2017 CALTA Luncheon Photo Album

In March, all 1,024 CALTA members received an invitation
to our season-end luncheon celebration on May 09.
640 accepted!!


On the day before the big event, our Board members
spent the day setting up at Omar Auditorium.
It's always a challenging task to transform
that large space -- which starts out rather barren ...


It was a long WORK day!
              

As always, it was inspiring to watch the designers
from Loluma as they worked their way around
our Board ladies who were setting up the team tables.



By the end of the day
Loluma's impressive ceiling decor was complete ....



      ... and all the team tables were ready.
At the center of each team table was a large colorful bag --
a gift for the team captain.

Inside the bag was a drawstring sportpack containing
a 3-section trunk organizer with removable center cooler section --
useful for keeping tennis items (and other necessities of life)
from rolling around in the trunk!


As this photo album was being posted, we were receiving comments
from captains about how useful they find this gift.
Kyla sent a photo of her newly-organized trunk ...

... and said her son is happily using the sportpack!


At each place setting was a "welcome card" with information
on the timing of the fundraiser -- and, on the back, a list of the 66 young ladies
who had received awards in CALTA's 2016 Junior Recognition Program.

Also at each place setting was a member gift in a striped mini bag --
a CALTA "netcheck" tape measure inside an organza bag ...
also very useful off the court!

 
On each table was a bag of gifts for members
who could not attend the luncheon. 
The captains were asked to make sure
that every team member receives one!


While the team tables and food tables were being decorated,
the fundraiser display tables had been set up ...

There were 14 tables full of very appealing items ...

 





     ... plus some large items and plants
that were displayed to the sides of the stage ...

               

Each of CALTA's 58 teams had donated at least one item ...
all for the benefit of CALTA's Junior Recognition Program.
Combined with those from individual contributors,
there were 125 items ...
way too many to show all of them, but here's a sampling ...
THANK YOU to all our contributors!

         
            

Jewelry items are always very popular ...
             

                 

        

         

       

     

One table was laden with lesson certificates
generously donated by our local pros ...


When the Board returned early the next morning,
the crew from Duvall Events was getting organized ....


... they are a fabulous company ... no detail overlooked!

The Board had set up a table for each team. 
We are fortunate that, at Omar,
we are able to set up tables to accommodate
teams of any size at one table.
The team tables ranged in size from cozy rounds for 8 or 9 ladies
to a very large table for 21 (the Pearls!) --
and there was a 28-player table for the three Daniel Island teams
who requested to celebrate together!


     
Lynn was preparing to sell fundraiser tickets ...

The doors opened -- officially -- at 10:30.
It's a long tradition for Pamela and Linda to celebrate
the official start with mimosas from the cash bar!


It was a very large crowd (a record attendance!) -- but arrival
went smoothly with the assistance of four Mt. Pleasant
police officers who directed parking in Omar's spacious lot.

As the ladies entered the lobby, they were met
at the door by our official greeting crew ...
                
... who directed them to the welcome tables in the lobby,
organized by Board member Cheryl.
   
Thank you to the door greeters and "welcome table" ladies ...
   
   

Before entering the auditorium, the ladies passed
the "Take One" table in the lobby -- under our
"welcome" banner listing the tennis centers participating in CALTA.
This year's "take one" items were
CALTA manicure sets (our member gift from 2016).

They disappeared VERY quickly -- an advantage of arriving early!
And for those who still have their
CALTA digital watch (our 2010 member gift),
it was an opportunity to pick up a replacement battery.



The room filled quickly and the CALTA spirit was
very much in evidence
as the ladies made their way to the ticket desk
in front of the stage to buy their fundraiser tickets.


There was a supply of CALTA pens for ticket buyers
to write their names on the tickets ...

 
     
Before the food was served, the ladies had an hour
to socialize and to review the fundraiser displays.
As in the past, it was a difficult choice with so many items ...
The ladies resolved that by purchasing tickets
totalling $12,025, the highest in CALTA's history --
all for the benefit of junior girls in our local area. 
(An additional $3,000 will be contributed to the fund
for the Junior Program
from our 2017-2018 annual dues.)


   
   

The cash bar, set up by Harbor Breeze Restaurant was,
as always
, a popular spot!

(We resolved last year's issues of congestion on the way
to the cash bar and a
wait-line there by changing the
location of the bar and adding a fourth bartender ...
all seemed to go smoothly this year.)

Once again, mimosas were the most popular choice!

 

In addition to the cash bar, there was a station for
complimentary sodas and iced tea ...


Next to the iced tea station was one of the two boards
of "thank you" notes
(a few of the many received from
the 2016 Junior Program recipients)
creatively displayed by Div. 4 coordinator Judy.


The buffets opened at 11:45.
Created and served by Duvall Events
(our sixth year with this wonderful company),
the menu again provided something for every taste.


There were identical two-line buffets on each side of the room --
with a salad bar, tea sandwiches, potato salad, shrimp salad,
chicken salad, grilled vegetables with herbed feta sauce,
and a deli selection of sliced meats and cheeses with rolls.


  
The Board has been hearing rave reviews of the grilled vegetables ...
a tribute to Duvall that they can produce such delicious vegetables
in the quantity required for our group!!!


 
    
     
 

The tea sandwiches are always a favorite!


In the center aisle of the room were two
cold soups,
vichyssoise and gazpacho -- both very popular ...

... a selection of fresh fruit with yogurt dip and
house-made granola -- and
delicious desserts.  
As expected, many ladies headed for those first!

    
    

As always with Duvall, the presentation was elegant and
the service attentive.


Even with our large crowd, it didn't take long for everyone to be served ...  





Some teams took the opportunity to take photos ...

   









 

 





At 12:30, as the ladies finished eating,
Linda introduced the Board members
...

...and asked the division coordinators to come up
to announce the winning teams in their divisions.


As the coordinators were announcing the winning teams,
one of the ladies (on a winning team!) posted this photo on Facebook
with the caption "What a great end to a fun tennis season in Charleston!"



A tall glitzy "Winner" sign above a table indicated a team that
had placed in the top three in its division.
On the table of each of those teams was a see-through bag
containing an award for each team member --
a two-sided racquet-shaped acrylic bag tag ...
great for bragging rights all though the year!


   


Congratulations to the 2016-2017 winning teams!!

Division 1 - L-T-P 1, St. Andrews 1, Mt. Pleasant Rec
Division 2 - Legend Oaks, Snee Farm, Citadel 1

Division 3 - Park West 1, Mt. Pleasant Rec, Dunes West 1
Division 4 - L-T-P, Daniel Island, Wild Dunes 2
    Division 5 - Family Circle 1, Country Club, Snee Farm


(If you're a winning team and your photo is
not included below, please send by e-mail.)

Division 1 - L-T-P 1   


Division 1 - St. Andrews 1


Division 1 - Mt. Pleasant Rec


Division 2 - Legend Oaks


Division 2 - Snee Farm


Division 3 - Dunes West 1


Division 4 - L-T-P


Division 4 - Daniel Island


Division 5 - Family Circle 1


Division 5 - Country Club


Division 5 - Snee Farm


After the recognition of the winning teams,
it was time to learn the winners of the 125 raffle items!
Associated with each item was a numbered bag
for the ladies to put their tickets.
The Board raffle crew mixed up (very thoroughly!!)
the tickets inside each bag, drew a ticket,
clipped the winning name onto each bag and brought the bags
to the stage for the announcement of the winners.


Everyone listened for her name to be called ...
Amazing how quiet 640 women can be
when there's anticipation of a raffle item win!




Pamela  has designed a very efficient system ... with Cheryl's
announcing help and the volunteer "runners", the winners
of the 125 items were announced in just half an hour! 
 


Here are some of the happy winners ...

                  
                
       

      
             
                   

            
         

         

                   
             

           

        
           

                    
Once again the big winners are the many young ladies
who will receive awards from

CALTA's 2017 Junior Recognition Program.

The CALTA Board thanks everyone who helped to make
this year's season and luncheon a great success.  
See y'all on the court in August!!
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