Weekly Update

Friends,

Yesterday, we broke ground on the new Leftwich Tennis Center. Inspired by the memory of a Memphis hero, this space will be completely reimagined for the benefit of all Memphians. From elite college players at the top of their game to young children just learning the game, this facility will be a tremendous asset for all who use it.

Like many things in our community, this would not have been possible without great partners. Thank you to all those who helped make this a reality: Dr. David Rudd and the U of M, Fred Smith and dozens of other donors, Worth Morgan and the Memphis City Council, Tennis Memphis, the United States Tennis Association (USTA), and the City divisions of Parks and Public Works.

The great Arthur Ashe said, “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” That line is emblematic of the local Memphis hero for which this facility is named, which I’d venture to say many who play at Leftwich are not familiar with its significance.

Col. William Leftwich was born in Memphis, went to Central High School, and later joined the Marine Corps. He bravely fought and died for his country during the Vietnam War. His son, Scott Leftwich, was with us yesterday as we broke ground. It was an honor to meet him and his family, and the remarks he shared during the ceremony about his father were extremely touching.

I hope this new facility serves as an inspiration to us all—to serve others, and our country, with the bravery and resolve of Col. Leftwich and to live life, and play tennis, with the courage and strength of Arthur Ashe.

 

Vaccination plans: As you may have heard, we are making the following changes to address the public uptake in vaccinations:

June fixed POD hours of operation: 

Location	New Schedule
Pipkin	Tuesday- Friday 9am- 6pm, Sat. 9am-1pm
Whitehaven	Mon., Wed., Fri. 9 am - 6 pm Last day of operation 6/25
Germantown	Tuesday- Thursday 9 am - 6 pm   Last day of operation 6/24

July fixed POD hours of operation:

Location	Schedule (tentative)
Pipkin	Wednesday- Friday 9 am - 6 pm, Sat. 9 am - 1 pm   Last day of operation 7/31

 

The Healthcare Navigator team will continue to support community PODs for schools, public events, employers, and homebound services throughout July.

 

Our street teams will be continuing to encourage vaccinations in a grassroots door-to-door campaign, and our phone banks supported by U of M students are continuing to call citizens to promote vaccination.

 

To continue addressing the ongoing public vaccination needs, we will establish a clinic at the Office of Emergency Management located at 2668 Avery Avenue throughout September.

 

For more information, you can always go here to find answers to questions you may have.

 

Summer Youth Programs: It’s that time, and after the year we’ve had, it feels so good that this summer looking more back to normal. What says more normal than summer camps and athletics.

 

Starting on Monday, June 21^st and running through August 6^th, summer camps will be held at 22 community centers serving 1,200 children (registration is full). These kids will spend their summer taking field trips, improving literacy skills, playing sports, and learning art, music, and culture.

 

Additionally, every Friday in July from 6 pm - 10 pm, we will offer Safe Summer Fridays at seven of our community centers: Bert Ferguson, Charles Powell, Hickory Hill, Lester, North Frayser, Orange Mound, and Raleigh.

 

A reminder for our young golfers out there—17 and under play for free at all seven of our golf courses. Schedule your tee time here.

 

If you want to up your game, Nike Junior Golf Camp starts next week at the Links at Whitehaven and runs through July. Go here to register.

 

Play Your Park activities also start on June 21^st and run through July 30^th  from 9 am - 2 pm at 14 locations: Pierotti, Raleigh Bartlett Meadows, Bert Ferguson, Germanshire, Wilson, McFarland, Brentwood, Charjean, Gaisman, Davis, David Carnes, Gaston, Douglass, and Elizabeth Malone.

 

All that to say—if you’re looking for things to keep your kids active and engaged this summer, we have plenty of opportunities available to help you.

 

I hope you have a great weekend.

 

Yours,