The Simon Family JCC’s 7th Annual Presidents’ Cup Golf tournament was transformed this year after inclement weather arrived on tournament day. Instead of an all-day golfing affair, players and their guests were invited to join the JCC and honor its past presidents on the Plume Patio at Grain, located on the fifth floor of the Main in downtown Norfolk. The celebration, renamed The 19th Hole, featured live music, drinks, and light bites, as well as a hole-in-one tournament and the annual Presidents’ Cup raffles.
Guests mingled and chatted about their own past histories as presidents of the Simon Family JCC. Gene Ross, whose term was 2000–2002, attended with his wife, Sharon. “It was wonderful connecting with my fellow former presidents and honoring the work they have all done for our community,” Ross says. Other presidents in attendance included Lonny Sarfan (1996–1998), Laura Gross (2004–2006), John Strelitz (2004–2006), and Sandra Porter Leon (2010–2012).
Since the inception of the Presidents’ Cup, more than $270,000 has been raised to support children and family programming at the Simon Family JCC. This kind of support helps the JCC provide scholarships for JCC Camp and Camp Yachad, scholarships to the Kids’ Connection School Enrichment program, and a plethora of other opportunities for children and families to be able to participate in the vibrant culture created by the JCC.
– Erin Dougherty