Just a few months after Hurricane Ian wiped out much of Sanibel Island, Toni Halski, owner of Beachview Tennis Club, reopened his courts. For the on island tennis community, this meant more than just being able to play tennis again. “The Beachview tennis courts turned into a sanctuary for us,” said island resident, Laura DeBruce. “In the midst of cleaning up our houses, rebuilding our businesses, and generally working to recover our island, Toni gave us a place where we could experience normalcy again.” It didn’t matter that there was still debris on the roads or that trucks were occasionally hauling random items from the water bodies behind the courts. “Being able to meet friends and play tennis was an extraordinary gift.”
DeBruce and her husband, Jeff Blackman, are the owners Sanibel Carts, which in the past has been one of the many sponsors of the SCCF Tennis Tournament at the Beachview Tennis Club. “Sanibel Carts was wiped out completely by Hurricane Ian,” said Blackman, “but we have started over again, and we’re trying to help rebuild our community. We can’t give as much this year as we did in the past, but we are happy we can still contribute. We’re also going to be participating in the tournament. Our son, Luke, is even flying down from Atlanta to defend our Men’s doubles title.”
“We have long been supporters of SCCF,” DeBruce added, “and I am proud to sit on their Board of Directors. Supporting the tournament is a win-win even without any victories on the tennis court. Although, of course, we hope for those, too.”
