Lauren Dalton received the mentor of the year Award at Western Connecticut State University March 27 for her work as executive director of the Grassroots Tennis Program in Danbury.
Students in the program and their families came to the award ceremony and packed the auditorium. The children learn tennis, have homework help and other tutoring in a comprehensive free, daily after school program.
Here she is in a picture, on the left front, with the children. On the right is her husband, Dr. Carl Bailey, who co-founded the program.
Professor Darla Shaw, who organized the award, has connected the tennis teams at the university with Grassroots Tennis, so the children can use the university courts when they are not in use. They also will practice with tennis team members.