Over 70 Tall Oaks Tennis Club (TOTC) members, past and present, met at the courts on Sunday, May 26. Members were checked in and given their court rotation for the afternoon. Esther Skeggs, president of the TOTC, welcomed the participants for the afternoon. Cathleen and Richard Chay warmed everyone up on the stadium court with some yoga.
Prince (aka Lou Gagliano) helped open the 1999 party.
“Each day should be a new beginning,” he said, “Let’s play!”
Flo Manning headed the committee for the season tennis opener, themed as ‘Party like it’s 1999.’”
Tall Oaks Tennis Club member Lou Gagliano donned Prince attire for their 1999-themed season opener. (Photos by Christine Such/Sun Day)
Manning reflected, “I think that even though we were rained out, everyone was so flexible and helpful; committee as well as members. We have a wonderful club. It made my heart happy to see all of the original members talking, laughing, and reminiscing. What’s a little rain when you see happiness around you? The rain didn’t seem to affect anyone’s good time.”
Along with celebrating the beginning of the 2019 tennis season, charter members were honored. The honorary guests received elegant invitations to the event and received a tennis lanyard identifying their status and a red rose in appreciation of their efforts 20 years ago in laying out the groundwork for the Club. In attendance from that original founding group were Jean and Richard Christie, Jan Hardy, John and Phyllis James, Rich Kondrad, Helke and Marty Laughlin, Marie Mascenic, Barbara and George Mikell, Jules and Brigitte Pelka, Ott Raebern, Nancy Riley, Anne Santoro, Arleen Terdina, Diane and Vinnie Flanagan.
Honored guest Ann Santoro stated, “I was so happy to be included and so thrilled to be remembered by all of you!”
Kay Winkelhake added, “It is always a pleasure working with such capable people. The food and social were a success.”
Skeggs said of the event, “We are so fortunate to have our committee to make this event happen. We each have different skills/gifts that contribute to making this a success each year. I received so many compliments from people about how well this was run. It is because of each of them. Flo Manning has been the one to lead this group for the past several years and does an outstanding job, adding her care and special touch to each. Thank you to Flo Manning, Linda Pribla, Kay Winkelhake, Diane Flanagan, Jean Christie, Parsla Gagainis, Fran Pecora, Lou Gagliano, Mare Roccosanto, John Roccosanto. Bob Lodewyck and Pat Cox. We also want to thank all of our members for participating. You are a very important part and we appreciate your taking the time to come. Many of you also help whenever necessary and we thank you for that as well. We all have a great time socializing and getting to know each other better at these events. And it was especially great today to have some of our original members join us. They set the groundwork for our Tennis Club and contributed greatly to the success it is today. We owe them a lot.”
