5th Annual Bud Orne Youth Open Sunday

"Do a good deed every day, and find something to smile about."

This quote, a favorite of longtime Marblehead resident Bud Orne, exemplifies so many of the qualities Orne demonstrated and is now remembered for, his friends and family say.

If you've spent any time enjoying Marblehead youth sports, or have any family or friends involved in the Marblehed programs, chances are you've seen the work of Donald "Bud" Orne.

Orne, an advocate for accessible and educational youth sports programs in Marblehead, was instrumental in the creation of Marblehead Youth Hockey, championed the efforts of Marblehead Youth badminton and the Gut N' Feathers Club, served as Parks and Recreation Director for many years, and has several public sites named in his honor.

Since his death in 2005, the Gut N' Feathers Club has celebrated the efforts of Orne with an annual day of badminton, titled the Bud Orne Youth Open. This year, the event takes place Sunday at the Marblehead Community Center.

To kick off the event, former United States National Team member and current Marblehead Youth Badminton Coach Nick Vered and his newly-hired assistant Arthur Chin will go head-to-head in an exhibition match.

This will be Chin's introduction as Vered's assistant, and he couldn't be more excited.

"There aren't a lot of players from the east coast who make it in this sport, so growing up I kind of looked to Nick and his teammates as role models," said Chin. "Badminton sometimes gets lost in the excitement of sports played in the schools, and this will be a great time to gain exposure."

Following this display of top level talent, the two coaches will host free group clinics, suited for participants looking for an introduction to the sport, as well as those with experience in badminton competition.

As a further memorial to Orne's influence on youth sports, an award in his honor, The Bud Orne Spirit and Service Award, will be given to someone who embodies his good sportsmanship and love of the youth sports.

In 2009, The Bud Orne Youth Open boasted its largest turnout, with 63 youth attendees.

This year, the event organizers, which include Gut N' Feathers Junior Committee Chairperson Dianne Sears and current Parks and Recreation Director Mike Lane, have implemented a "Bring A Bud to Bud" element to the festivities. Following the vision and mission of the event, each attendee who brings a friend new to the sport of badminton will be entered to win one of various prizes.

"We encourage people to show up at 2 p.m. to see what badminton is all about with the exhibition," said Sears. "In keeping with Bud's vision of making sports accessible for all, the event will be free to the public.

"Everyone in town knew Bud. Not only for everything he did for youth sports, but just as a visible body around town and an influence in the community," she said.