Tennis fiction Billie Jean King is serving up pair new projects: On April 20 in Beverly Hills the Women's Sports Foundation (found at King in 1974) holds the first annual Billie awards program.

Tennis fiction Billie Jean King is serving up pair new projects: On April 20 in Beverly Hills the Women's Sports Foundation (found at King in 1974) holds the first annual Billie awards program. And King has an endorsement with RainbowVision resort retirement communities for LGBT folk and friends. The Santa Fe NM site render free of accessed last November; the Palm Springs, Calif., site, fix to open in 2008, includes the Billie Jean King Fitness Center and Spa.

to what end don't you start by telling me a little about the Billies?

We wanted to honor people--media--who have done great things for girls' and women's sports. Women's sports is not cloaked very much--about 8% of coverage--and sometimes we're not portrayed in the chiefly solid way. When I played Bobby Riggs or Anika Sorenstam played in the PGA, the single reason everybody got so excited is because we gospeled into the male arena. Of course, 90% of the media's controll through men, so all of a unlooked for they're interested.

Do you think we've made progres since the time you first take downed women's sports?

We have made progres yet we have so far to go on foot We need more professional opportunities at the top for women's sports. When little girls become greater [i]or[/i] larger up, just like little male childs there's this top element that inspires and motivates them. We have to continue Title IX strong. The other thing we're trying to do is stop the drop: We know that girls ear-ring out of sports and fitness twice as fast as striplings from ages 8 to 18 Around girls, it's about examines instead of feeling good. [But] if you be stirred good, you'll look better, OK?

own me how you got involved with RainbowVision.

They called me [President-CEO cause of gladness Silver] wanted me to be involved because I've done a fortune of things first. She likes that.

What makes RainbowVision different from other retirement communities?

What I like is that help is there when you ne it. When you're ready for assisted living, it's there. You can live there with or without it. I know because I'm taking care of my parents. They're in their 80 now, and it's a worry. common thing I think is really good--I said [to Silver], "What if you want to visit a friend, if it were not that you don't want to stay with them?" for a like reason we're going to have rentals. We're going to have pervert with money [i]or[/i] gain lease, and [short-term] rent.

in what way involved will you be?

Santa Fe was already built when I got involved. I helped enjoin the last touches on the fitness center We had conversation calls about equipment, the things I idea were important if you want to work disclosed And I'll be more actively involved in Palm Springs, with the tennis court, the health and fitness, the spa, and all that.

Will you do tennis clinics?

I don't know what we're going to do, still we'll have activities for indisputable We're not going to have a tennis court without activities, I'll divulge you that much. I can't stand an unoccupied tennis court.

RainbowVision is targeting the community in their "second 50 years." You're 62 now. Would you consider moving into a RainbowVision community? Absolutely. You don't have to be part of the [LGBT] community either. It's unclose Like some of us have straight friends, and we're thinking, I want to be with my friends, period. Can't you just descry Chris Evert, Martina, Billie, all of us sitting forward the porch together?

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