BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. — A group in Batesburg-Leesville that began with a hobby in common spent Saturday giving back to the local senior community.
Earlier this year, a new Batesburg-Leesville Racquet Community group was formed. On Saturday, members of the group practiced and spent time decorating old tennis balls for the local senior center.
Coach and founder Mike Bothwell said they started the community service project a week earlier and that they have already dropped off well over 50 tennis balls. The local senior center will now be able to put these decorated tennis balls on their walkers and on the legs of folding chairs and tables to avoid marks on the floor.
Bothwell said the reaction from the kids decorating has been heartwarming.
"It's fun to watch them. They're having a good time; their creativity's coming out, and I have lots of tennis balls. We go through a lot of them. And it's just a great way, rather than throwing them out, we found a good use for them," Bothwell said.
Caroline Hillebrant, a tennis parent who takes lessons herself, said she loves that her kids get to help local seniors.
"He thought it would be a great idea and entertaining for the kids to color and also just another way of bringing purpose to the club and showing, bringing purpose to the club, to the community," Hillebrant said. "Kids don't often think about those kind of people, and so I really enjoyed having my kids think about that."
Bothwell said the group is open to anyone six years old and up. Anyone interested in learning more about the group's community service projects can visit their website.
