With Florence and the summer behind us, attention on Seabrook Island now turns to the 35th annual Alan Fleming Tennis Tournament slated for October 3 – 7, 2018.
The Alan Fleming Tennis Tournament began as a local Seabrook Island event in the early 1980s. Since then it has grown into a premier tournament in the Southeast and nationally, attracting more than 250 senior tennis players from as many as 20 states. Spectator admission is open to the public and free.
The tournament has become a key event for the Charleston region and beyond and the US Tennis Association (USTA) has awarded the tournament its highest-level status for its mixed doubles 40s, 50s, and 60s events. The Championship tournament joins an elite class of tournaments in the Southeast awarding 200 points to the winners of the various divisions.
As tournament time approaches, the need for volunteers to pull off the charity event moves into high gear. With a growing number of players and spectators, volunteers are needed to help with everything from registering and handing out favors to players to assisting in the “players’ lounge” (handing out drinks, restocking the ice cream cooler and interacting with the players) to helping direct cars to a parking spot.
Volunteers can devote as little as an hour or two to spending a day helping with this fun fundraising tennis event. As Co-Chair Cat Russo said, the Fleming is a wonderful way to spend time with neighbors and make new friends in this very special place we live while supporting a worthy cause. Past volunteer efforts contributed to the Fleming being noted as “best tournament of the year” by visiting players.
This year’s charitable beneficiary is Sea Islands Blessing Basket. Once a month, The Sea Islands Blessing Basket distributes food to approximately 510 residents of Johns and Wadmalaw Islands whose income is below the poverty level.
The 2018 Fleming is expected to raise more than $40,000 which will make a major contribution to helping those facing food shortages and hunger.
Interested in joining the effort? Please contact Cat Russo at cat.russo1990@gmail.com.
–Submitted by Dale and Patti Leibach