Sunday, Jan. 31, 9 am–1 pm
The young leaders of the Tidewater Jewish community are at it again. Demonstrating mettle and tenacity, more than a dozen 22- 45-year-olds have volunteered to be on a committee responsible for the planning and execution of Tidewater’s Jewish community’s largest fundraising day of the year, Super Sunday.
Super Sunday is a combination of old school phone-a-thon, with decidedly contemporary elements mixed into it.
The 2016 Super Sunday Steering Committee, chaired by Super Sunday veterans Jeremy Krupnick and Brandon Terkeltaub, is working to ensure that there are at least 100 volunteers at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus from 9 am–1 pm that day.
The volunteers will make phone calls to members of the area Jewish community, asking for pledges of support for the UJFT 2016 Annual Campaign. Or they may make thank you calls, write thank you notes, or help with logistics. These Super Sunday duties have remained relatively the same (except for the ever-changing phone styles over the years: rotary, pushbutton, flip, smart, and phablet) since the first such event, was held in 1982.
New to the event this year are several fun community incentives and challenges, made possible by Coastal Mortgage Company, the Super Sunday corporate sponsor, and the UJFT.
With the 2016 Super Sunday theme in mind—Make Your Move—Coastal Mortgage will provide matching funds for those who would rather make a pledge and work out in the Simon Family JCC fitness center, than spend time on their phones.
Special incentives will also be given to community members who participate in the Super Sunday #MakeYourMove social media campaign on the UJFTidewater Facebook page. Winners will receive grants they can distribute directly to any UJFT-allocated organization or program of their choosing.
The Super Sunday committee has set its goals high: it’s looking for more than 300 donors who will agree to pledge at least $120,000.
Through their involvement in the committee, group members know the stakes are high. The funds raised on Super Sunday make a difference in the lives of tens of thousands around the world, and have a significant impact on the lives of the volunteers and donors who participate in the annual tradition.
The contributions will be distributed in allocations that go to support the elderly living at the Berger-Goldrich Home at Beth Sholom Village, those who need emergency financial aid from Jewish Family Service to help buy food and pay bills, and the many families who are grateful to have scholarships to area Jewish day schools and summer camps. Dozens more organizations locally, in the United States, in Israel and around the world are helped from the collaborative efforts that go into making Super Sunday a success.
The Super Sunday committee appreciates any and all volunteer help and donations on Sunday, Jan. 31. Training is provided and babysitting is available.
To sign up for a shift or make a donation in advance, visit www.JewishVA.org/SuperSunday, email labrams@ujft.org, or call 757-965-6127.
by Laine M. Rutherford