Pickleball For Pop—Local Hosts Fundraiser Tournament for Alzheimer’s Association

By Kami-Leigh Agard

On Saturday, March 28, Adam Funtleyder a.k.a. DJ Mugsy Mugs beckons all to his 4th Annual Pickleball for Pop, volleying off at Rockaway Beach Pickleball and Golf. The Belle Harbor resident is hosting the event not just to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s and money for the Alzheimer’s Association, but even more significantly to honor his father, Elliot Funtleyder, who passed away from the fatal neurodegenerative disease in February 2022. The three-hour open play event is not just for players, but also for spectators who will enjoy drink and food specials, raffles and of course music deejayed by the music man himself, DJ Mugsy Mugs.

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. According to the National Institutes of Health, as of early 2026, Alzheimer’s remains the sixth leading cause of death, with over seven million Americans aged 65 and over estimated to have Alzheimer’s dementia, a number expected to rise to nearly 14 million by 2060. And for families like Funtleyder’s, caregivers undergo heart-wrenching emotional and, in many cases, financial hardships.

Funtleyder shared that he first noticed his father’s cognitive decline while he was visiting his parents in Florida.

“I recall taking him in the car for ice cream. I asked him to sit in the back. So, I pushed the seat down, but then he couldn’t lift his leg up and step in. This was just before COVID hit. And I realized that my mom was hiding his behaviors from me,” he said.

Funtleyder shared that when COVID hit, his parents returned to Rockaway soon after.

“They made the journey by train. And my mother said my dad was acting very strange, like he was seeing things. Because it was the pandemic, he couldn’t be out or socialize like he could in Florida. So, now he’s locked up in the house in Rockaway, and there wasn’t really any place we could take him to get help,” he said.

Funtleyder then reached out to the Alzheimer’s Association. “I called the hotline. They spoke about the various stages of Alzheimer’s, dementia, behaviors, foods to avoid and medications.

“We finally got a neurologist, who officially diagnosed my dad with Alzheimer’s. Both my mother and I were caring for him. I even started doing yoga with him. I took him to a local physical therapy center, where there was a heated pool to get him to move his body. However, then it got too difficult. He wouldn’t let me change or dress him. He got aggressive,” he said.

The family decided to put the senior Funtleyder in a nursing home. However, after being reassured that the nursing home could handle his aggressions, the family suddenly received a call in the middle of the night.

“The nursing home said, ‘We had to take your father to the hospital. He was being unruly. He wouldn’t let the aides change or shower him, and he was getting physical. At the hospital, he was put on a heavy medication that had him like a zombie,” Funtleyder said.

The family soon found a suitable nursing home in Rockaway, but then tragedy hit. The Funtleyder patriarch contracted COVID.

“His body was still strong, but it was his mind that was shot,” Funtleyder said. “He was in a COVID unit for 10 days. Though he was doing better, he suddenly passed away on February 3, 2022, just two weeks shy of his birthday.”

As for what inspired Funtleyder to launch Pickleball For Pop, he said that it was inspired by the Alzheimer’s Association’s signature “Do-It-Yourself” fundraising event, which was rebranded with a fresh name—“Do What You Love to End ALZ.”

“I have fond memories of taking my dad to the pickleball court in Marine Park, even when he was declining. He would sit on a beach chair and just look at everyone. So, hosting this event is to build awareness, raise money for the Alzheimer’s organization, which was a tremendous resource for my family, and I want to pay it forward to them. Plus, of course, honor the legacy of my dad while doing something I love—pickleball! My love for music was inspired by him. He was an accomplished musician who played the saxophone, clarinet and flute. And he was a NYC Department of Education music teacher,” he shared.

According to Tamika Phillips, Alzheimer’s Association manager of the “Do What You Love to End Alzheimer’s” campaign, the 10 early signs of the degenerative disease include: Memory loss that disrupts daily life; Challenges in planning or solving problems; Difficulty completing familiar tasks; Confusion with time or place; Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships; New problems with words in speaking or writing; Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps; Decreased or poor judgment; Withdrawal from work or social activities; and Changes in mood and personality.

Phillips said she was driven to work for the Alzheimer’s Association because of the heartbreak she and her family endured with her grandmother.

She said, “I’ve worked in finance for Fortune 500 companies. However, I said, ‘If I’m going to work for an organization, it better be one that can lead in this space because I have to make a footprint now for my grandma.’

“So, when I joined the Alzheimer’s Association, I found out that the organization is one of the top three with research. So, if I’m going to work for anybody, I’m working for the best. Plus, we’re leading a new era of treatment. Today’s medications are really working now to sustain the memory of where people are; I’m proud to say I’m part of that. The platforms I manage help fund that.

“This is what Adam is doing with Pickleball for Pop, because you get a chance to hear people speak about their stories, their families’ legacy, and they bring it to life. Because when you are dealing with this disease as a caregiver, all you have left is your story.

Pickleball for Pop is happening on Saturday, March 28, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Rockaway Beach Pickleball & Golf (97-25 Beach Channel Drive, Rockaway Beach, NY 11693). For pickleball players, admission is $50 for three hours of open play (only 23 spots left as we go to press!) No charge for spectators. Drink specials available. Food included. Valet parking available. Plus, gift and 50/50 raffles. For more info, including how to sign up, visit: https://rbpickleball.podplay.app/community/events or follow: djmugsymugs on Instagram.

For more info about the Alzheimer’s Association, call the 24/7 hotline: (800) 272-3900 or visit: https://www.alz.org/