California student turned pickleball fundraiser for St. Jude into a sports platform that raised more than $90,000

Olivia Shekou, a senior at The Branson School in Marin County, California, has raised more than $90,000 through a sports-based philanthropy platform. Now, she is preparing for her latest fundraiser, this time benefiting women and children in Uganda. She is partnering with San Rafael resident and longtime Marin philanthropist Melissa Prandi to host Paddles for Purpose on Saturday at Flyte Racquet Club in San Rafael.The event is the latest one organised through Netting Miracles, a platform Shekou founded to help students turn tennis, pickleball and padel events into fundraisers for causes they care about. The effort began with a single pickleball fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and has since grown into an effort working with students and nonprofit organisations across the country. Shekou has now raised more than $90,000 through Netting Miracles, according to information provided by the organisation.Shekou fell in love with pickleball because of how naturally inclusive it felt. "The sport creates connection between people who might never otherwise cross paths. It gives people a reason to show up, interact, and rally around something bigger than themselves. Netting...