New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) held its annual Summer Gala with the Stars on Wednesday, August 12, drawing nearly 500 people to a festive celebration that featured music, dancing, dining, gondola rides and magicians at The Boathouse in Central Park.
The event raised funds to support NYJTL’s programs and make a difference in the lives of children across New York City. The benefit, chaired by Jacqueline Corba, Sumit Nihalani and Brian O’Connor, featured a silent auction (with 57 amazing items, including a Jade Mountain experience and a seasonal court at the newly built Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning), tarot card readings, magicians, caricaturists, and much more.
Attendees included former Mayor David Dinkins, NYJTL Board members and many young corporate professionals. They spent the night dancing to a live band and a DJ, adorned whimsical NYJTL sunglasses and glow rings, stepped into a popular photo booth and enjoyed a buffet of Boathouse favorites.
The guests received an NYJTL tote bag as they departed well into the night!
The evening’s top Gold donors were Elena and Tory Kiam, Valerie and Steven Rifkin, Jeremy Mindich, Polly Scott and Jim Maher, and Yvonne and Leslie Pollack Charitable Foundation. Silver donors were Advantage Tennis Clubs, Citi, Laurie Lindenbaum and Bob Horne, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, and Joan Teaford. Bronze donors were Acupay System, LLC, Cushman & Wakefield, Samir Gandhi, Lisa and Kyle Kliegerman, Sidney Migdon, Olmstead Properties, Anna Pinedo, Kristen and Robert Rahr, RR Donnelly, Rachel and Matt Snyder, Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation, Tennis Channel and the USTA.