Coronado Tennis Pro Emanuel “Manny” Mensah and Director of Retail Services Moises Orozco are spearheading an effort to share their love of tennis with local underserved youth. In late October, Mensah, along with other Coronado tennis pros Joel Myers and Angélica Gavaldón, will donate their time and expertise to provide an entertaining, tennis-filled afternoon for youth from Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeño Indians and La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians.
Most of the youth will experience their first-ever opportunity to play tennis. The kids will leave the event with an impressive care package that includes a tennis racket, t-shirt, tennis balls, tennis shoes, and a list of the many benefits of tennis. Orozco hopes that the care package encourages the youth to continue playing tennis long after the event ends. Ana Bernal from truetasteco.com is donating her time to prepare lunch for the players, while Gavaldón is paying for the food.
What a Successful Event Would Mean
Orozco is looking forward to “seeing the kids’ reactions when they find out they get to take their rackets and the shoes home, and hearing them laughing on the court and running around.” Orozco said he hopes that, “the kids will have a great time … and walk away with the sense, at least, that tennis is an option for them.” For his part, Mensah shared the joy he experiences from, “Seeing the kids smiling and having fun on the court, it brings joy to my soul, because when I’m on a court, I like to have fun … win or lose.”
See below to learn how to support the event!
Emmanuel Mensah Tennis and School Foundation
Mensah, born in Ghana, added, “God has blessed me with … some resources and good people around me. I feel like I should give back to less fortunate kids.” This sentiment encapsulates what drove Mensah to found his non-profit, the Emmanuel Mensah Tennis and School Foundation, teammannyfoundation.org.
Mensah’s Foundation provides support for underserved youth tennis players in many ways, including by providing rackets, shoes, tournament fees, and, in some cases, tuition support for school. The Foundation also provides training and competition opportunities for underserved children, especially those from Mensah’s hometown of Korle Gonno, located on the outskirts of Ghana’s capital, Accra.
He added, “Some of the residents in Coronado [are] already supporting the Foundation with donations online. I am very grateful for that, and [others] are asking how they can help.”
Ways to Donate
Click on the Donate button at teammannyfoundation.org. Orozco and Mensah are also collecting tennis rackets and gently used tennis shoes through October 20. Drop off your donations at the Pro Shop at the Coronado Tennis Center, 1501 Glorietta Boulevard, Monday through Thursday, 8 am – 7 pm, or Friday through Sunday, 8 am – 6 pm.
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