A Message from the Board of Directors

Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons, Inc.

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a letter of explanation to those concerned about the future of KAPTA-PAL.

KAPTA-PAL was a private organization founded by Deputy Ira Peskowitz that worked in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office in providing tennis and character building programs for at-risk children. As the organization grew, Deputy Peskowitz realized he would need more support. In January of 2012, he asked the Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons if they would be interested in partnering with KAPTA-PAL.

Since 1993, the Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons, a not-for-profit 501 (c)3 organization, has been providing tennis and character building programs to under-served children in Palm Beach County. The Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons is the oldest USTA, Community Tennis Association in Palm Beach County. The Tennis Patrons agreed to partner with KAPTA-PAL and "KAPTA-PAL" became a registered fictitious name for the programs operated by the Tennis Patrons.

Our mission statement as the Tennis Patrons/KAPTA-PAL was "to strive to positively impact the lives of young people in Palm Beach County by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of tennis."

When he approached the Tennis Patrons, Deputy Peskowitz was assigned to the Community Services Division of the PBSO. The Tennis Patrons agreed to partner with KAPTA-PAL because they believed Deputy Peskowitz represented the PBSO, not just himself. Then, just over a month ago, Deputy Peskowitz transferred to another division within PBSO. All Police Athletic League programs, however, are operated under the Community Services Division. With his transfer to a different division, as we understand it, Deputy Peskowitz could not continue to be a part of the KAPTA-PAL – Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office partnership. As a nonprofit, the Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons is obligated to do what is in the best interest of the organization. With that in mind, we have decided that the Tennis Patrons/KAPTA-PAL program can no longer be affiliated with Deputy Peskowitz.

According to the PBSO, Deputy Peskowitz may create and participate in any community service programs on his own time as long as he does not represent himself as a law enforcement officer or give the impression that his program is affiliated with the PBSO.

The Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons is currently in the process of deciding whether to operate programs under the name and acronym "KAPTA" or "KAPTA-PAL." The Tennis Patrons is not currently operating any program under those names. Accordingly, please be aware that any program operating under those names is no longer affiliated with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office or The Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons and may be improperly using the name.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and the USTA's National Junior Tennis and Learning program endorses and is in full support of the Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons and their programs.

It is with great disappointment that the Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons has had to discontinue this program for the time being. We offer our sincere apologies to both the children in the program and their parents. There is a possibility that we will partner with another program over the next couple months and if that occurs, we will contact you and give you all the details. The concept of this program is to help children not only learn the game of tennis but to mentor and educate them on how to become honorable leaders in their communities. The Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons will always be supportive of this type of program and we hope in the near future that we can again create programs that accomplish what this program was meant to achieve which is to make a positive impact in the lives of at risk kids in Palm Beach County.

Sincerely,