Experience Prevails At Juneteenth Tennis Exhibition

(From left) Aliya Larzeia, Adia Larzeia, Gemeral Berry, Jr. and Rev. James Minor played in Camp Wisdom UMC’s Juneteenth Tennis Exhibition.

New event served as fundraiser for Camp Wisdom UMC’s youth ministries

Barbecue is typically the way many celebrate Juneteenth. But this year, family and friends also were able to attend Camp Wisdom UMC’s Juneteenth Tennis Exhibition, which took place at Kiest Tennis Center in Dallas.

The inaugural event featured a doubles match pitting Adia and Aliya Larzeia – sisters who won a district championship this year for Carter High School – against Gemeral Berry, Jr. and Rev. James Minor, who served as Camp Wisdom’s pastor before his retirement.

The match, which was attended by about 30 people and served as a fundraiser for the church’s youth ministries, was billed as “New School” verses “Old School.” This time, experience won out in a 6-0, 6-0 victory for Berry and Minor.

“It was a wonderful event,” said Rev. Lesta Anderson, pastor at Camp Wisdom UMC. “I thought the idea for these two teams playing was truly a different way for us to celebrate our heritage. Plus, it just so happened to be the day the country recognized it as a national holiday.”

On June 17, President Joe Biden signed into law that Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19.

“We didn’t know the law would be passed,” said Berry, who serves as the church’s finance chair. “But perhaps this means that Dallas is the first city in the country to hold a Juneteenth tennis exhibition. Isn’t that something?”

Published: Wednesday, July 7, 2021