Tennis group nets teaching grant
A grant given by the United States Tennis Association Florida Section Foundation will allow for the teaching of tennis this summer in several low-income areas in Lee County, including North Fort Myers.
The Lee County Community Tennis Association has been awarded a program support grant that will include tennis programs at five locations serving inner-city and low-income areas, including at the North Fort Myers recreation Center.
The other locations are Wa-Ke-Hatchee Recreation and the Quality Life centers and Schandler Hall in Fort Myers and Veterans Park Recreation Center in Lehigh Acres.
The lessons will be offered on Mondays starting June 9 and run the duration of the summer camp program and through fall.
The LCCTA is a not-for profit organization that supports the growth of tennis in Lee County and works with the Lee County Parks and Recreation to provide tennis services in public parks.
“We are including tennis as part of the traditional summer program that the rec center offers,” said Lyn Bruner, executive director of the LCCTA. “For those who sign up for the week, tennis will be an activity and LCCTA instructors will be providing that instruction.”
The LCCTA got the grant thanks to Bruner’s involvement on numerous USTA boards. Lee County had received a grant from the USTA’s “Share The Love” program, which is now part of the foundation.
“The foundation has taken on a larger scope of grant giving and I applied. I was encouraged to by the foundation’s executive director,” Bruner said. “The board knew we had provided tennis in the parks in the past, but it became a funding issue and they couldn’t afford to offer it during summer camp.”
The grant includes instructor fees and coordination, which was not included in previous grants, which makes this grant kind of a pilot program for the foundation to see how it will work.
Bob Nelson, the instructor at North Fort Myers, with rec center supervisor Libby Olive, have worked out an arrangement so lessons can be held at J. Colin English Elementary School, which is a short distance from the rec center.
“The summer can be problematic with the weather. With the rec center, if it rains, they can be done indoors. If it’s not, it can be done outdoors,” Bruner said.
For more information, contact Bruner at 482-3382 or go online to www.LeeCountyTennis.com.