JANUARY VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH
Dorothy Bowman | Grand Rapids, Michigan
Dorothy started an evening tennis program in 2009 at Martin Luther King Park and Mackay Jaycee Park to promote tennis and exercise for children, teenager, and adults in the Grand Rapids area. Dorothy’s programs through CrossCourt Tennis have reached over 300 youth in the community over the past six years.
In 2010-2011 Dorothy developed plans to further increase minority involvement in playing tennis within the community by promoting tennis programs, USTA Play Days, special events activities, and resource materials. Dorothy provided USTA Play Days at Baxter Community Center, Boys and Girls Clubs and Aberdeen Park Community.
In 2012, Dorothy's CrossCourt Tennis CTA partnered with Seeds of Promise to provide afterschool tennis lessons. During the fall of 2013, the organizations provided tennis service for the Loop program at Dickinson and started a reading project. There were two components, tennis lessons and life skills, with playing time for grades 1st-3rd which consisted of a Kids Tennis Club. They discussed honesty, respect, teamwork, caring, and responsibility. The juniors in 4th-8th grades participated in lessons that consisted of stroke mechanics and match play. Instructors spent as least 5-10 minutes during each meeting time on life skills, decision-making, time management, leadership, and interactions with others.
Since 2013, CrossCourt Tennis has partnered with the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department. Dorothy oversees site coordinators and tennis instructors throughout the area. She provides training, programs, activities and resource materials to assist the community. Dorothy also promotes the Parks and Recreation year-round tennis program which offers scholarships so everyone can have a chance to learn how to play tennis. Dorothy is a volunteer assistant coach at Ottawa High School with the Girls Tennis Team.
Dorothy has been the Diversity Committee Chairperson for the Western Michigan Tennis Association for three years. She promotes 10 and Under workshops, special events, Kids Club, USTA Play Days, and Start/ReStart program through the help of the USTA/Midwest Section Tennis Service Representative for Michigan and the Western Michigan Tennis Association.