Giving Kids the Advantage
 Summer Programming Is in Full Swing!



Our Summer Programming began on June 28th and we are excited about the turn out of kids participating in tennis and educational classes. Tennis has experienced a few too many rain dates, but that hasn't deterred anyone yet.  On the dry days, courts have been filled, creating waitlists for many classes. Many thanks to parents for being diligent about alerting us to cancellations so we can move others off the waitlist and into the classes.  Thank you parents, we appreciate your effort! 

15-LOVE participants learning forehands. 
Participants practice their swings at Lincoln Park.  
15-LOVE instructors play a warm up game.  
Participants receive the weekly  
Healthy Tips after class.  
 
Educational programming has also been going strong. Kids started out learning about pollination the first week and then moved onto metamorphosis and the importance of ecosystems. On the days we didn't have rain, they spent time in the garden identifying different vegetables and flowers. They also had the opportunity to plant their own flowers to take home and care for.  
 
We are ecstatic that Cornell Cooperative Extension and SUNY Polytechnic have returned to lead demonstrations throughout the week. Each will focus on different topics that cover healthy living and STEM based demonstrations.

Participants tour the garden on
their first day of class.   
Participants learn to identify vegetables
in the garden.
   
   
Elaine Garrett from SUNY PolyTechnic and 15-LOVE volunteer Alex Li lead a STEM based demonstration.  
 Kimberly from Maercklein from 
Cornell Cooperative Extension
leads a fitness demonstration. 
 
We are looking forward to where the next weeks takes us. We are hopeful for less rain and more sunshine.
 
Again, if you haven't registered for our Summer Programming for Tennis and Educational classes - sign up today. Spots are booking up fast!  
Congratulations to this Year's Graduates

We would like to give a huge congratulations to our Excellence participants who have graduated high school and are on their way to college. We are so proud of all your hard work. Good luck with your new adventures at college! We know you will find success! 

 
Congratulations to Gaitree Jessica Lalman who graduated from Schenectady High School and will be attending Hudson Valley Community College, where she will major in Individual Studies, studying Chemistry and the Visual Arts.

She plans to transfer to a 4 year-university to obtain a bachelor's degree in either fine arts or chemistry.

Some of her favorite things to do are create art and volunteer. 
 
Congratulations to Lila Boukarim who graduated from Catholic Central High School. She plans to attend Binghamton University where she will major in Psychology Major and minor in Education.

Her goal is to become a Clinical or School Psychologist and work with children with learning disabilities.

Hobbies and interests Lila likes to pursue are playing and coaching tennis, learning Spanish, painting, and shopping.  
 
Second Serve Enhancing the Lives of Our Kids

Thank you to Second Serve for your generous donation of gently used tennis items to our organization. Last month, we received several boxes that included tennis rackets, sneakers, and clothes that we shared with our kids and they loved it!

A 15-LOVE participant looks at items donated from Second Serve.
 A 15-LOVE participant was happy to receive some clothes from Second Serve.

Second Serve is a youth-run non profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of underprivileged kids who love tennis by supporting them with the equipment they need.
 MVP Health Care Brings Fitness Challenge to Our Kids

MVP Health Care is back again this summer helping our kids step up their game with a Pedometer Fitness Challenge for our older kids and a Nature Scavenger Hunt for the younger ones.  Everyone got to try it out on the courts in our third week of programming.

The scavenger hunt encouraged kids to spot up to 16 different things outdoors, which included squirrels, tree, bumblebees water, rocks and much more. It also included some reflection questions for them to complete after.

Tennis participants receive their scavenger hunt challenge after class at Lincoln Park.

The Pedometer Fitness Challenge is to encourage physical activity by tracking their steps from various park destinations in Albany. The activity included a map of many parks located around the area and a place for them to record their daily activity.

A Healthy Living participant was all smiles after receiving his Pedometer Fitness Challenge.

"This is a great challenge for our older and younger kids. It aligns well with our mission of promoting good health, and also gives them the opportunity to try something new," said 15-LOVE Executive Director Amber Marino. "Thank you to MVP Health Care for supporting our organization in such a fun way! As always, we appreciate your connection with our kids and support of our program."
Thank You for your Board Service

Our organization would not be what it is with out the guidance and support we receive from our Board of Directors. We are so appreciative of their help and feel their loss when they move on. Recently, four amazing individuals left the board to pursue their dreams of retirement. We wish them all the best and will miss them in our board meetings, but they all plan to stay involved, which we are most grateful for!

Mary Jean Krackeler, Anne Trimble, and Barbara Yake - THANK YOU for your many years of dedication, and for all the love and countless hours of showing up for our kids. We are beyond humbled by your service.

Barbara Yake has been involved with 15-LOVE since the very beginning. Barbara has hosted kids in her home, done countless educational and gardening activities with the kids, and even brought her son, Ethan, in to be an instructor for a few summers. Barbara has a great way of connecting with the kids and bringing friends in to assist with the garden.

Mary Jean has been involved with 15-LOVE from almost the beginning. She has been primarily involved with our literacy programs, and was the creator of our Book Club. Mary Jean has a gently way of connecting with our kids, and has given countless hours of service. With her human resources background, she has been an invaluable resource to the staff and board.

Anne Trimble has been involved for quite some time, and been on the board for over 15 years, making her the "youngster" of the group. Anne volunteered with our Book Club for years, and used to host the kids at LaSerre at the end of each year. The experience changed so many lives and Anne always went out of her way to make it a special event for the kids.

Calling all Volunteers

Looking to volunteer and help make a difference?  We are currently looking for volunteers of all ages to help in various capacities. Interested? Send us a note!





  Summer Programming  6/28  - August 13
 
4th Annual Ladies' Tennis Round Robin Fundraiser 7/19
 
ATC Tennis Fundraiser 8/6
 
Labor Day 9/6
 
15-LOVE Board Meeting 9/21
 
Capital Region Youth Tennis Foundation 2021 Board of Directors

Nino Alivodic
Lynn Derry
Philip Fields
Wendy Fox
Maureen Klein
Mary Jean Krackeler
Meg MacClarence
John J. Nigro
Khadijah Peek
Fardin Sanai
Robert A. Schmitz
Thomas Schmitz
G. Thomas Selfridge
Herb Shultz  
Anne Trimble
Ray Walker
Barbara Yake

Officers
President: Margaret Malicki
Vice President: Jonathan Jones  
Secretary: Jessica Dailey
Treasurer: James Fowler

Staff
Amber Marino, Executive Director
Domingo Montes, Program Director
Maxine Brisport, Education Director
Cindy Lyons, Director of Community Relations
Mia Ertas, Director of Marketing
Naomi Spivey, Assistant Director of Programming
15-LOVE  | 518-438-2039 | 15LOVE.org
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