There was plenty of serving going on at HOPE Volleyball Summerfest Saturday, whether it was players serving a volleyball, volunteers serving drinks or donors serving their fellow man.
The annual tournament, celebrating its 33rd iteration in the nation’s capital, saw perfect weather and a spirited atmosphere full of competitive play and good times.
“If I can have a good time and raise money for charity, I’ll take it,” said Chris Blackstone, a second-time attendee whose interest in Canadian blues/alternative rock band July Talk made him decide to venture down with his brother and parents.
“I’m not a big volleyball player,” he said, “but I love it.”
The festival donates all team registration fees to charity. This year, the charities that will benefit from the one-day tournament include the Perley & Rideau Veterans Health Centre Foundation, the Caring & Sharing Exchange, the ALS Society of Canada, the Education Foundation of Ottawa and the Ottawa Network for Education and Easter Seals.
There were 10,000 players registered for this year’s HOPE Volleyball Summerfest.
Prior to the festival, executive director Holly Tarrison said that approximately $150,000 had been raised for the charities.
For Katie Tremblay, a veteran of Hope Volleyball Summerfest but playing with first-time team Over Served, the importance of giving back was not overstated.
“That’s actually why I came this year,” she said while preparing for her team’s fifth game of the day. “They have ALS, which is my charity that I like. I haven’t seen ALS as a charity here before, so I was like, ‘That’s why I’m coming this year.’ ”
The team had fun, finishing with a record of three wins, two losses and a few refreshing beverages.
“I think I made it to the beer tent,” joked Andrew Blakely, who was also playing with Over Served.
He wasn’t the only one. The festival had all the makings of a typical midsummer beach party, with music pumping loudly, fest-goers in a celebratory mood and people in all areas of the vast Mooney’s Bay beach soaking in the sun.
Volleyball courts were split up, with the majority of them being on the beach itself and the rest being on the grassy area away from the sand.
Tremblay saw her team’s positioning — Court 70, on the grass near the entrance — as a positive given the heat beaming down.
“It gets kind of windy, so you won’t feel the humidity as much,” said Tremblay. “I think we’re glad we’re not on the beach, because it seems a lot hotter down there.”
In addition to July Talk, the festival headliner also drew some interest from attendees.
“I’m looking forward to Sam Roberts,” said Blakely. “He’s amazing. I’m a big fan. I think he’s one of the best things to come out of Canada in a long time.”
The enthusiastic crowd total over the course of the day was estimated at approximately 30,000, with 10,000 volleyball players registered.
The ball went thataway.
Marc Labranche, left, and John Armitt show off some muscle for the photographer.
There’s action everywhere at the 33rd edition of HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere, Ottawa-Carleton Inc.) Volleyball Summerfest.
Festival goers had the right idea sticking close to the water to stay cool.
The beach was packed for the 2015 edition of HOPE Volleyball Summerfest.
Festival goers had a cool off point where a volunteer was sprinkling the crowd with a hose.
HOPE Volleyball SummerFest combines recreational volleyball and live concerts later in the day.
A player dives to keep the ball in play.
About 30,000 people came out to HOPE Volleyball Summerfest at Mooney’s Bay beach on Saturday, July 11, 2015.
