Rick Rinkoff & Julia Ferguson
Give Lead Gift For Capital Campaign

The Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center (affectionately known as The Fort) is pleased to announce that Board President Rick Rinkoff and his wife Julia Ferguson of St. Paul, Minn., have provided a lead gift of $156,380 towards the $1.7 million FORTify Our Future Capital Campaign. The Fort will name its lobby area after Mr. Rinkoff and Ms. Ferguson upon completion of the project.

The FORTify Our Future Campaign will finance the required capital improvements necessary to renew its lease with the City of Minneapolis, including replacing its two tennis domes, resurfacing and adding a ninth court, installing air conditioning and new lighting in both domes, expanding the parking facilities and constructing a new walkway between the front and back domes. These improvements will “FORTify Our Future” for years to come and support The Fort’s ever-growing TennisWorks program – its youth tennis & life skills continuum for under-resourced students in grades 3-12 in the Twin Cities.

“People usually have a few organizations they are passionate about – places they feel a part of, genuinely believe in and are willing to give of their time, talent and treasure – because they would be poorer if that organization ceased to exist,” Rinkoff, who is also serving as the co-chair of the Capital Campaign, said. The Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center is that organization for us.

“As we got to know the coaches, staff and other players, we felt a connection that is hard to put into words. Then we saw the TennisWorks program, and the impact that it is having on these kids’ lives. We can see on a daily basis how The Fort is living up to its mission of bringing people together of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to embrace the lifetime sport of tennis while serving kids from under-resourced communities.”

“We are so grateful for the more-than-generous gift that Rick and Julia have given to The Fort to kick off the Capital Campaign,” Esther Tsai, Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center Executive Director, said. “It shows that people believe we are making a difference in the lives of those who we touch on a daily basis. Words cannot express how much this gift means to the future of The Fort.”

For more information about the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center’s FORTify Our Future Capital Campaign, including renderings of the front dome, or to make a donation, please visit www.fwtec.org/capital-campaign.