Sarasota County Croquet Club Inc

THE CORPORATION IS ORGANIZED EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING FOR SUCH PURPOSES, (I) THE MAKING OF DISTRIBUTIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT QUALIFY AS EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS UNDER SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, OR THE CORRESPONDING SECTION OF ANY FUTURE FEDERAL TAX CODE; (II) PROMOTING INTEREST IN, STIMULATING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF, AND TEACHING THE SPORT OF CROQUET; AND (III) PROMOTING A HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH WE SERVE.

THE CLUB'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE IS THE PROMOTION OF THE SPORT OF CROQUET. SARASOTA COUNTY CROQUET CLUB (SCCC) OPERATES ON SIX CROQUET COURTS THAT WE USE 365 DAYS A YEAR, WEATHER PERMITTING, FROM DAWN TO DUSK. THE CLUB PROVIDES FREE COACHING AND INSTRUCTION BY VOLUNTEERS TO EVERYONE IN THE CLUB. WE GIVE FREE INTRODUCTORY CLINICS EVERY TUESDAY AND SUNDAY TO WHICH THE PUBLIC IS INVITED AT NO CHARGE. AT THESE CLINICS, THE CLUB PROVIDES ALL EQUIPMENT INCLUDING MALLETS, BALLS, CLIPS, ETC. IN ADDITION TO FREE INSTRUCTION. VISITORS CAN COME TWO TIMES BEFORE THEY ARE EXPECTED TO JOIN.CROQUET PROVIDES A MEANS OF EXERCISE TO SENIORS WHO CAN NO LONGER PARTICIPATE IN MORE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES SUCH AS TENNIS OR GOLF. THE AVERAGE AGE OF OUR MEMBERSHIP IS OVER SIXTY-FIVE AND WE HAVE A FEW ACTIVE MEMBERS OVER NINETY. WE TOOK A RECENT SURVEY AND FOUND THAT HALF OUR MEMBERS, INCLUDING FOUR FROM ENGLAND, CAME TO SARASOTA COUNTY BECAUSE OF OUR CLUB AND COURTS. MANY OF OUR CURRENT MEMBERSHAVE PURCHASED HOMES AND RELOCATED HERE. WE ARE THE LARGEST PUBLIC CLUB IN THE COUNTRY, IN THE SIZE OF OUR MEMBERSHIP AND HAVE SOME OF THE BEST MAINTAINED CROQUET LAWNS IN THE COUNTRY THANKS TO OUR OUTSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH SARASOTA COUNTY.THIS FISCAL YEAR, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE SCHEDULED WEEKLY ACTIVITIES HAPPENING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, THE CLUB HOSTED TWELVE TOURNAMENTS. THESE INCLUDED TOURNAMENTS IN THE THREE DIFFERENT GAMES THAT ARE PLAYED HERE (GOLF CROQUET, AMERICAN SIX WICKET, AND ASSOCIATION LAWS CROQUET). THERE WERE SINGLES AND DOUBLES FORMATS, CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND INVITATIONALS WHERE PLAYERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND OUTSIDE THE US PARTICIPATED. WE HOSTED THE FLORIDA REGIONAL GOLF CROQUET CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND THE GOLF CROQUET SELECTION 8'S, A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN GOLF CROQUET WHICH BROUGHT PLAYERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO VENICE FOR A WEEK OF HIGH-LEVEL COMPETITION.TO FURTHER PROMOTE THE SPORT, WE OPENED THE CLUB TO GROUPS OF NON-MEMBERS TO PLAY FOR A "DAY OF CROQUET" ON OUR COURTS USING OUR EQUIPMENT AND MEMBERS SUPERVISED AND PROVIDED INSTRUCTION TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THE GAME.OUR CLUB IS GROWING RAPIDLY AND NOW HAS OVER THREE HUNDRED MEMBERS. WITH SO MANY PEOPLE PLAYING WE HAVE OUTGROWN THE SIX COURTS WE HAVE AND HAVE EMBARKED ON AN EXPANSION PLAN WITH FOUR GOALS IN MIND:1. PROVIDE MORE SHADE FOR OUR ELDERLY MEMBERS2. PROVIDE ONSITE RESTROOMS ESPECIALLY FOR ELDERLY MEMBERS WHO CANNOT TRAVEL A LONG DISTANCE TO A RESTROOM. 3. BUILD MORE COURTS TO ACCOMMODATE OUR RAPIDLY INCREASING MEMBERSHIP4. BUILD A LARGER CLUBHOUSE TO ACCOMMODATE OUR MEMBERSHIP WHICH IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE GROWING. PART OF THIS GROWTH IS A GROWING INTEREST IN THE SPORT. BUT ANOTHER PART OF THE GROWTH HAS BEEN THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE LOCAL POPULATION. AS MORE PEOPLE MOVE INTO THE AREA AROUND OUR CLUB, THERE IS A GROWING INTEREST IN MEMBERSHIP.