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At just sixteen years old, Alek has already taken the lead on his own fundraising tournament to benefit Advantage Kids. He and his friends organized a committee and built Rally for Tennis from the ground up - without the help of any grownups!
This winter, Alek entered an idea to a USTA New England initiative called the Innovation Challenge; that’s where he met our Co-Executive Director, Brittany, and learned about Advantage Kids. And, right away, he wanted to help.
He knew he wanted to build his own website, plan a fun day for his friends and other tennis-playing teenagers - a day of low pressure, a good time, somewhere cool they’d enjoy being. He figured he could get his friends to help raise money on top of their entrance fee, some companies would probably give them free stuff or money, and they could get the facility donated.
Alek and his friends did all of that and more!
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Rally for Tennis 2021 will be held on Sunday, August 15 at Longfellow New Hampshire Swim & Tennis Club in Nashua. There is still space for players 12-17 to register for the event, which will take place 1-6pm on the tennis courts and in the pool. Food, prizes, and fun will be served to all!
Alek and his friends worked on securing the partnership and chasing down leads for donations, sponsors, donors, and even food. They worked hard to achieve their goals.
“They sort of haunted this local pizza place for weeks,” Kapriel, Alek’s dad, shared. “They called a couple times and wouldn’t give up. They just kept showing up at the place and asking to talk to the owner. Well, eventually, and it did take a while, that pizza place donated like fifteen pizzas! They did it.”
That kind of tenacity is also what has led to equipment and merchandise donations as well as the $8,000 and going they have raised on their website, RallyforTennis.com!
Alek reached out to a local news station, WMUR, and caught the attention of reporter Mike Cronin. Over the weekend, Alek was interviewed and a one-minute news piece on Rally for Tennis and Advantage kids aired on live television not once, but twice.
Click here to watch the WMUR news piece!
When that reporter asked Brittany what else she wanted people to know, she said, “Alek is a remarkable young man. Working with him has been a pleasure and a breeze! He’s not a kid at all; he’s a peer. And I’m grateful to have him.”
Thanks, Alek, for being the kind of Leader all Advantage Kids can look up to!
Alek Karagozyan! Rally for Tennis organizer, local celebrity, generous partner - at just sixteen years old, Alek has already taken the lead on his own fundraising tournament to benefit Advantage Kids. He and his friends organized a committee and built Rally for Tennis from the ground up - without the help of any grownups!
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Advantage Kids (dba Lakes Region Tennis Association) is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization with EIN 46-2774258. Your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Be sure to ask your employer about corporate matching programs!
