What an amazing evening of fun and fellowship October 12 at the first-ever Fred Wells FORTify Our Future Gala at the Hotel Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront. Thank you to everyone who attended and to all those who volunteered, making it a truly special evening with all proceeds benefiting the Capital Campaign! After tallying everything, we are proud to announce that we raised over $182,000 (after expenses), FAR exceeding our initial goal of $75,000! We are so grateful to all of you who gave your time, talent and treasure to make this event unforgettable!

Amazing Photos

Thank you to our amazing photographers Joachim Baecker and Yi Vang, who took photos on the red carpet and throughout the evening.

Red Carpet photos are available by clicking here. You can purchase high-res photos of all red carpet photos for $20/each by contacting Lisa Mushett at lisa@fwtec.org. Please send Lisa the photo number and the email address you would like it sent to. Other photos from this incredible event are available by clicking here.

Over $40,000 Raised In Support of Wells Family Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation Matching Gala Gift!

Thanks to a generous gift provided by the Wells Family Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation for the Gala, we raised over $40,000 in donations pre-and post-gala, far exceeding our matching gift goal of $15,000. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated to the matching gift and to the Wells Family Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation for agreeing to serve as a Donation Match Grand Slam Sponsor for the gala!

“We are so grateful once again for the continued support of the Wells family to The Fort and our Capital Campaign,” Esther Tsai, Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center Executive Director, said. “This wonderful gift is just another example of their tremendous commitment to what we are doing in keeping Fred’s dream alive.”

Gala Impact

All proceeds from the FORTify Our Future Gala will go toward the last phase of the Capital Campaign which includes:

· Mandatory replacement of air-supported dome over back courts

· New LED lighting in back dome

· Energy-efficient air conditioning

· Upgraded parking facilities with new lighting, security cameras and 28 additional parking spaces

· New sound systems in both domes

By making these mandatory improvements, the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center will be able to renew its lease with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board and continue providing tennis and life skills programming to the community and our TennisWorks after-school participants.