Kelowna tennis club earns national award

The Okanagan Mission Tennis Club has received a prestigious national award, having been named the Seasonal Club of the Year by Tennis Canada.

“Tennis Canada thanks and congratulates the club, the board and the entire staff for all that they do to contribute to the development of tennis in Canada. Your club’s efforts are greatly appreciated and we feel privileged to have you as one of Canada’s premier tennis facilities,” a speaker told the gathering at the 2017 National Coaching Conference in Toronto upon announcing the Seasonal Facility Excellence Award for 2016.

Okanagan Mission Tennis Club has six outdoor courts for members and non-members to enjoy, along with club tournaments, fun leagues and club socials. The experienced club pros and coaches lead numerous tennis lessons as well as kids camps that run throughout the summer for all skill levels.

Okanagan Mission Tennis Club runs one to three sanctioned tournaments each year, including the Miele Provincial Championships. It also assists in running “try it” days at local schools, and has 120 children participating in organized leagues across six schools.

In addition to its work in developing the game in the community, Okanagan Mission Tennis Club is recognized for its outstanding philanthropic efforts.The club makes its facility available throughout the season to other fundraising efforts, such as the KGH Hospital Foundation charity tournament and the UBCO charity tournament, which assists the university team to cover costs such as travel, uniforms and indoor court time for hosting other teams and practice.

“The Mission Tennis Club is a very valuable asset to the community organization and provides a dedicated group of volunteers who donate hundreds of hours each year and are what truly make the Okanagan Mission Tennis Club what it is,” said Beverly Dawe, manager of the Okanagan Mission Hall Association. “We are proud to be the oldest and only charity-run tennis facility in Kelowna with a focus on giving back to our members and the community.”

Tennis has been played at the club for more than 100 years.

For more information, check out the club’s website at okmissiontennis.org.