Donors to the Lee CTA Tennis Facility Fund for $87,919 LEE MS/HS TENNS COURT PROJECT
(Upgrades & maintenance of the 6 tennis courts constructed in the year 2000)
News Coverage Our Tennis Court Project was featured in the Berkshire Eagle on 4/9/12. We sent a letter to the editor clarifying that a major part of the support & incentive to take on this major project was from the USTA which has been enabling us to take on many wonderful programs for youth and adults since 1992.
We're very grateful to the following for their contributions:
$17,400
UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION (USTA) Facilities Grant
$12,680
LB Construction, General Contractor - pro bono-work donation in memory of Audie Furgal, Lee CTA Founding Member & Past Secretary
8/5/13 Fundraising and project completed! The final funds were donated by Tri-Town Rotary $6000, and Kiwanis, $2000, and an additional $5000 from the Town of Lee! Ribbon Cutting Ceremony is scheduled for 4:30pm, Sunday, August 25th. Please plan to attend.
7/17/12 We're continuing with our fundraising efforts to cover the additional $23,140 cost of the wheelchair accessible path and gate. We're about halfway there. The 1st Annual Audie Furgal Tennis Classic on June 30th raised $20,262, with the Lee Regional VNA receiving 75% and the Lee CTA 25% ($5065). Monday night the Town of Lee approved another $5000, contingent on our making an appeal to the local Rotary & Kiwanis clubs, so we have $8236 remaining to be raised. I'll be going before the Rotary Club next Tuesday and the Kiwanis Club on August 1st, hopefully. Our 2 grant applications to local foundations fell through, as we cannot anticipate more that 6 wheelchair players the first year of our program. The foundations "have other grant applicants who can show far greater numbers of beneficiaries." So this is a tough shake in our sparsley poplulated area of Berkshire County, MA.
Hopefully, by the end of this summer we'll reach our goal of raising the $70,335 in matching funds for this $87,919 project. Meanwhile, my coaches for the Ten and Under Program with 93 kids enrolled this summer sure are looking forward to those U10 painted lines. Laying down those vinyl strips every day to mark off the 36' and 60' courts is a real pain!
6/1/12 Our construction date has been postponed until we reach our matching funds goal, necessary for applying for the USTA 20% Facility Assistance Fund. Our appeal to MA DOS to waive the prevailing wage for this project is in the mail. Senator Downing and Representative Pignatelli were unable to have any effect on the DOS decision that the only way to avoid prevailing wages is to use volunteers or the contractors themselves for any labor, not an option for this project, except for the powerwashing needed before the courts can be resurfaced. Anyone interested in assisting with that job, please send a message to info@leecta.com.
5/29/12 We have quite a challenge before us, hopefully short-term. $23,140 has been added to the cost of the tennis court project, scheduled to commence 6/1. The USTA techs have announced that our tennis courts must have wheelchair accessibility to qualify for their 20% grant. The GOOD NEWS: The 5% grade pathway will make it easier for all of us to reach the courts located at the base of a steep hill, but most important, we can be the first site offering wheelchair tennis in WMA! What a great program for former athletes and young returning vets who are wheelchair bound! I'm sincerely excited about this, having seen wheelchair tennis and attended some teaching clinics for the sport. There's a great program called One Up/One Down in the Boston area. The BAD NEWS: Quite disconcerting in that we were within $1000 of the funds needed, which our share of the Audie Furgal Tennis Classic would have easily covered. Knowing that this requirement may be a stickler, but hoping that the USTA would accept the fact that Miss Hall's School tennis courts, our site for Special Olympics Tennis, would be an acceptable alternative, I applied for a Berkshire Life Foundation grant of $8000 (max amt.), as they offer $100,000 annually for programs for the disabled in Berkshire County. I'm told that it looks promising, but awards are not made until July. I'm also applying to Berkshire Bank Foundation, and I'll be sending thank you letters to all the local businesses who have already donated to this project, explaining the delay. Those individuals who have donated as a result of the pleas from this website will receive thank you's later. If you haven't yet contributed, please do so. In addition, I have Senator Downing and Representative Smitty Pignatelli appealing to the MA AG & Dept. of Labor to waive the requirement that our not-for-profit has to pay prevailing wages, as the Lee CTA is the awarding authority and my argument after having several cases sent to me by the Labor Dept. consul is that they're "painting all not-for-profits with the same brush," claiming that we are simply agents of the town trying to avoid the higher costs of prevailing wages. I believe this is a disgrace and vow to fight this "stretching of the law" to the end. It's a shame that a 501c3 organization, such as ours, cannot assist the town with preserving and improving their infrastructure in these dire economic times. I've also contacted Senator Olver's office to see if there are any federal grants available for ADA accessibility, since ADA is a federal law. Thank you for any help you can give us! Your contributions may help us complete this project before the summer programs begin!
Where we thought that we were within 96% of the funding goal for this $59,000 project, with only $2400 remaining to be raised, with the added ADA requirements, we most likely face at least another $5000 of funds needed. I'll give you an update as soon as the ADA pathway quote is received.
4/30/12 Our application for a 20% USTA Facilities Assistance Grant was reviewed by the USTA "techs" last Friday. We were advised that we need to provide a wheelchair accessible path and 48" gate to qualify for the USTA 20% grant, raising the cost significantly - for the expanded gate alone, $1690. We're awaiting a quote from Foresight for the pathway. We need to have all our matching funds in by 6/1, when LB Corp will commence the drainage portion of the project. The resurfacing of the 6 courts is scheduled for June 15th. I'm confident that those who have not donated as of yet will participate when they view below our Hall of Fame Donors.
4/25/12 As of today, 96% of the funds have been raised via grants, donations, and in-kind labor for the drainage improvement and resurfacing project at the Lee MS/HS tennis courts, with a final price tag of $59,867. Most impressive has been the full-team press by members, players, local business, and town/school government. Over $7000 has been donated by individuals & businesses. Funds remaining to be raised are $2,400.
4/3/12 As of today, 97.5% of the funds have been raised via grants, donations, and in-kind labor for drainage improvement and resurfacing projec with a final price tag of $58,806. Most impressive has been the full-team press by members, players, local business, and town/school government. Over $6000 has been donated by individuals & businesses. Funds remaining to be raised are $1,411. With the matching funds in place we can now complete the application for the USTA 20% Faciities Assistance Grant, which will be first on my agenda after our Open House/Carnival tomorrow night. I'm confident that those who have not donated as of yet will participate when they check out our Hall of Fame - Donors to the Lee CTA Facility Fund.
3/10/12 As of today, 93% of thefunds needed for the Tennis Court Project have been raised. MOST REMARKABLE - LB CONSTRUCTION - OUR SELECTED GENERAL CONTRACTOR, HAS OFFERED TO DO THE $34,680 DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR $22,000, REPRESENTING A $12,680 DONATION!!!! This donation was made in memory of Audie Furgal, one of the founding members of the Lee CTA.
In addition, $2826 was added to the pot by 11 more Lee CTA members and local businesses after the email appeal to our members on 2/21 and an outreach to 17 Lee businesses 2 weeks ago. This is proving to be a very successful team effort by all segments of the community!!! We're within a few thousand of our goal. We need YOU to help us finish this fund drive - we need 100% of the cost of this project covered by matching funds to qualify for the USTA Facilities Assistance Grant!
2/25/12 $1686 was contributed by 32 LCTA members & friends after the appeal two weeks ago to our 500 website contacts, helping us climb a few percentage points closer to our goal. We need to hear from ALL of our contacts!
GOAL: Improve the drainage, repair cracks, resurface, and paint 36' & 60' blended lines on the 6 Lee Middle/High School Tennis Courts for our USTA U10 & U12 QuickStart Tennis Program... READ MORE
TARGET DATE FOR CONSTRUCTION: June 1, 2012
PROGRESS: As of 2/13/12, 70% of funds needed have been raised via grants, in-kind work, fundraisers, and member donations
1/26/12 We're trying to get our grant application completed and approved in time for the drainage improvement and resurfacing of the 6 Lee HS Tennis Courts to be done in early spring. Thankfully, we've received an extension on our application date. We will be soliciting bids from a few selected local contractors for the drainage improvement project next week, which will nail down the cost and help us set our fundraising goals. Foresight Land Services will oversee this process for us. Since we are a not-for-profit organization, it has been determined that we are not required to follow the public procurement laws; however, I've been back and forth over the past few weeks with the Lee town manager, town counsel, MA Attorney General, MA Dept. of Labor, USTA advisors, trying to determine if our contractors will be held to paying the MA Prevailing Wage, which will greatly affect the final cost of both the drainage improvement and the court resurfacing. Trying to pin down these legal questions has dragged the process out. If this is not determined in our favor, then we'll be faced with a significant increase in costs. More than half of the estimated cost of the project has been pledged by the USTA Grant, USTA New England Section Grant, USTA/WMA District Grant, Lee CTA Donations, and $10,000 from the Town of Lee.
CLICK HERE to see an earlier news release about the USTA FACILITIES ASSISTANCE GRANT, which explains why the Lee CTA is pursuing this challenging project.
We're working to see that you have the best of tennis facilities for years to come and your donations are appreciated.
Wish us luck! Bunnie Lahey, Administrator & Youth Tennis Director
CLICK HERE to DONATE. Your donation will assist with continued maintenance and improvements of all our tennis courts - Lee MS/HS, Lee Athletic Field, Greenock Country Club.
