Israel Tennis Centers Foundation Launches Ambitious Series of Events for 40th Anniversary Celebration
On April 25, 1976, the first center opened in Ramat Hasharon. To celebrate this momentous occasion, the ITC has launched an ambitious series of events to recognize the life changing impact that the ITC has had on over a half million Israeli children and their families these past 40 years.
New York, New York, April 20, 2016 (Newswire.com) - 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the ITC as the largest social service organization for children in Israel. Israel Tennis Centers… 40 Years of Achievement
Since 1976, the Israel Tennis Centers has been empowering Israel’s young people beyond tennis to realize their full potential as productive and important members of Israeli society. Through the ITC’s social impact programs, a wide range of children continue to be served, including youth at risk, immigrants from Ethiopian and Russia and children with special needs, from autism and ADHD to Down Syndrome as well as those with developmental and physical disabilities. The ITC also brings together children from different religions through its highly successful Coexistence Program.
The 40th anniversary celebratory series began with a tremendously successful event on January 19 in NYC hosted by the ITC’s NY Regional Board. “NETworking Courtside” invited business leaders from the real estate and finance industries interested in learning more about the ITC. Event Chair Brad Miles, NY Regional Board member Jeffrey Siegel and Regional Board Chair Eran Nornberg were instrumental in helping to pack the room with prospective donors.
The celebration continued with a fundraising event hosted by the ITC Teen Council on Sunday afternoon, February 21, at New York City’s preeminent cycling center, SOULCYCLE. “Cycle for Change” raised funds for the Teen Council’s Microfinance Project, providing ITC coaching and umpiring training courses to Israeli youth in-need.
The Teen Council event was followed by an unprecedented number of tennis exhibitions and events in February and March throughout Florida raising almost $1.5 million to provide underserved children with enrichment programs beyond tennis. A diverse team of Israeli players and coaches representing various Israel Tennis Centers flew to the U.S. to share their personal stories about what the ITC has meant to them, their families and the communities in which they live.
“We would not have been able to attract the enormous number of guests to all of these events without the help of so many people,” said ITC President Phil Silber. “16 exhibitions in 16 different cities from the East Coast of Florida to the West within a three week period is nothing short of extraordinary. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the event chairs, their committees and hosts for their tireless efforts to make these exhibitions such a tremendous success.”
The ITC’s 40th anniversary celebration is also well underway in Israel, with an equally ambitious series of events scheduled at each of the ITC’s 14 centers. It began at the Selma and Irving Ettenberg Israel Tennis Center in Haifa last month, with ITC alums and former Grand Slam Champions Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich among the overflow crowd of 500+ people, including Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav.
“From the first day the tennis center in Haifa was opened I saw it as a significant asset to the citizens of the city for its educational value,” Mayor Yahav said. “I am very happy to be here today as a real partner of this very special place.”
Those in attendance heard from Yoni Erlich about his personal experience growing up at the ITC in Haifa. He was later joined by his doubles partner and Grand Slam Champion Andy Ram for a special exhibition with the children of the center. The festivities concluded with remarks by the former commander of the Israeli Air Force and honorary chairman of the Friends of the ITC Forum, Eliezer Shkedi. “Tennis requires a combination of sophistication, planning and progress. With the important tools our young people receive from the ITC, they can become successful and productive adults.”
A second ITC center event took place last week in Akko during which Mayor Shimon Lankri received a Golden Racquet award for his continuing support of the ITC. “This facility allows children to develop important values while giving them every opportunity to succeed.”
Many more events are scheduled for Israel and the Diaspora throughout the year to mark the ITC’s 40 years of extraordinary achievement. Details will be available on the ITC website at www.israeltenniscenters.org. They include a very special 40th anniversary concert in New York City on Thursday, May 5th, as well as exhibitions and other celebratory events in the following cities:
Short Hills, NJ, June 3 Boston, MA, June 12
Philadelphia, PA, June 8 Chicago, IL, June 13
New York, NY, June 9Los Angeles, CA, June 4 Toronto, Canada, June 14
New York, NY, June 10 Toronto, Canada, July 2
Scarsdale, NY, June 11 Toronto, Canada, Sept 16 - 18
The celebration will culminate with the ITC’s 40th Anniversary Journey to Berlin and Israel from November 1st to 13th (http://www.israeltenniscenters.org/40th-anniversary-journey/), including and a Gala in Tel Aviv on November 10th.
For more information, please contact ITC’s Executive Vice President of Global Development Jacqueline Glodstein at 212-784-9201 or jglodstein@israeltenniscenters.org.
About the Israel Tennis Centers Foundation:
The Israel Tennis Centers Foundation (ITC) is 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization that works tirelessly through the medium of sport to enhance the development of Israeli youth. Since opening its first center in Ramat Hasharon in 1976, the ITC has helped over a half million children, many of whom come from outlying and underserved towns throughout Israel. The ITC’s 14 centers stretch from Kiryat Shmona on the Lebanese border in the North to Beer Sheva bordering the Negev Desert in the South. http://www.israeltenniscenters.org.
Contacts:
Jacqueline Glodstein
Executive Vice President/Global Development
212-784-9201
Richard Weber
Global Director of Marketing
212-784-9202
Source: Israel Tennis Centers Foundation