Board Post

We will keep the club open through the end of the month. You will see some work done during this time to make closing easier. November 7th or 8th we will pull the nails, tapes and nets. More to come on final date and time of that work.

The Board would like to get better information about court usage than we have in the past. In a recent analysis of last year’s play, we found that fewer than half of those playing were signing in on the paper register in the shed/clubhouse. Please sign in ALL players, guests, and visitors to the Club including those in clinics and round robins.

We also wish to alert members who may play on an adjacent court when a member is using a basket of balls or ball machine. When making your reservation for this type of play, please note such on the calendar. If a lesson, note “LESSON,” and on the paper register record those taking the lesson and the instructor’s name.

Lastly, we may find it useful to know of attempts to play that have been thwarted by rain or softness of the court. If you take the time to go back to the calendar, rather than delete your reservation, simply note rain or soft court in the title line.

If you are not able to get a time slot for individual play we would like to hear from you, please text Bob Vietze @ 508-446-5473.

Thanks in Advance for recording your visits.

The Board

What a difference a day makes! Ideal weather on Tuesday did the trick. The courts firmed up sufficiently for us to resume regular activity. Please continue to use good judgment about your impacts. If you see that you’re creating deep impressions or divots reconsider continuing to play , and flatten, smooth or mend them with the sole of your sneakers before sweeping the court.

Thank you,

Woody

I regret having to say that our tennis courts at MRTC have been unusually slow to dry sufficiently for us to begin regular play. Significant precipitation and uncommonly cool temperatures have contributed to slow surface drying. And rather saturated subsurface conditions and a high water table in the surrounding ground have made the clay very soft and vulnerable to deep impressions from the impacts of moderate athletic stops and starts as well as resulting in poor and inconsistent ball bounces. I have volunteered significant time trying my best to improve conditions, but we’re dependent on nature to help us overcome the current circumstances. Please be patient and mindful in the meantime. For now, when I can, I will try to correspond with those of you who make calendar reservations and to post my general opinion about court conditions on the calendar somehow when feasible.

The weather outlook this week is favorable, so keep your fingers crossed!

Sincerely, 

– Woody

The club is officially open tomorrow based on the feedback I just received from Woody. FYI…there is a wrap up of a fence project happening tomorrow morning at the club. So, if you’re planning to play it might be best to plan to play starting in the late morning.

All the Best!

Good Morning

Yesterday the material was applied to the courts, rolled, watered, calcium chloride applied, lines nailed and nets attached to the posts. The courts are currently too soft for play they need time and rolling to firm up. Weather permitting, we are hoping the courts will be ready to play on Sunday. I’ll send out a note announcing the courts are ready to play on Saturday afternoon after Woody has given the thumbs up on the conditions. You can also check the Google calendar as well on the status.

A couple of reminders please always wear tennis footwear when playing, if your shoe makes an indentation on the surface, it’s an indication the courts are not suitable for play.

Stark Mountain Foundation has raised $2.8 million which covers the purchase of the land plus additional expenses.

Thanks to all who supported this.

The Club still has to secure their right to use the club facilities but this is a major step in the right direction.

The campaign to purchase the land that includes the tennis courts has reached almost $2M of its $2.75 M goal.

This is a reminder that if you have not contributed, please consider doing so.

The Club has met with Matt Lillard, the General Manager of the Cooperative and discussed our future needs to try to make sure that they are part of the Conservation Easement that is required to be developed over the next years for the land. Mad River Glen seems amenable to protect the Club longterm.

Mad River Glen is fund raising the $2.75 million required to buy the land and preserve it. To that end, every donation small and large will help them toward that goal.

The MRTC board supports this purchase as purchase by Mad River rather than some unknown entity is the best route for the Club.

To that end, it is hoped that Club members will support this important project and donate to support the purchase.

The best way to donate is by check and indicate in a note and on the check that it is restricted to land purchase and is made to recognize the Mad River Tennis Club.

Stark Mountain Foundation
PO Box 1221
Waitsfield, VT 05673

You may also donate online at: https://www.starkmountain.org/donate But do note that it is for land purchase.

Thank you

Geordie

I have been asked by several people who are considering a year end major gift or pledge as to whom they might contact to talk about it.

The person to contact is Jim Elkind who is the president of the Stark Mountain Foundation board. His contact info is:

[email protected]

Also, the campaign has developed a sub campaign around giving “A Buck an Acre”. For more information see:

https://www.starkmountain.org/buck-an-acre

And don’t forget to let Stark Mountain Foundation that you are a member of the Mad River Tennis Club.

And to those of you who already responded, thank you. You have helped push the campaign toward the halfway mark.

Geordie

P. S. We are reaching Truckee tomorrow. Much better skiing in VT

I was just informed by the Stark Mountain Foundation you may also donate another ways by going to

www.starkmountain.org/donate

Sorry to piecemeal these emails.