Fall message from the President of the Board

  September 1, 2011

  Dear LTA Supporter,

As we begin the second half of 2011 and head into the school year once again, our doors at Leadership Through Athletics remain open. Our dedicated staff continues to work through the year to help the facility remain in tiptop condition and keep our community engaged in various activities. The weekday walkers program is still a success, we are now offering Zumba exercise classes, have a baseball coach available, and the basketball season is just beginning.

We are offering several new programs for the coming year in addition to the programs that are currently running;

Camp Grace is a great place to be on Saturday mornings. Many kids wake up early on a weekend to come to Leadership Through Athletics to become better basketball players. Their enthusiasm for this program is a great sight to behold.

Although baseball season is now over, we have batting cages available for when you would like to come in and practice your batting, pitching, and catching during the off season. We also have a new member to out LTA team, Coach John Jancuska. Coach Jancuska recently retired from the NCAA Division 1 coaching ranks after 34 years as the Head Coach at UMBC. He will be providing private and group lessons, clinics, and camps.

As many of you know, we also have a multi-purpose room that is connected to the balcony. There is almost always room for individuals or groups to rent out this space. It is a great place to practice or conduct meetings, as you can close off the door for extra quiet or privacy.

 The Open Gym Program took a hiatus for the summer but will be back this fall. We hope to have a tutor on-site in the afternoons for helping the Open Gym children stay on top of their studies. This incorporates the second goal of developing programs that incorporate academics and life skills.

We cannot accomplish these goals solely on our own. Our operating revenue stream does not cover all of our expenses. We get great volunteer contributions which helps us further our goals, but ultimately the work of our dedicated staff and the quality of our programs depend on your support. As we head toward the end of 2011, we are asking for your help in the means of whatever contribution you are comfortable making. Whether you are in a position to give a few dollars or a larger gift, any contribution makes an enormous impact on our work and the support of many emboldens the commitment of our staff, volunteers, and community members to our mission.

Our annual Golf Tournament is being rescheduled this fall at the Chartwell Golf and Country Club. Please consider sponsoring a foursome as this is one of the biggest events for Leadership Through Athletics each year. If you cannot sponsor a foursome, please consider donating on the main page of our website, www.leadershipthroughathletics.org, by clicking on the “Donate Now” button and submitting any donation of your choosing – we thank you so much for any support you can give!

Michael, Patrick and Tommy Grace join the Board of Directors and me in wishing you a safe beginning of the school year and a healthy, prosperous end of 2011.

Sincerely,
Brian White