North Shore Day Camp in Glen Cove has announced that they have named their tennis courts in honor of the memory of one of their most well-known attendees, the late Drew Hassenbein, a Roslyn High School student and tennis prodigy whose life was cruelly taken from him at the hands of a drunk driver in May 2023.
Drew spent two summers when he was younger at North Shore Day Camp, and another four years at sister camp Timber Lake, and many still say his presence is still felt on their tennis courts to this very day.
Drew and a friend and fellow tennis player, Ethan Falkowitz, both 14, were in a vehicle that was struck by wrong-way drunk driver that horrifically claimed both their lives; the driver of the other vehicle has been charged with multiple serious crimes in connection with their deaths.
At the time, was an eighth grader at Roslyn High School, was widely considered a tennis prodigy and had played the sport since he was 5 years old; he had been ranked as high as number one in the National Boys 12 and Under Division before his passing.
The Drew Hassenbein Foundation – a 5013c not-for-profit charitable organization started by the Hassenbein family to keep his legacy alive – introduced an initiative towards that heartfelt goal: “Drew’s Court,” wherein tennis courts all over the nation would begin to be named in his honor.
North Shore Day Camp is the latest to bestow this honor upon Drew, naming the tennis courts both there and at Timber Lake "Drew's Courts" prior to the start of the 2024 camp season. Kids attending the camps were notified about the name change, and told the story of the inspiring young man behind it.
Other ways that the Drew Hassenbein Foundation is keeping Drew’s legacy alive is by helping expose underprivileged youth to tennis – which can be a pricey sport to get into – by offering financial assistance in the form of scholarships and paying for lessons, in addition to sponsorships for elite juniors as they pursue their dream of playing tennis professionally.
To find out more or to make a donation, please visit the Drew Hassenbein Foundation at https://drewhassenbein.org.