Foundation Special Events

Community Sponsored Events - Kennedy Funding Invitational Tennis Tournament

Save the Date - Saturday, July 10th and Sunday, July 11th and join us at the Kennedy Funding Invitational.

Serving in Service

He has lived to play, and now he plays so others can live. Tennis legend Andre Agassi headlined The Kennedy Funding Invitational, a professional tennis tournament whose charitable cause is the fight against breast cancer.

The five-day event, which was held at the Dellwood Country Club from July 8-12, ended with Agassi defeating former pro Justin Gimelstob in an exhibition match. The invitational, founded in 2006 by three friends and tennis enthusiasts, Foundation Trustee Kevin Wolfer, Mitch Klein and James Miller, attracts top players each year.

The Leslie Simon Breast Care Center at Englewood Hospital is a beneficiary of the proceeds of $500,000. In 2007, the center was renamed after Leslie Simon, a patient who had requested donations to the hospital in her memory when she knew she was losing her fight against breast cancer. Leslie died in January 2006. She was the wife of Englewood Hospital’s Dr. Cliff Simon.

Agassi captured the hearts of the crowd with his winning smile, warmth and humor. He also displayed a serious side when he talked about his life, especially since retiring in 2006.

In a private luncheon with sponsors, Agassi, whose mother and sister are breast cancer survivors, spoke about witnessing first-hand the effects of the disease and his personal commitment to philanthropy. “If you say you care, you have to do something,” said Agassi. He also thanked the founders for their dedication and extraordinary effort in making the invitational a success, garnering a hearty round of applause for the three founders and their families.

John Isner and Melanie Oudin were men’s and women’s champs, respectively.

(Photos by Steve Hockstein/Harvard Studio.)