The Barbara Stone Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on supporting, and creating, visionary and creative programs and initiatives for individuals with disabilities, presented Sandy Halkett with the 2025 Barbara Stone Community Leadership Award. The annual award was created in 2022 to honor a contemporary leader with the same commitment and spirit as the late Barbara Stone.
Halkett is an LPGA Class A Professional, certified Adaptive Golf Instructor, and has been the golf coach for Special Olympics in Greenville since 2000. She is the driving force behind Adaptive Pickleball, a nonprofit she started in 2020 to serve athletes with disabilities, veterans, and individuals with physical impairments. In 2023, Hackett started the HOT SHOTS Special Olympics Pickleball Team, which is part of the Special Olympics South Carolina Area 4 (Greenville) program.
“Coach Sandy has poured her heart into making sports accessible for all,” said Lara Ceisel, executive director of the Barbara Stone Foundation. “So many people in Greenville have experienced firsthand the warmth, leadership, and dedication she brings to everything she does. She welcomes every athlete with open arms, adapts to their individual needs, and leads by example—often being the first to show up, the first to unload the wheelchairs and nets, and the last to leave.”
As a recipient of the 2025 Barbara Stone Community Leadership Award, Halkett received a $500 donation from the Barbara Stone Foundation for Adaptive Pickleball. Adaptive Pickleball is an inclusive recreational environment where participants have access to adaptive pickleball therapy that promotes joy, self-confidence, and enhanced quality of life.
To nominate an impactful leader for the 2026 Barbara Stone Community Leadership Award, visit the Barbara Stone Foundation’s website at www.barbarastonefoundation.org. For questions contact Executive Director Lara Ceisel at lara@barbarastonefoundation.org.