Annie Jackson says when she and others started up a golf tournament to honor her late husband Tom, she thought it would be a one-time thing.
“We thought we going to do a one year gig and hope to get enough people to play golf to recognize Tom and maybe pay the bills,” she says.
Now the tournament, which she started with the help of the Hopewell Valley YMCA, her daughter Caitlin and Tom’s friends, is going into its fourth year. “It’s just been incredible,” she says.
For her work on the tourney and other community activity, Jackson will be honored with the Hopewell Valley YMCA’s Larry Rothwell Social Responsibility Award at the annual “Spring for the Y” fundraising gala scheduled to take place on April 27 at Glenmoore Barn in Hopewell.
Also set to be honored with the Community Leadership Award is Robin Koeppel Hepburn, owner of Orion Jewelry Studio.
A former nurse at Princeton Hospital, Annie Jackson has been a florist at the Pennington Quality Market for 19 years. She is grateful for all the support the community has given the annual golf outing, which has expanded to include a tennis and basketball tournament. More significantly, the fund is now financially supporting youth sports programs at the YMCA along with scholarships for camps.
Jackson, 70, didn’t know where to begin when she started the fund. Caitlin says her father, a former wrestler at Syracuse University, asked for his legacy to be giving children the opportunity to play sports.
“This community gives back,” she said. “If you pump something into it, it just gives back. Through the Y, through sports programs, these young kids. People take for granted that since these young kids come from an affluent community, going to these clinics, going through these after school programs and they do. If you contribute, you are the benefit. You’re the one that reaps the award.”
Robin Koeppel Hepburn founded Orion Jewelry Studio in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands in 1986. After hurricane Hugo and 10 years in the Islands, she moved back to her hometown of Pennington and re-established her jewelry business. That was 1989.
As an artist with an eye for detail, Robin hand selects all of her materials, including natural untreated gemstones, diamonds, gold, platinum, and silver from the finest ethically sourced vendors from around the world.
Using materials that are ethically sourced has always been important to Robin. She is proud to offer such pieces as her gold cuff bracelets and diamond rings to clients who can rest easy knowing their jewelry was responsibly made.
The gala will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. and will feature A Night in Morocco theme. Hors d’oeuvres will be provided by 15 Landsdowne Catering. Entertainment will feature local band All for the Betee.
Organizers say proceeds from the event support the Hopewell Valley YMCA’s Annual Campaign, which provides financial assistance to families for critical before and after school programming, summer camp and youth sports and allows the YMCA to offer free Mental Health First Aid classes to the community, Special Olympics programming, and a free teen center for Hopewell Valley teens. Tickets are available to the public at hvymca.org or by calling (609) 737-3048.
Annie Jackson,
