Charity Event Is An Ace

A little ingenuity can go a long way.

When tennis pro Ray Hugill decided he wanted to hold a fundraiser in Pacific Palisades, he told some friends, who told their friends and the wheels started turning.

That brainstorming and teamwork culminated in a charity tennis event July 19 at Riviera Country Club that raised over $8,000 for ACEing Autism, a program Richard Spurling founded in 2008 with his wife Shafali.

“I’m a tennis fanatic and I love seeing people have fun playing tennis,” said Hugill, who held a similar event seven months ago to  raise money for the Malibu Special Education Foundation. “If we can support worthy causes at the same time, even better.”

Hugill, the boys assistant coach  tennis coach at Palisades High, spearheaded the effort along with Kim Smither of the Wasserman Media Group and local players Lori Wilson and Jane DuBovy.

“My kids have volunteered at camps for special needs kids and I have a passion for kids as well,” said Wilson, who teaches reading intervention to first graders and was a language arts specialist at Marquez Elementary.

“Friday Night Lights” and “Parenthood” executive producer Jason Katims, whose family plays at the Palisades Recreation Center, underwrote the expense of the tournament, which featured 35 players, seven per court, in a randow draw in a spirited game called “King/Queen of the Court.”

DuBovy, a special education attorney, was the connecting piece between Hugill and Spurling.

“I have a son with autism and this [event] is something we all collaborated on to make it happen,” she said. “I encourage kids to play tennis because of the social interaction.”

Hugill was joined by teaching pros Kristie Gipe, Ron Booth, Jon Neeter and Cole Newman, who fed balls to the participants. Pali High and junior players Arvin Hedayaty, Jackson Novak, Bailey Joseph, Alex Swan, Morgan Swan, Selin Sindel, Sari Wilson, Evan Holland, Griffin Finck, Jared Fong, Peter Jebsen, Ben Goldberg and Lucas Bellamy received three hours of  community service for volunteering as ball boys and girls.

Spurling was most appreciative of the effort Hugill and his helpers put forth for his program, which provides recreational tennis programs to over 500 children with autism spectrum disorders across 30 locations in the United States.

“I can’t thank Ray, Lori, Jane and everyone enough for this great fundraiser,” Spurling said. “We’re the lucky beneficiaries.”

Wilson and DuBovy played in the tournament, which also included Palisades kickboxing champion Baxter Humby and Sensei Gerry Blanck, owner of Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center.

Tim and Lori Wilson donated four tickets to a Los Angeles Clippers game; Raubi Sundher donated 12 tickets to the Hollywood Wax Museum; Babolat donated three pairs of shoes and 12 tennis bags and Court Strength offered three free sessions of Live Ball.

Hugill is hoping to have another tennis fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness in October.