Tennis tournament organized by local teens raises $12,500 to raise awareness for mental health

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Local teens donated $12,500 to the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Wilmington following a tennis tournament fundraiser.

Kris Foster and her tennis doubles partner, Helen Bennington, hosted the tournament for the International Baccalaureate Program at Hoggard High School and to raise money for NAMI.

They presented the $12,500 check to NAMI Wilmington President Doug Engleman on Friday, March 10. He says he was blown away by the donation, which makes up about a quarter of the group’s budget.

“We got a lot of support from just a lot of caring, loving people, and it just really makes you realize that the whole community is coming together for such a big cause and it’s such an amazing thing, but I really didn’t think we were going to get this much money so just seeing it on the check is such a heartwarming feeling,” Foster said.

Following the tournament’s success, they expressed interest in potentially doing another tournament fundraiser in the future.

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