Apex Park and Recreation District, Milehigh Vineyard Church, Jeffco Public Schools and Hunger Free Colorado have all worked together to make the summer of 2012 more active and well-nourished for several dozen young Arvada residents.

This team effort began when Jeffco Public Schools received a grant from Hunger Free Colorado to Jeffco Schools, to retrofit school bus and enable it to bring hot lunches to children in two locations throughout the summer. During the school year, the children qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches, and this program continues during the summer, but only at selected locations. Since many of the children’s families don’t have their own transportation, school officials came up with a way to bring lunch to them. The grant helped with retrofitting of the bus. The bus serves lunch Monday through Friday at two sites, including Duke’s Mobile Home Park in southeast Arvada.

Meanwhile, several Arvada Community Food Bank volunteers, including Arvada Tennis Center participant Randy Michaelis and his wife Christi, were also volunteering their time to run a youth after-lunch recreation program to Duke’s, as an outreach program of Milehigh Vineyard Church. Apex PRD donated a portable net and some tennis balls, and Randy was then able to introduce tennis to the recreation mix, which also includes soccer, baseball and crafts.

To end the summer program with a splash, the Tennis Center hosted a “Tennis Play Day” at the Arvada Tennis Center on August 8. The Duke’s kids were invited to attend free of charge. Eleven young players took to the courts on a warm and sunny morning and had a great time enhancing their skills, playing and socializing.

A big thanks to everyone involved in this great illustration of community collaboration. It’s sure to create treasured memories, make a positive impact on the lives of these fun-loving kids, and perhaps launch some tennis players into a lifetime of enjoyment!

The Arvada Tennis Center is also supporting the Arvada Community Food Bank with an upcoming fund-raiser: the third annual Round the Clock Racquet Rally. Play tennis around the clock, from 5 pm Friday, August 24 to 5 pm Saturday, August 25 Choose one time slot or more — play as much or as little as you’d like, in a 24 hour period. There’s something for everyone, even if you don’t play – food, music, raffles, games and lots more! All money raised goes to the Arvada Community Food Bank. For details, give the Arvada Tennis Center a call at 303-420-1210 or email .

Check out the Apex PRD Facebook page for some great pictures from the event.

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