Rochester Raises over $17,000 to Help Breast Cancer Patients

FEBRUARY 5, 2010
ROCHESTER, NY

The 4th Annual Ladies Paddle Tournament to benefit Sustain-Inspire-Survive (SIS) took place in Rochester, NY, on January 23rd. Play started at 10:00 a.m. with finals at 4:00 p.m. The action was followed by a party with a giant Chinese auction, which included great items like a hotel & spa package, 3 nights in Bermuda, sports tickets and much more.

The tournament raises money for women struggling financially while undergoing treatment for breast cancer. SIS was founded in 2005 by breast cancer survivor Andrea Caruso. It is a local, grassroots organization, so participants know that all the money raised goes to work in Rochester, and contributions for the tournament and auction come from all corners of the city. For more informaiton, please visit the SIS web site at www.helpsis.org.

In 2006, 37 teams played. This year there were 96 teams, and the tourney raised over $17,000. That is a huge turnout! To give a little perspective on this, most women’s tournaments run 32 team draws, with only the largest few getting to a 64 draw or above. Even charity events rarely pull in those numbers.

This tournament is one of a large and growing group of benefit tournaments held across the country each year. Fund raisers have proven to be an effective way to combine the love of the sport with an outpouring of generosity. The people running them are passionate and dedicated volunteers.

Thanks go to the many participating clubs, including the Tennis Club of Rochester, Locust Hill, Midtown Athletic Club, Monroe Country Club, Shadow Lake, Oak Hill, Country Club of Rochester, Genesee Valley Club, Midvale, and Irondequoit Country Club.

The tournament couldn’t be what it is without the hard work of the tournament committee of Lisa Abbott, Keegan Brown, Lisa Hayes, Carrie Irvine, Mary Ann Lester, Steve Pike, and many other volunteers.

Additional Photographs - taken by Kathe Kilmer

2010 S.I.S. Ladies Paddle Tournament Slide Show - Slides Courtesy of Tournament Organizers