the Skagit Valley Family YMCA . “ His support for our YMCA was critical in leading the most successful capital campaign in Skagit history . His passion for the game of pickleball and the community it brings together is really wonderful . Not surprisingly , his support for other community initiatives is equally remarkable .”
Claude continues to give back in numerous ways across local communities to help build the sport of pickleball , creating more places to play so that his donations can allow room for even more players to pick up the sport .
Some of the additional locations that he is honored to help contribute to include four new outdoor courts at Bender Field in Lynden , the conversion of two tennis courts to six outdoor pickleball courts at Hillcrest Park in Mount Vernon and , most recently , a $ 1 million pledge for the construction of a proposed six-court pavilion at Cornwall Park in Bellingham and $ 1.5 million for a proposed 12-court pavilion on the Skagit Valley College campus in Mount Vernon .
“ Claude is a very generous member of our local community . He not only is an obvious supporter of pickleball , but his philanthropy extends across many aspects of life in the area ,” says Dr . Thomas Keegan , Skagit Valley College President . “ His positive nature , strong desire to do things right , and his generosity will influence pickleball play across the region for generations .” •
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 | MAGAZINE 47