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Lessons for Life
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USPTA members are active fund-raisers in their communities, using tennis as a vehicle for helping others. Through Lessons for LifeTM, USPTA encourages this activity and tracks some of the impact that tennis professionals have on local and national charities.
The impact has been substantial. From 1999-2007, USPTA members have raised nearly $32 million.
Lessons for Life is officially celebrated in October. However, USPTA members run fund-raisers year-round, and they take a variety of forms, such as tournaments, pro-ams, auctions, black-tie dinners and clinics. Each event might raise hundreds or more than a hundred thousand dollars for local or national charities.
"We could never calculate everything that USPTA members do to improve the lives of people in their communities, because much of it is beyond having a dollar value," said Lessons for Life Chairwoman Paula Scheb, director of tennis and fitness at Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs, Fla. "We'll probably never be able to count what they contribute just through fund-raisers. But each member's contribution to charity and the overall result of Lessons for Life are things that we all can be proud of."
In their reports, individual USPTA members have indicated that they have been doing fund-raisers for the same charities for years. Others have been motivated to organize new fund-raisers - and, in at least one case, co-found a nonprofit foundation - because of hardships that have struck members of their own tennis communities.
Benefiting charities have included American Cancer Society, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Scripps Stevens Cancer Center and many smaller, local charities.
Members of the public may find a fund-raiser to participate in by contacting a USPTA-certified Professional or Developmental Coach, or by locating a USPTA member through Find-a-Pro on this Web site.
USPTA members should contact their respective divisional Lessons for Life liaisons with details about their fund-raisers. Click here to log in. | 
