Letter from Laury
Dear Members and Friends,
Some good news–WOO HOO! Our air structure is down and putaway until the fall. On Monday, April 27th the multistage process of re-opening the Salt Lake Tennis and Health Club begins as we welcome back our tennis members to play, train, and learn on our eight outdoor tennis courts. We will be sending out another email detailing our plans for the multistage process of a complete re-opening of our club–indoor courts, group exercise, and swimming and cafe. Also, more info about the new policies and procedures of playing tennis at the club during the Pandemic will be sent out tomorrow.
I want all of our members to know that my team is 100% committed to re-opening all facilities and programs and keeping the Salt Lake Tennis and Health Club the leading health and tennis club in Utah for many years to come. Without the support of our members and stakeholders, keeping this club whole would be an insurmountable challenge. I have been humbled and deeply appreciate the broad-based support our club has received from our members and community. Now more than ever having an attitude of gratitude is essential, so this email is filled with some BIG TIME thank you’s.
Most of you know that my family has been intimately connected to the Salt Lake Tennis and Health Club since 1957 when my father, Lee Hammel, became the club Manager and Tennis Professional. During his tenure he built the first swimming pool and grew the membership to a size that led to the building of a new club on the current site.
Seven years ago I purchased the club and I personally made a life-long “all-in” commitment to keep the more than a century long legacy alive for another century or more. Our team and our investors have completely transformed every aspect of our club so that it is once again the premier tennis club (and now health club too) in Utah.
I have invested my time, resources, and millions of dollars to rebuild our club, and the beautiful results speak for themselves. At the beginning of 2020, after many years of dedication and hard work, our team was poised to make the club a break-even proposition. Our membership was growing, our programs were packed, and we had assembled the best team in the business. We were on a roll. We had done what my father would often say, “Let’s get this show on the road!” Every day I know that none of this could have happened without the dedication and support of our staff, our members, our vendors, our investors, and our community. For your membership and patronage over the years I am forever grateful.
Then, out of nowhere, all of our worlds turned upside down and the Coronavirus Pandemic forced us to temporarily close our doors for the first time in 108 years. We were having our best year ever, and suddenly on March 18 our revenues dropped to zero. Fortunately, most of our members came to our aid and paid your monthly dues on April 1. Gratefully, this generosity enabled the club to pay bills related to overhead and meet the last payroll after the temporary suspension of operations.
One of the beautiful things about this terrible time we are all going through is that we are going through it together. Nearly every business in America is suffering major losses and challenges through no fault of their own. But as my 92-year old mother, Ruby reminds us, `It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.’ When we win this battle, and we will, the goodwill be the positive experiences and memories of how we helped others – and, how others came to our aid.
Our team members are big believers in the phrase `What goes around comes around.’ From the day I purchased our club, I have made every effort to offer a helping hand when people needed our assistance, and it has brought tears to our eyes to be vulnerable and now see our members and stakeholders come to our aid.
From the time I purchased our club, the Salt Lake Tennis and Health Club’s mission statement has been a north star for how we conduct our business and how we partner with our stakeholders: