Serving
Up smiles
Eduardo sanchez and Eva stimson,
Activists for children’s tennis
by katherine Drazen
D
etermined to Each year, Sanchez
transform the lives and Stimson coordinate a
of children in the two-day fundraising Pro-Am
small town of Tecate, Mex- tournament to support the
ico, two tennis enthusiasts center. They invite players,
from opposite ends of the who pay an entry donation,
continent joined forces to to compete against teach-
build the Sean Eduardo ing tennis professionals that
Tennis Center (SES). In arrive from cities through-
2005, Eduardo Sanchez out the United States and
and Eva Stimson dedicated Mexico. The popular event
the center that provides is run entirely by volunteers
children with access to and includes a dinner with
free tennis lessons, tennis silent and live auctions the
equipment and tournament evening before the tourna-
transportation to cross- ment.
border events in Mexico Sanchez says that
and the United States. Stimson has been an
A native of Tecate,
Eva Stimson and Eduardo Sanchez with a few of their students
invaluable partner. “I
Sanchez worked as a bell- met Eva during the final
man in a prestigious local resort before becoming the head construction phase of the original two tennis courts, and she
tennis professional at Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in quickly realized there would be a need for ongoing financial
Rancho Santa Fe, California. The loss of his first-born child, support,” he notes. “She jumped in, donated her services to
Sean Eduardo, at birth inspired Sanchez to build two tennis launch a cross-border public awareness campaign, and then
courts to honor his son’s memory. “I longed to provide the helped me create the annual Pro-Am.”
children of Tecate with a sports facility, something I never A portion of each year’s Pro-Am proceeds are donated
had when I was growing up,” Sanchez explains. “I want the to the Empty Cradle, in San Diego, a nonprofit peer sup-
spirit of my son to watch over all the other children who play port group that helps parents cope with the loss of an infant
here, enjoying the game.” before, during or after birth. The group was instrumental in
Stimson, who hails from the Midwest, competed in helping Sanchez and his wife overcome the pain of their own
tennis tournaments throughout her youth and established personal loss. Sanchez explains, “The Empty Cradle made
a marketing/communications company in 1991, with an such a difference for us, and giving back is important to help
emphasis on the nonprofit sector. She and Sanchez met via other couples through the process. Although we lost our
tennis and realized they shared a mutual passion for helping beloved son, the memory of him lives on at the tennis center
others. They forged a partnership that helped the thriving ten- that bears his name, and it is a happy place.”
nis center grow from two courts, with 250 children enrolled,
to four courts, with 500 children now taking lessons.
The SES Tennis Center is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organiza-
tion. Visit SESTennisCenter.org or call 858-832-8297.
natural awakenings March 2010 39
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48