The ALTA Foundation, which oversees ALTA’s charitable giving, has a new president. Linda Shepherd, who was elected last fall to serve as the 2018 Executive Committee representative, will succeed 2018 President Diane Barker, who died Jan. 19.
The Board of Directors chose Diana Burger to take Shepherd’s place as EC representative for 2018. Burger, who has held several other volunteer positions with ALTA, also served as co-chair for her neighborhood’s annual tennis fundraiser. With her help, The Falls of Autry Mill in Johns Creek, has raised tens of thousands of dollars for multiple charities. That experience dovetails with the mission of The ALTA Foundation.
Using member dues, the Board of Directors funds the foundation, which is responsible for evaluating applications and disbursing grants to tennis programs that enrich the community and serve special populations in Atlanta.“We are about winning the hearts and minds of the youth and special athletes in our ALTA community,” Shepherd said. “Actually, every ALTA member is helping, too, so congratulations!”
Programs supported by The ALTA Foundation include Georgia Special Olympics; Serve & Connect Community Engagement Program at Washington Park Tennis Center; KidsLuvTennis at Sandy Springs Tennis Center; Special Pops Tennis; wheelchair clinics at Blackburn Tennis Center; and the Georgia Wheelchair Championships in McDonough.
“The ALTA Foundation is eager to help as many organizations as we can,” Shepherd said. Organizations that would like to be considered for grants can find applications at altatennis.org.
The ALTA Foundation also administers the L. Keith Wood Scholarship Fund, which provides four $5,000 awards each year to high school seniors who played ALTA tennis as juniors or who participated on the Junior Challenge Ladder for at least one year.
