Mark Smith, left and Mike White represent two of five new sponsors lending support to the St. Johns Kiwanis annual Mint Festival Tennis Tournament. They responded to Marilyn Thelen’s solicitation to join three other new businesses lending their name to the event.
When participants in this year’s Kiwanis mint festival tennis tournament don their complimentary T-shirts, they will be flashing the ames of five new sponsors as they volley tennis balls across the net. Those names will be joined by seven returning business sponsors erving support to ensure another successful event.
Marilyn Thelen, Sponsor Chair, announced last week that new sponsorships included Farm Bureau Insurance, Postal Connections, Smith Funeral Home, Mancino’s and Drs. Chris Beal and Alyce Metoyer.
Returning from previous sponsorships are Big Boy Restaurant, Firstbank, Midstate Title, St. Johns Locale, Osgood Funeral Homes, Sparrow Clinton Hospital and Custom Embrodery.
Meanwhile, tournament chair Chris Bouck explained that applications have been mailed to former contestants and other known tennis players. Also, for the third year, sign ups may be completed on line at mmrn.org/tennis.
As in previous years, play will be best of three sets and tie breaks at six games all. Entries will be limited to 2 of 3 possible divisions. Singles divisions include Boys 12-14 and 15-18. The same age groups apply to the Girls division. Age groups for men are 19-34 and 35 over. Women’s division ages are the same, 19-34 and 35 over.
In the doubles division, Boys ages include 12-14 and 15-18. Girls ages also are 12-14 and 15-18. For both Men and Women one age group prevails, 19 over. Format will be 2 Matches with winner plaques in each division.
Schedule of play will be: Friday morning Aug. 12, All Juniors; afternoon, female doubles and male singles. Saturday; male doubles; female singles and mixed doubles. Sunday will wrap up doubles competition. Registration deadline for all divisions of play will be Wednesday August 3, 2011. Match times will be available by Aug. 10 on the web site or by calling the Tournament Director between 7 pm and 9 pm on Wednesday Aug. 10 or Thursday Aug. 11.
Registration fee for singles entries is $20 plus one (1) can of new tennis balls. Doubles entry fee is $30 per team plus two (2) cans of new tennis balls. for $4.00. All entrants, singles or doubles, will receive a commemorative T-shirt identifying the Kiwanis 2011 tennis tournament.
Registrations by mail should be completed, along with fee amount, and sent to Tournament Director Chris Bouck, 505 E. Higham St., St. Johns, MI 48879. (Ph: 989 224-1921)