JENKINS TWP. — The mission to repair the Wyoming Area tennis courts seems to be a never-ending one, but parents and coaches of the players won’t stop until it’s completed.
After a successful fundraiser at the Susquehanna Brewing Company in April, Wyoming Area tennis coaches and booster club members will host another one Saturday, Oct. 14.
The event is called “Ractoberfest” and runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Tickets are available for pre-purchase for $15 or at the door for $20.
Wyoming Area tennis coach Tiffany Callaio said the previous event raised $2,500.
“It was actually pretty packed,” she said. “I don’t know if it was the Facebook event or the newspaper articles, but it was packed. We were really excited about it.”
The event is for ages 21 and older and includes food, basket raffles and one flight of beer.
“Last year we did a Cornhole tournament but I don’t know if we’re going to do that again,” Callaio said. “They’ll be doing a tour of the brewing company and people can just come in, drink, eat and then win baskets.”
Students have done their own fundraising these past few years by selling candy bars and pizza, while adults have pitched in with events such as wine tasting and kickball.
Proceeds for the event will go toward refurbishing the tennis courts on Boston Avenue in West Pittston, which have not been useable since before the 2015 fall season due to cracks in the courts.
Callaio said money needed to fix the courts would be approximately $150,000 as they would need to be dug up and completely redone.
“I think right now we’re at $11,000 to $12,000,” Callaio said. “We still have a huge amount of money to go towards fixing the courts, but we’re going to keep chipping away to find donations and people willing to help with donations. Businesses can help with anything that’ll help us to fix them.”
With the girls tennis season underway, players have been practicing on the Pittston Area courts at the Intermediate Center in Hughestown or in Pittston Township at the courts behind the fire department.
When it comes to where to play matches, things can get a little complicated.
“We have our matches (at the Intermediate Center) if Pittston Area is away, but if we’re supposed to be home and Pittston Area is home, we have to switch it to away,” Callaio said.
The tennis courts are potentially years away from being repaired, Callaio knows the process to raise money is exhausting but it’s a process that continues to work.
“I feel like if we can get bigger events and more people to participate and the word out more, anything can help,” she said. “If we can get $2,500 in a year, it adds up.”
