News and Sentinel
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
By Michael Erb
PARKERSBURG - A group of middle school students will be "Serving 4 Somalia" this Sunday, using tennis to raise money for drought relief in Africa.
Students will play games of tennis and demonstrate on-the-court skills from 3-5 p.m. Sunday at the City Park tennis courts, said Eileen Filozof, who is helping to coordinate the event.
Between 15-25 students are expected to participate, and community members are asked to sponsor students and make donations. Filozof said the event is almost entirely student driven, and Parkersburg High School's Key Club is helping sponsor the event.
"It is a small thing, but I really think it is so good the kids are involved in this," she said. "This is something they wanted to do."
This is the second "Serving 4 Somalia" event for the group. Last year the event was rained out, but students still managed to raise more than $400, which was donated through the international World Vision organization.
Filozof said students have asked their friends to participate and have sent notices to middle school tennis teams throughout the county as well as posting them at area tennis courts.
Community members are invited to come and participate in the tennis event, which she said is a non-competitive chance to play and showcase tennis skills. Filozof said donations will be taken at the event, and those who are unable to attend are encouraged to make donations directly through World Vision at www.worldvision.org.
Donations also can be made or questions answered by calling Jill Carden at 304-553-3066, Barb Schmidt at 304-488-2217 or Beth Larsen at 304-295-5473.