Olivia
Shekou,
a
se io
at
The
B a so
School
i
Ma i
Cou ty,
Califo ia,
has
aised
mo e
tha
$90,000
th ough
a
spo ts-based
phila th opy
platfo m.
Now,
she
is
p epa i g
fo
he
latest
fu d aise ,
this
time
be efiti g
wome
a d
child e
i
Uga da.
She
is
pa t e i g
with
Sa
Rafael
eside t
a d
lo gtime
Ma i
phila th opist
Melissa
P a di
to
host
Paddles
fo
Pu pose
o
Satu day
at
Flyte
Racquet
Club
i
Sa
Rafael.The
eve t
is
the
latest
o e
o ga ised
th ough
Netti g
Mi acles,
a
platfo m
Shekou
fou ded
to
help
stude ts
tu
te is,
pickleball
a d
padel
eve ts
i to
fu d aise s
fo
causes
they
ca e
about.
The
effo t
bega
with
a
si gle
pickleball
fu d aise
fo
St.
Jude
Child e ‘s
Resea ch
Hospital
a d
has
si ce
g ow
i to
a
effo t
wo ki g
with
stude ts
a d
o p ofit
o ga isatio s
ac oss
the
cou t y.
Shekou
has
ow
aised
mo e
tha
$90,000
th ough
Netti g
Mi acles,
acco di g
to
i fo matio
p ovided
by
the
o ga isatio .Shekou
fell
i
love
with
pickleball
because
of
how
atu ally
i clusive
it
felt.
“The
spo t
c eates
co ectio
betwee
people
who
might
eve
othe wise
c oss
paths.
It
gives
people
a
easo
to
show
up,
i te act,
a d
ally
a ou d
somethi g
bigge
tha
themselves.
Netti g
Mi acles
g ew
f om
that
ealisatio .
Fo
Olivia,
pickleball
became
the
most
atu al
way
to
i vite
people
i ,
build
commu ity,
a d
tu
joy
i to
impact,”
says
the
website.
How
Shekou
made
he
effo t
u ique
a d
mo e
impactful
was
that
she
did
ot
o ga ise
eve y
fu d aise
he self.
Rathe ,
she
c eated
a
system
that
othe
stude ts
ca
use
to
lau ch
thei
ow
eve ts.
The
platfo m
p ovides
fu d aisi g
esou ces,
eve t
f amewo ks,
spo so ship
guida ce
a d
co ectio s
with
o p ofit
o ga isatio s.”I
fou ded
Netti g
Mi acles
to
t a sfo m
how
you g
people
e gage
with
phila th opy— ot
as
pa ticipa ts,
but
as
i itiato s,”
said
Shekou
acco di g
to
a
epo t
by
Patch.com.
“What
matte s
most
is
how
ma y
stude ts
step
i to
leade ship
whe
the
path
to
getti g
sta ted
is
clea
a d
accessible.”Shekou
has
p eviously
hosted
seve al
eve ts
at
Flyte
Racquet
Club,
i cludi g
a
tou ame t
that
d ew
mo e
tha
100
pa ticipa ts
a d
aised
ea ly
$16,000
fo
St.
Jude.
Mo eove ,
Netti g
Mi acles
has
expa ded
beyo d
just
Ma i .
The
i itiative
was
p eviously
active
ac oss
17
states
suppo ti g
St.
Jude,
with
stude ts
elsewhe e
usi g
Shekou’s
model
to
o ga ise
thei
ow
fu d aise s.Theo
Paddles
fo
Pu pose
eve t
o
Satu day
ma ks
a othe
expa sio
fo
the
platfo m.
P oceeds
will
suppo t
educatio
a d
empowe me t
i itiatives
be efiti g
wome
a d
child e
i
Uga da.Shekou
also
se ves
as
a
2026
pee
adviso
fo
the
St.
Jude
Leade ship
Society’s
atio al
coho t,
whe e
she
me to s
stude t
leade s
f om
a ou d
the
cou t y.
She
also
eceived
the
Billie
Jea
Ki g
Youth
Leade ship
Awa d
fo
he
wo k
usi g
spo t
to
aise
mo ey
a d
build
commu ity
fo
causes
i cludi g
St.
Jude
Child e ‘s
Resea ch
Hospital.
She
is
a
va sity
te is
playe
a d
helped
lead
the
B a so
School
gi ls
te is
team
to
the
2024
NCS
Divisio
II
champio ship.