The spectacular eight-acre “Waterfalling Estate” in Ninole will host a cliffside exhibition of tennis on Feb. 8 to raise funds for the Richard and Ruth Matsuura Vulcan Tennis Endowed Scholarship.
The UH-Hilo Tennis team will put its skills to the test on the estate’s courts overlooking waterfalls and panoramic ocean vistas in a “best of five” world team tennis competition, said a release for the fundraiser.
The scholarship was named after the late state senator and his wife, a local pediatrician, in appreciation for their generous contributions to athletics and education on Hawai`i Island.
Sen. Matsuura was a key figure in Hawai`i politics during the 1980s and 1990s, helping to promote geothermal energy in Puna, and the Natural Energy Lab in West Hawai`i.
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The Matsuuras were key donors to the construction of the Haili Tennis Courts located at Hilo Intermediate School, and, according to UH-Hilo tennis coach Karl Sloss, were “instrumental” in supporting the university’s tennis program in recent years.
The late State Sen. Richard Matsuura, Dr. Ruth Matsuura, and children. Courtesy photo.
“This endowment will help us work toward a fully-funded future for Vulcan Tennis,” said Sloss, who is also a volunteer member of Hui Kako`o Kenika, a nonprofit organization that promotes tennis on the Big Island.
Though Sen. Matsuura died in 1997, Dr. Matsuura and her children continue to play an active role in the Hilo community.
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The fundraising event will be held from 3-6 p.m. Lito Arkangel is expected to perform and light pupus will be served.
Tickets are $25, and may be purchased in advance at the UH athletics ticket office or at the event. Call Karl Sloss for information, 842-922-7221.
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