RAIN CAN'T DAMPEN THE FUN AND GENEROSITY

By: Tom Guyette

The First Annual Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Speed Croquet Tournament was held May 6, 2023, at the Lafayette Reservoir. The bad news - the intermittent inclement weather kept many folks away. The good news - those of us who did come out had a fantastic time. The croquet players ranged in age from three to – it’s not polite to ask – and all competed with fortitude and good humor. 

Rule No. 1 ("Have fun!") was strictly adhered to. The rules of croquet were strictly . . . approximated. Each team of six had to make it from one end of the croquet field to the other in the least amount of time. The top teams had a play-off to determine the winners of the coveted gold medals.

When the dust had settled, Team Mad Hatter, consisting of the Wilkinson-Textor family and whatever ringers they could round up, took the top honors.

But everyone was a winner. The rain that fell immediately before and immediately after the event held off throughout the tourney. The event was continuously punctuated by cheers, laughter, creative interpretations of the alleged rules of croquet, and a shared sense of a day well spent.

Wrapping up the day was the Magic of Cosmo. Perhaps his greatest feat of magic was the grace and facility with which he blended his illusions, the spirit of Rotary, a message ("Be wonderful, not perfect") that is important for the self-esteem of everyone, but especially for the self-esteem of the Middle School students who will benefit from the $650 funds raised.

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