As our flagship tennis event, the Tennis Pro-am is the highlight of the year for all of our tennis players at the club. We have held this event for 30 years and have raised nearly $1,000,000 for worthy local charities. Each year our members play with some of the best professionals in the south for a weekend of great tennis. This year we are benefitting two very worthy local charities.
Bert’s Big Adventure takes families with children suffering from chronic and terminal illnesses away from the daily routine of stress and provides intimate time, where for a few short moments, their focus isn’t on a doctor but turns to Mickey Mouse. The sight of another hospital is replaced by Cinderella’s castle. A medical gown is replaced by glass slippers. Pain turns into laughter. When you take a peek into the lives of the families dealing with children with chronic or terminal illnesses, you can understand why one expense-free weekend at Walt Disney World is so meaningful. The daily lives of these families include fighting with the transporting of wheelchairs, watching their children endure another round of chemotherapy, insuring the proper pills are taken at the right time and worrying about the enormous medical bills. Bert’s Big Adventure’s vision is to charter a trip with these children, their families and a medical staff to Walt Disney World, complete with a private flight, hotel accommodations, Walt Disney World park passes, ground transportation and meal coupons.
New to the Charity Invitational this year, Special Populations Tennis (Special Pops) is an organization that offers an adaptive tennis program specifically designed to share the lifetime sport of tennis with children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Programs offered free of charge to all skill levels, including those who never have played, include year-round tennis instruction, league play and tournament competition. An equally important aspect of the Special Pops program is the opportunity it offers these special athletes to build their self confidence and life skills through social interaction with each other and the many dedicated volunteers who run its programs. Based in the metropolitan Atlanta area, Special Pops is a registered community tennis association (CTA) of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and is recognized by USTA Georgia as the primary CTA in Georgia for teaching athletes with special needs and training coaches to teach tennis to these players. Special Pops also is an accredited agency of Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) and the only tennis training arm for many local SOGA-accredited agencies.
This is a must if you enjoy playing tennis...or just come out to watch if you like to cheer on your friends.
Annual Tennis Pro-Am
FRIDAY
9:30 Pro-Sponsor Round Robin/Luncheon
4:00 Complimentary Junior Clinic
ALL CLUBS WELCOME
7:00 Player Party and Dance
7:00 Silent Auction Begins
10:00 Live Auction Begins
SATURDAY
7:30 Breakfast buffet for all players
8:00 Player check-in for Men’s Groups 1 & 2
8:00 Player check-in for Ladies’ Group 1
8:15 Play Begins
11:00 Lunch buffet for all players
11:15 Ladies’ Group 2 check-in
11:30 Ladies’ Group 2 begins play
12:30 Men’s Groups 3 & 4 check-in
1:00 Men’s Groups 3 & 4 begin play
2:15 Ladies Group 3 check-in
2:30 Ladies Group 3 play begins
6:00 Dinner Party
SUNDAY
7:30 Breakfast for all players
8:00 Ladies’ Semi-Finals
9:30 Men’s Semi-Finals
11:00 Ladies’ Finals
11:00 Men’s Finals
12:00 Cookout and Champion Celebration