June 15, 2018 -- Between studying for class, playing for the high-school tennis team and fitting in a social life, two juniors at Mamaroneck High School Abigail Owen and Jane Smoltz found the time to successfully launch “Aces for Alzheimer’s.” Alzheimer’s had affected both students’ families, motivating them to create a thriving charity with a purpose to fund Alzheimer’s research. To date, the Aces for Alzheimer’s organization has raised more than $70,000.
Abigail and Jane hosted their first event in 2017, called the “Tall and Short Charity Tennis Tournament.” For the Tournament, players were allowed to purchase “advantages” to help them win, such as making their opponent play with their non-dominant hand. Abigail and Jane raised over $22,000 from this event alone.
The Tournament was such a success that Abigail and Jane decided to make it an annual event. This past February the tournament raised over $40,000, with proceeds going directly to Dr. Richard Isaacson of Weill Cornell Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic.
In addition to the tournaments, these promising students have also been selling used tennis balls on eBay, encouraging artists, dog owners and others to purchase them. The money raised by the eBay sales go directly to the Alzheimer’s Association. Abigail and Jane raised approximately $8,000 from eBay.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects families not only in our County, but in our country. The number of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s continuously grows each day. I am grateful for the work that Abigail and Jane are doing to support efforts in finding a cure for Alzheimer’s.”
Owen and Smoltz said: “We started Aces for Alzheimer’s in 2016 in order to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s research. The name Aces for Alzheimer’s comes from the fact that we are both passionate tennis players and doubles partners, and the fact that Alzheimer’s is prevalent in both of our families. Through the sales of used tennis balls on weekly eBay auctions, and the success of our two charity parent-child tennis tournaments, we have raised $70,000 for our cause. We have donated our funds to Dr. Richard Isaacson of Weill Cornell Medicine, who we have been working closely with in developing an Alzheimer’s education and prevention program for high school students like ourselves. We have also funded other projects of his that deal with lifestyle and onset of Alzheimer’s.”