A day full of action-packed tennis and pickleball, delicious dining, and celebration with the community, all for a wonderful cause? Sounds like a “match” made in heaven!

The National Junior Tennis League and Learning of Trenton (NJTL) is hosting a fundraiser tournament for Tennis & Pickleball players on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Players are invited to the Trenton Country Club for a day of tennis tournament play, a tennis exhibition as well as continental breakfast, lunch, and an Awards Dinner buffet. Registration, which includes playtime as well as a ticket to the dinner and award ceremony, is as follows:

• 1 individual Tennis or Pickleball player: $150
• 1 individual Tennis and Pickleball player: $250
• 1 ticket to Dinner/Awards Ceremony: $75

There are also a number of sponsorship opportunities available. You can read more about the various ticketing/sponsorship tiers and register to attend here: Register – NJTL. Please note that if you wish to play in the tournament, player registration closes on May 10th and/or when the registration has reached capacity.

After an exhilarating morning of tennis and pickleball, guests are invited to conclude this fun-filled day with a dinner and award ceremony. This year’s honorees, Barry Szaferman, Cheryl Taylor, and Marc Vecchiolla, are long-time patrons of the NJTL, as well as outstanding members of the community. Read on to learn more about each of these devoted honorees.

Barry Szaferman has been active in the Mercer County Tennis community and is presently on the Board and Vice Chairman of the Princeton Tennis Program.  During his time with Szaferman Lakind, Barry has served as Mercer County Counsel and as General Counsel to the Mercer County Improvement Authority. A leader in the Mercer County Bar Association (MCBA), he was President of the MCBA and the Mercer County Bar Foundation and served as the Association’s Trustee to the New Jersey State Bar Association from 2006 through 2010. Throughout the years, Barry and Szaferman Lakind have been consistent supporters of NJTL and many other local charities.

Cheryl Taylor is a lifelong resident of the Trenton area. She developed her passion for tennis at a young age, playing on the courts at Moody Park in Ewing, NJ.  She is currently the club manager at Bucks County Racquet Club, a position that she has held for over twenty years.  Last year she helped plan the trip to the US Open for her clubs 12 and under players to participate in the Net Generation On-Court Experience. Whether she is collecting donations of used racquets, helping the kids during the annual end-of-summer picnic,or running a site for previous Capital Cups, she is always cheerful and eager to help. Cheryl is proud to serve the children of her local community with the NJTL of Trenton.

Marc Vecchiolla is a devoted member of the Mercer County tennis community. He has served as Director of Tennis Operations with the Mercer County Park Commission since 1994. As a coach, he has had immense success with the Mercer County Community College men’s and women’s tennis teams. He has coached 163 players on 36 different teams while at Mercer. Of those players, 46 players have gone on to achieve All-American honors under his leadership. Vecchiolla, a resident of Robbinsville, N.J., serves as President of The NJCAA Region 19 Coaches Association, has served on the Board of Directors for USTA Middle States Section, and serves as the Chair-Person for The Mercer County Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Dinners.

All proceeds will aid NJTLT in continuing its mission of creating opportunities by providing academic programs, as well as services, to enhance the lives of underserved youth in Trenton and surrounding areas. NJTL’s flagship Cadwalader Park Junior Champions Tennis Center is one of more than 500 United States Tennis Association Foundation (USTA) national nonprofit youth development organizations. The Trenton chapter was twice named the USTA Chapter of the Year and its original ACE (Academic Creative Engagement) program is a national model.

With such an exciting day planned, attendees are certain to have a ball! If you have any questions prior to registering, please feel free to contact the NJTL at (609) 341-1698 or office@njtloftrenton.org for additional details. You can read more regarding the upcoming celebration here: NJTL – Raise a Racquet. If you’re ready to battle it out on the courts for a cause, sign up today!

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