Dear JTCC Parents and Supporters,
My name is Pasquale Procaccino and I am a 13 year old tennis player. I train at the National Junior Training Center in College Park, Maryland. As a part of playing tennis there, players are required to do community service through program called “Game On.” Game On is a non-profit program that provides tennis instruction and equipment for less fortunate children to play tennis after school and during the summers in their community and at their schools. Each day, Game On serves 30-40 children at eleven sites around the D.C area. The program also includes an academic program, called “ACE” at four of the sites. While half of the kids are playing tennis, the other half are inside working on academics. Game On would like to expand the ACE program to all of the sites.
The first time I went to my community service hours was last summer. I went to tennis courts in Washington DC to teach kids how to play from the neighborhood school. When we got to the site I was surprised to see that we had to enter through a hole in the fence because there seemed to be no other way to get in to the courts. As we began to set up the nets, I noticed smashed alcohol bottles and trash all over the courts. There were also large cracks with weeds growing through them. Despite the conditions, the kids had fun playing tennis and I really enjoyed working with them.
After always training on the nice courts at College Park Tennis Center, it bothered me that the kids had to play on those courts. I came up with the idea of raising money to try and get the courts resurfaced. I met with the head of the tennis center and the person in charge of Game On about my idea. They both suggested that I should first try to raise money to expand the program at the site. Once we have expanded the program, I plan to continue raising money so that the courts can be resurfaced.
The Royal Restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia is hosting a dinner to support the program on Friday, May 24, 2013 – see the attached flyer. The money raised from the dinner will go to expanding the Game On program at the school in Washington, DC. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you on Friday, May 24th! If you have any questions, please call me at 703- 740- 7477 or email me at gameontccp@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Pasquale Procaccino
If you cannot attend you may also contribute with a tax deductible gift.
Make checks payable to: Junior Tennis Champions Center
And mail to:
Pasquale Procaccino
302 Princess Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
