It was an international partnership that brought this project to Yonkers. The Yonkers-East Yonkers Rotary Club endorsed Pete Spano’s idea in early 2015, and along with support from local Rotary District 7230 and a South Korean Rotary Club and their District, received approval for a Rotary International Foundation Global Grant - making the Rotary Organization the largest single donor towards this project. .Leonard Spano, executive director at the Westchester School for Special Children, joined the partnership, seeing the need for these refurbished courts in the community. Mayor Spano, along with the departments of public works, planning and development, and parks and recreation, as well as the Yonkers Community Agency Development Board, approved the removal of the current court – which was in poor shape – put new asphalt over the court and made other improvements in the park.
This entire partnership - which took 4 years from concept to implementation - highlights Rotary's vision - “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”