b"Honoring aBeloved Daughter,Sister and FriendTennis tournament raises funds for epilepsy supportBY ELLEN DONKERLeft: Laura Holtz. Right: 2023 tournament winners L-R: Rjay Basco, Seth Manjos, Mark Bochner, Eric BochnerL auraHoltzstartedplayingtenniswith the same programs that a tennis club wouldment to Fight Epilepsy, Trinity and Gomez are earlier than most children. Her in- have. Brauchli liked his suggestion. In 1991 thehoping to beat last years total of $7,000. They troductiontothegamebeganinMaplewood Tennis Program began with TrinitynowdonatethefundstoEpilepsyServicesof 1983 at the age of 6 when her olderas the director of tennis. They subsequently hiredNew Jersey, a nonprofit dedicated to helping to sister, Christine, brought her to les- staff as the program became very successful.improve the quality of life for people affected by sons and told instructor John Trin- Holtz became one of the staff members, teach- epilepsy and their loved ones.ity, Ive got to keep an eye on myingchildrenslessonsandthesummertennisTragically, sister. Dont worry, shell just sit in the corner andcamp. Her involvement lasted through her firstGomezlosta be quiet. Trinity decided to find Laura a racketyear of college. Sadly, Holtz passed away in 1997second daugh-and let her join the lessons.at age 20 from complications relating to epilepsy,ter,Katie,to She was probably the youngest and longesta neurological disorder that causes seizures whenepilepsyin student weve ever had, because she started beforenerve cell activity in the brain is disrupted. 2017.Two youresupposedto,saysTrinity,aninstructorTwentyyearslater,in2017,Trinityhelpedofherfour from Maplewood Recreation. She took lessonsorganize a doubles tournament to honor Holtzsdaughtershad year after year. Then in high school, she startedmemory, raising about $1,200 and donating thethedisease. helping out.proceeds to the NJ Epilepsy Foundation.ShesaysKa-TrinityhasalonginvolvementwithMaple- When Noreen Gomez, Holtzs mother, heardtiesfirstsei-woodRecreation.Afterteachingtennisfortheabout the tournaments success, she became in- zure was at age town during college, he pitched an idea to then- volved, along with her family and friends, to in- 14andLau- John Trinity is one of the organiz-recreation director Roger Brauchli. He envisionedcreaseparticipation.Nowinitssixthyearandrashappeneders of the tennis tournament held in honor of the memory of Laura running a tennis program through the townshipnamed the Annual Laura Holtz Tennis Tourna- at the TuscanHoltz, Noreen Gomez' daughter.32/ matters magazine / school 2024"