Hall Call Ep 008 - Ping Pong For Charity 09 - 10 - 19 by Hall Call

Sports have often been used to help raise money for worthy causes. Whether it’s a golf tournament, or a 5k run, or marathon, most people have participated in one way or another in a charitable sports initiative. In 2008, Ken Lees wanted to find another sport through which to give back, and the Table Tennis Charitable Foundation was born.

From humble beginnings in 2008, the Table Tennis Charitable Foundation has grown its annual Ping Pong for Charity events from 12 “scratch and dent tables” to 30 professional grade tables and over 200 players. In the process, the events have increased their charitable donations from $5,000 in year one, to over $70,000 dollars last year which was then donated to five charitable organizations. The sport of Ping Pong itself has been scientifically proven to improve mental health and brain fitness for all ages, and the Ping Pong for Charity events focus on giving back to organizations that support similar initiatives.

Over the course of 12 years, the Table Tennis Charitable Foundation has enlisted the support of celebrities from the sports and entertainment world to help with their cause. Celebs such as former Duke and NBA basketball stars, Christian Laettner and Kenney Dennard, and former Miss Greece and Greek National Table Tennis Champion, Ionna Papadimitriou, have all participated in past events and plan to attend this year as well.

On this episode of the Hall Call Podcast we talk to the founder of the Table Tennis Charitable Foundation, Ken Lees, and former Duke Basketball star Kenny Dennard, as they tell the story of Ping Pong for Charity.