By Noreen Javadi, special to USTA.com
LA QUINTA, CALIF. – Success on the court is one thing, but two members of the Intermountain Section women’s team from Windsor, Colo., competing at this weekend’s USTA League Adult 40 & Over 4.0 National Championships, went the extra mile this year and established their own charitable foundation to make a difference off the court as well.
Earlier this year, team members Kathy Jacobson, a 45-year-old CPA, and Sarah Smith, a 46-year-old marketing professional, co-founded the Second Serve Foundation, with a mission to benefit the environment and the community through the recycling and resale of tennis gear.
With a concern for the impact that textiles have on landfill capacity, Jacobson and Smith, both residents of Loveland, Colo., reached out to friends, teammates and colleagues to collect and recycle unwanted used – and sometimes new – tennis apparel, accessories and equipment. After collecting and sorting, they offer the donated items for sale on their website to benefit local charities.
Inspired by Jacobson’s and Smith’s vision, the Windsor team, which plays at the Highland Meadows Tennis Center, has aided the foundation’s fundraising efforts by collecting new and used tennis gear.
“Tennis enthusiasts embrace the fact that the proceeds from their donations and purchases are benefitting tennis-related charities,” said Jacobson. “People are really receptive to our vision. Upscale recycling is becoming more and more acceptable.”
The Second Serve Foundation is currently providing financial support to the Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation that promotes a healthy lifestyle, teamwork and sportsmanship through tennis – regardless of socioeconomic or ethnic background. Recently, they have donated racquets and tennis bags to Colorado USTA program “Racquets For All”.
The foundation is also helping to fund the Debbie Boose Memorial Tennis Tournament that benefits the Pathways Hospice Inpatient Unit and Cancer Center at McKee Medical Center and the Loveland Open, which benefits the Boys & Girls Club. Second Serve also collects donations during the tournaments, with proceeds going directly to benefit each tournament’s cause.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, any donations Second Serve receives may be eligible for a tax deduction and the foundation will pay the cost for shipping. For more information on the Second Serve Foundation, please visit SecondServe.com.