By Melissa Hunter
Assistant Editor
On Thursday, May 30, the Mayerson JCC hosted its largest fundraising event, the J Classic. This annual event brought together 400 people for a full day of activities that included the Adams Classic Golf Tournament, tennis, pickleball, cansasta, and mahjongg. The golf tournament, a staple of the J Classic, has been taking place for 29 years. With pickleball’s rise in popularity in recent years, the day also featured a pickleball tournament. Food was served throughout the day as well, culminating in the Course of Caterers Dinner, a dinner-by-the-bite affair provided by many local restaurants. The event also featured the Young Adult Par-Tee geared toward those in their 20s and 30s.
Rick Lefton, Director of Development for the Mayerson JCC, led the fundraising effort and overall vision for the event, along with Anne Goldstein, who coordinated event details. “Coordinating the J Classic is one of my favorite tasks as the JCC Director of Development,” Lefton said. “I enjoy working closely with a dedicated volunteer committee that helps with virtually every aspect of the J Classic, from assisting with the sponsorship campaign to recruiting participants…and everything in between! Our J Classic committee, event volunteers, and many JCC staff members really set the tone as we work hard to make the J Classic a fun, warm, friendly event for our community!”
“What I think is interesting about the J Classic is that it fulfills our mission of connecting people so that they can live happier, fuller lives, creating a vibrant Jewish community in a really interesting way: both on that day and in the year following,” Ellen Daniel, MSJ, Marketing Director of the Mayerson JCC, said. “It’s a fun, casual, multi-generational environment that builds community.”
The J Classic is a very important event for the Mayerson JCC as it is their only annual fundraising event. All proceeds go directly to supporting their programming and services. These include Meals on Wheels, The JCC Early Childhood Center, Camp at the J, and JCC Financial Aid for those in need. “It enables the center to continue offering important services that include engaging seniors in active programming and creating engaging Jewish arts and cultural programming for people of all ages,” Daniel explained.
According to Lefton, “Membership dues and program fees cover less than 70% of the JCC’s annual budget, which is a big reason why a fundraiser like the J Classic is so important to the overall success of the JCC.
“The 2024 J Classic was the most successful ‘Classic’ to date, going back to the very first one in 1995… it raised the most money (over $300,000), and more individuals participated than ever (over 400)!”
