Getting to grips with maintenance
It’s been a pretty cold and wet start to the winter – not great conditions for playing tennis, as the balls get heavy and the players don’t like being wet and cold. However, we’ve been having good turnouts when it’s not raining, with all four courts generally in use on Saturdays and all three lit courts on the Tuesday evenings.
We had a modest but enthusiastic turnout at our AGM on the evening of 1st July at the Ōmokoroa Boat Club, and are pleased to report that all committee positions were filled and the club is in good spirits. Outside of the committee, many club members help with tasks like running Club Days, organising interclub teams, helping Pete on Saturday mornings with the junior coaching, and turning up to club working bees. We are very grateful for this.
Our most recent working bee was to spread sand on courts 1 and 2. Several volunteers with brooms did a great
T“spreading and bedding in” job and the sand has greatly improved grip on the courts and increased the longevity of the surface.
The shadecloth panel recently attached to the west side of the Court 1 fence was provided by Tecnifibre, who he Centre volunteers continue to be amazed and grateful for the generous support received from donors of goods for sale and that of our customers old and new. Thank you all.
At a recent volunteers’ morning tea, three long-serving committee members, Jan Lipinski, Sandra Hunt and Val Ewens, were thanked for their valuable work at The Centre over many years. They were each presented with a potted cyclamen. We are very pleased that these ladies are continuing as volunteers at The Centre.
The introduction of EFTPoS has been welcomed by last year became the major sponsor for tennis in our region. The panel is a trial, to test for wind loading and to see if players like it. The cloth doesn’t do much to block out sun on those late winter afternoons, but it does offer some relief to the mottled background of the trees making our customers. After a few teething problems the system is now working well. Thanks to Diane Gill (Trustee) for arranging this.
For all you bookworms out there, a non-fiction section of books for sale has been set up. Take a look at the shelves beside the changing room. If you have any unwanted N-F books – biographies, autobiographies, NZ, self-improvement, humour, travel, etc., Heather would love to check them out for our N-F area. Thank you.
Our suppliers of jams and pickles are keeping those shelves well-stocked. Customers who asked about more Passionfruit Honey - it’s there, but be quick, as it won’t it more difficult to see the ball coming at you from the other end. So if it passes the wind load test, we’ll be putting up more panels behind the other three courts. Part of the Tecnifibre deal is that we have to use Tecnifibre balls for TennisNZ sanctioned competitions. So we bought some boxes of those balls and all reports are that the players like them. They are pretty lively and retain their bounce for longer than other brands.
We are excited about the imminent completion of the Sports and Recreation pavilion. Once it is complete and fitted out we will be looking at hosting the occasional tournament.
Visitors are welcome to join us on Club Days. Come and try out our courts and meet some other locals in a fun, casual environment – we’re a pretty friendly lot. Club days Tuesday 6 to 8pm and Saturdays 2 to 5pm.
For more information visit our website at omokoroatennis.com or call or text us on 027 261 9517. be there for long!
We also have a new range of handmade candles and delightfully decorated rocks for sale….Excellent gifts.
If your club/group has a project planned and funding is needed, please apply for a Centre Grant.
The Centre fundraises for the Ōmokoroa Community Trust which distributes the funds raised as grants to clubs/groups in our area. Grant applications are due by 31st August and the paperwork can be obtained online from, and returned to, omokoroa.centre@outlook.com
Once again, thank you for your continued support. See you at The Centre.