The South Carolina Racquetball Players’ Association in cooperation with Sportsclub Fitness and Wellness and OB Hospitalist Group will again host the Sweet Caroline Open racquetball tournament for professionals and amateurs in January of 2019. The top 15 lady pro racquetball players in the world and more than 100 amateurs from across the southeast will descend upon Sportsclub for a three-day tournament January 25-27, 2019.

Each year, the tournament identifies a charity or organization with a worthy cause and gives back to that organization through the generosity of the tournament’s sponsors. Last year, the tournament raised funds for the purchase of more than 40 AEDs for organizations in South Carolina that directly impact the community. A number of these AEDs were provided to the Greenville County Sheriff, City of Simpsonville Police, City of Spartanburg Police, and City of Mauldin Police for use in their patrol cars as well as the City of Greenville Police Department for use in their buildings.

This year’s focus will be on the epidemic of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the world and has affected every county, city, state, and country. Every 30 seconds, another person becomes a victim of human trafficking. The charity chosen to receive the benefits of this year’s fundraiser to continue their battle against human trafficking is SWITCH.

SWITCH’s mission is to end human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the upstate of South Carolina through awareness, prevention, demand, intervention, and restoration. SWITCH has led human trafficking discussions with more than 1,200 middle school and high school students as well as intervened on the behalf of more than 119 individuals who were victims of human trafficking.

For more information on the Sweet Caroline Open or the fundraing efforts for SWITCH, please contact Lynette Froelich at 864-430-8810.