The Walnut Creek Racquet Club, based at Heather Farms’ tennis courts, rallied for hours on June 18 to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease. The fundraiser, called The Longest Day, is when thousands of participants come together throughout the country to raise money to fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s Disease (typically held on June 21, the Summer Solstice).
Since 2016 four board members of the club have organized the event, which has raised over $50,000 in the past six year. This year the 40 members who participated in the bracket style “Longest Tennis Rally” raised over $12,000. They are still accepting sponsors through the end of August ( https://act.alz.org/site/TR?team_id=732387&fr_id=15144&pg=team ). The Alzheimer’s Association said it was the largest fundraiser for them using tennis as the method to raise money.
Board member Kevin Kyono has experienced firsthand the devastating effects of this disease as he watched his father, Thomas Kyono, battle with it. Euna Roh, Board President, participated in honor of her late husband, Rick, who was a board member for the Alzheimer’s Association. Douglas Fish, a Northgate resident since 1998 who started playing tennis with the group about 15 years ago says of the tennis club, “It was invigorating to be with so many caring and supporting people at our annual The Longest Tennis Rally. We raised awareness, donations and each other’s spirits.” Fish was also able to secure the help of Sports Basement for the fundraiser. They donated water bottles for the winners of the tournament and allowed him to buy extra tennis balls. Currently, due to a pandemic-driven shortage of tennis balls, most customers are limited to two cans.
Congratulations to the Walnut Creek Racquet Club for their efforts to shine light on the darkness for families who suffer with Alzheimer’s Disease.
By Kara Navolio, Resident since 1991