The CRC Memorial Tennis Tournament begins with a person, not a statistic. Christopher “Ryan” Collins was a son, family member, friend and part of a community. The tournament that carries his memory is intentionally about the fullness of that life and the relationships that remain—not about reducing someone to the circumstances of a death.
Grief can isolate people. Memorial events can do the opposite. They create a place where people can remember, talk, laugh, compete, reconnect and decide that a painful story will also produce something constructive. That is the foundation of Serve It Up for Life.
Each year, the tournament brings people together around tennis while raising funds for Breaking the Silence New Mexico. BTSNM works statewide to improve mental-health literacy and reduce the stigma, shame, silence and secrecy surrounding mental illness and suicide. The organization’s programs reach young people, educators and communities with education designed to make conversations about mental health more possible.
The first two CRC Memorial tournaments raised $41,000. That figure is important, but the deeper story is what the number represents: people choosing to participate. A tennis player registers. A business becomes a sponsor. A volunteer spends two hours helping at check-in. A friend forwards a post. A family talks about why the event matters. Community impact is built from those individual decisions.
On October 24, the third annual tournament returns to Jerry Cline Tennis Center. The day will include competition and fun, but it will also create a visible public statement: Albuquerque can remember those we have lost while also supporting education, connection and hope for the people who are here now.
There is no single correct way to be part of that statement. Players can compete. Companies can sponsor. Community members can donate or volunteer. People who cannot attend can share the event and help it reach someone new. Every role adds another person to the circle.
That is why we play. We play because Ryan mattered. We play because memory can become service. We play because silence is not the only option. And we play because communities become stronger when people decide to show up for one another.
Donate | Sponsor | Volunteer with CRC Serve It Up For Life
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a mental-health crisis, call or text 988. In an immediate life-threatening emergency, contact emergency services.
