TIF Teams Up with Pelican Marsh Couple to Bring Tennis to Town

Every Tuesday afternoon throughout the spring, the sound of tennis balls bouncing off the pavement would fill the air at the Immokalee Community Park.

This is because Jim and Sulbey Holt were in town.

The Holts, who live in the Naples community of Pelican Marsh, would make the hour-long drive to Immokalee every Tuesday afternoon to serve as coaches to 20 third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders at Immokalee’s Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA). Along with an exceptional cast of additional volunteers from Pelican Marsh, the Holts would oversee the students’ commute to the park before diving into drills and exercises meant to provide the children with the skills and knowledge to play the game.

And Holts didn’t simply donate their time. At the end of each session, they treated the entire crew to some celebratory ice cream.

By bringing their passion for the game of tennis to Immokalee, the Holts have exposed these children to a new and rewarding experience that will translate not simply to better athletic skills, but to improved personal traits such as confidence, tenacity, teamwork, and the desire to learn new things. In other words, the Holts — like all of our incredible volunteers — are leaving significant and valuable imprints on the lives of Immokalee’s children.