(Washington, DC) – The Recreation Wish List Committee (RWLC) is pleased to announce that Founder and CEO Cora Masters Barry has been named a Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian for her steadfast dedication to bettering the lives of youth in and around the Washington area at the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center (SETLC). The RWLC was founded in 1995; and the SELTC was founded in 2001 through a partnership with the RWLC and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR).
Mrs. Barry is being recognized alongside other nationally recognized movers and shakers in the January 2014 issue of the Washingtonian, on newsstands now. She will be honored at a luncheon in the coming weeks. Additionally, the RWLC and Mrs. Barry were recently awarded the DC Chamber of Commerce 2013 Community Impact Award at the DC Chamber’s Annual Chamber Choice Awards.
“I am so grateful to have been named one of the ‘Washingtonians of the Year’ by Washingtonian Magazine and to have been recognized by the DC Chamber of Commerce,” said Mrs. Barry. “While the work we do is very important, I never expected such accolades because it all comes from the heart. I hope that this brings even more attention to the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center so that we can continue providing a level of excellence in our recreation and education programs. The RWLC and the work that is done at the SETLC has been touching lives since being founded and we are continuing to positively impacting the District’s youth everyday.”
This recognition of Mrs. Barry’s work from Washingtonian follows Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s recent announcement that an 18 million dollar renovation of the SETLC is set to take place and will be completed in late fall of 2014. The renovations will include a new tennis bubble with six indoor courts, six outdoor courts, a clay practice court, conditioning room and multi-purpose room, spectator seating, a tot lot and more.
“I would like to thank Washingtonian from the bottom of my heart for this great honor,” continued Mrs. Barry. “I share it with the dedicated staff, parents, volunteers, RWLC Board Members and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation. Everyone plays a part to make the work we do at the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center possible. With the upcoming renovations to the center, I am confident that this great work can continue for many years to come.”
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ABOUT THE RECREATION WISH LIST COMMITTEE (RWLC)
Founded in 1995 by former First Lady of DC, Cora Masters Barry, Recreation Wish List Committee (RWLC) is a non-profit working to improve the quality of recreational opportunities for underserved youths in the District. They have renovated and refurbished ball fields, tennis and basketball courts and provided computer labs all across the City—from the Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Ward 8 to the Chevy Chase Recreation Center in Ward 3. RWLC’s flagship project, started in 2001, is the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, a state-of-the-art tennis and learning facility that features a library, five classrooms, computer lab, fitness center and a community meeting room, all serving tens of thousands of local children over the past twelve years.
To learn more about the Recreation Wish List Committee or the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, visit the RWLC website at www.recreationwishlist.org, call (202) 678-7530 or email the RWLC at [email protected].
Contact: Kelly Swanson/Lisa Milner, Swanson Communications, 202-783-5500