Barbecues & Butter Tarts

The Aldershot Tennis Club is well-known as a tight-knit community. It operates as a true cooperative, with programs and events organized and managed by a significant number of key volunteers – each of whom is well supported by the club members. On a day-by-day, week-by- week basis, most of that activity revolves around regular games : groups organized for doubles play designed to accommodate many players of similar playing level.

To make sure those groups don’t become silos, the club also has periodic social events. They’re carefully designed to make it comfortable and easy for club members to gather together and mingle with those whom they wouldn’t meet in their playing groups.

As often happens with community clubs, a variety of formats and schedules were tried until one was found that brought consistent success. That time period is midday on Saturday, after the regular men’s doubles games – roughly 11am to 2pm. The formula includes activities on court combined with socializing in the clubhouse. The on-court portion is generally round-robin doubles on a timed rotation basis, often with a session of fun drills led by the club pros. The clubhouse portion centres on food and beverage – something fairly simple yet appealing. Extra features are added to encourage conversation and ease the social interactions.

The key to all this is a theme each time. To start, the theme prompts creation of a poster to announce and promote the event. Then the social team put their heads together to see how the theme can drive the choice of food, a color scheme and decorations, some easy games (such as a puzzle or quiz, along with a prize) and perhaps some costume suggestions. Everything is done on a tight budget, just enough to make it fun without becoming overly elaborate or onerous.

The recent Barbecue & Butter Tarts event was designed as a wrap-up for the summer season. Andrea Jackson volunteered to set up a photo booth, something that hadn’t been done before. The great weather made for perfect conditions in the space between the clubhouse and the courts, and grillmaster Ralph Martinello made sure there were satisfied customers around the picnic tables.

For at least ten years, the guiding hand for those events has been that of Anne Luxon. Anne’s imagination finds inspiration for themes everywhere, with lots of help from a team of helpers. Florina Allega (posters), Carol Victor (photos) and Carolyn Petrie are key, but all are quick to deflect credit to other hands that step up on the day as well as all the members who make it worthwhile by participating.

In recent times, they’ve been building a photo montage which fills a club bulletin board until the next event. It’s a reminder of the good times, and also encourages members to make a point of attending.

Club president Alfredo Duque was delighted to present Anne with the OTA Bruce Childs Award, as a gesture of appreciation from the board and the membership. Anne insists that it belongs to everyone at the club, and she has a point. The joy of tennis is all about community. At Aldershot TC, joy and community are present every day, then celebrated on Saturday afternoons throughout the year. As Anne was heard to say : Who doesn’t like butter tarts!

The last word goes to some of Anne’s fellow club-members. It’s no surprise that the fan club is extensive :

• A more deserving person truly can’t be found – this is such a well-deserved accolade for our Anne! Anne is incredibly friendly, always greeting everyone she sees at the club or on the courts with warmth and positivity. She has a natural talent for drawing people in and encouraging them to join social events, often just through her genuine conversations and contagious enthusiasm.

• Since Anne began leading the Aldershot Socials, we’ve seen them grow significantly in both size and spirit. She’s not only super organized and creative, but also brings such infectious energy to everything she does. Her themed events and fun ideas add something special to every gathering, making each one more engaging and memorable.

• She’s more than a party girl : she’s a “bring-people-together” girl! Anne builds community in the best way possible, and the impact she’s had on the club is something truly worth celebrating.

• Anne’s personality is infectious! She goes out of her way to meet and greet new members, making sure they are enjoying being a member of ATC and introducing them to players she thinks would be a good fit for leagues or groups. She’s the co-convener of the Tuesday morning round robin and does more than her fair share to make sure it’s successful and fun! I don’t know what we’d do without her.

• Anne is a great leader. Her ability to gather a team around her makes for great community spirit at ATC. She is collaborative, co-operative, creative and committed – a great communicator too. It’s lots of fun working with her!

• And from the board of directors : Our very own Anne Luxon has been awarded a Bruce Childs Award from the OTA! Anne has been our social lead for many years, guiding a team of eager volunteers who ensure our social events are truly appreciated by all members. Her hard work, creativity, and dedication ensure that every participating member has a great experience, second to none. We are grateful to Anne for her outstanding leadership!