She stumbled on the project in 1995 just after her husband, Marion Barry, was elected to his fourth term as mayor. At first, she formed a committee to improve existing recreation centers and buy equipment. Then the Recreation Wish List Committee set out to raise money for the tennis and learning center. Barry dismisses criticism that the center has more to do with cosmetic improvement than substantive change. This is a lifesaver.
Survival requires options to getting into trouble.
We want to provide them with exposure. For 25 years, Maurice Patterson has been trying to expose youths to tennis. He's the president of the Mid-Eastern Tennis Association and helps with Tennis at Shiloh, a summer program sponsored by Shiloh Baptist Church. Patterson said many programs, especially those with limited resources, shut down during the winter because they don't have money to pay fees to play and practice on indoor courts. Recreation officials said the children will be able to play free at the new Southeast center, with some courts reserved for organized teams and others available on a first-come basis.