No tennis will be played on the courts at the Waxhaw-Marvin Swim and Tennis Club on Saturday, April 21.
But that doesn’t mean there won’t be any action going on at the club’s tennis facility. The 41-year old club is hosting a community garage sale/consignment sale along with Valhalla Farms and Sun Valley Children’s Sales on Saturday that is open to the public.
People can reserve “garage sale” spots on the tennis courts for a flat fee of $20. People can bring their own tables and they keep 100 percent of their sales. Clothing racks will be available for rent. Businesses are also encouraged to set up booths at the event.
The event runs from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. In addition to loads of bargains, coffee, donuts, hot dogs and burgers will be available. For more information on the garage sale or the club e-mail waxhawpool@gmail.com.
“What we are trying to do is bring more of the community together,” said Waxhaw-Marvin Swim and Tennis Club board president Joe Lapos. “We wanted to make our facility available to people to grow their business or give people who do not want to do a garage sale in their own yard a place to sell their wares. We want to create an atmosphere where people or businesses can make a little extra income.”
The club was founded in 1976 as the Valhalla Swim and Racquet Club but changed its name in 2015 in an effort to appeal to a broader segment in the booming Waxhaw-Weddington-Marvin area.
The club features an Olympic-sized swimming pool with all the amenities and three lighted tennis courts. Members are given a security code to the facilities to use at their own leisure.
The swimming pool is open from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. seven days a week. Swim lessons are also available.
“We’ve turned it into a community thing that is affordable,” Lapos said. “We are targeting a different type of audience. We are making it a community thing that is an affordable pool. I believe we are the cheapest pool in the area.”
Club membership is available to anyone in the Waxhaw, Marvin, Weddington and Wesley Chapel area that enjoys swimming and tennis. The club is overseen by a board of directors and is completely run by club volunteers. Lapos said there is a discounted dues rate for members that volunteer a set number of hours.
“One thing we have done to offset costs is to make it an all-volunteer run pool,” Lapos said. “Members can volunteer hours to get their costs down. We just did a major overhaul of the bathrooms and decks. We had people, families, husbands and wives come out and help and do everything they can to get that job completed.
“If you don’t want to participate, you just pay a little more money. But it is still pretty reasonable.”
Lapos said one of the strengths of the club is the family-oriented atmosphere. Yearly memberships range from $600 for a family, $300 for singles and seniors and $225 for a tennis only membership. A one-time initiation fee is also required.
“You can bring that ($600) down to $400 if you are a person like me that is on the board or on a committee,” Lapos said.
“We invite people to set up social groups within the pool,” Lapos said. “Like if somebody wanted to do a thing with a five-year-olds, they are welcome to advertise that and run it. We want to encourage people to do that type of thing.”
Outside groups are also welcome to rent out the facilities at the club.
