By Kirman Taylor

This year on Aug. 5-7 the 11th Annual Lopez Open Tennis Tournament is open to anyone and is held at the public courts south of the Lopez School on Center Road.

This year’s events include singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Awards for winners will be custom cups made by Lopez artist Nancy Bingham.

Last year’s event featured one men’s doubles match with two 60 somethings, playing twelve-year-old twins.   Applications to enter are at www.LICTA.org or by calling 468-2789.

Lopez Island Community Tennis Association was formed in the mid-1990’s in order to provide quality tennis on hard courts built with community donations and a grant from the Recreation Department of the state of Washington.

LICTA currently maintains the court and promotes tennis on Lopez.

Funding for LICTA comes from membership dues and donations.

The courts are open to everyone and you do not have to be a member to use them.

LICTA hopes that our community will support this wonderful asset regardless of whether one uses it or not.  Check out the web site at www.licta.org.

This summer, the Family Resource Center offered tennis lessons to children again.  Christie Driskell has retired from teaching children’s classes and it has been taken over by Steven Lloyd-Moffett.

It’s a great opportunity to help youngsters become familiar with a popular sport that can be played for a lifetime.

LICTA offers regular tennis opportunities for women on Friday mornings as well as men’s doubles on Tuesday afternoons.

There is a ball machine available to members.

Anyone interested can contact Kirman Taylor at 468-2474 for information about playing opportunities.

The annual LICTA general membership meeting is on July 28 at the tennis courts at 6:30 p.m.

It will be preceded by a potluck at 6 p.m. and members and those interested in joining are welcome.