On Wednesday, July 29th, from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Achievement Centers for Children & Families will be holding it's first every Mah Jongg tournament, Mah Jongg For The Kids.
The idea was suggested by Achievement Centers' volunteer, Shelley Leibowitz, who believes it will be a fun way to raise funds for ACCF. "I feel that we are all busy with our lives coping as best as we can," Leibowitz said. "Everybody is suffering, but people who are less fortunate than we are are suffering even more."
The tournament is a way for people to have fun doing what they enjoy-playing Mah Jongg, "while being part of something bigger than ourselves, and for the greater good," Leibowitz said.
Since everyone Leibowitz knows is playing online games, she determined it would be a great idea to turn the games into a fundraising tournament. "I thought, we spend so much time playing games like Mah Jongg and Canasta," she said. "Why don't we all come together in a unified way doing what we do all the time to help an organization that serves children and families who are suffering right now."
Although players can play on their own, at any time, participating in the tournament is an opportunity to play at the same time as a group of people while having proceeds go towards the organization. Leibowitz anticipates that people will come together to play in the Mah Jongg tournament on July 29th for a few hours, "of positive energy because it's not just about winning the game, it's about sharing something with people."
Most importantly says Leibowitz, "I love the idea of doing something on a specific day to spread love and joy, and join forces with people from all over," she said. "We even have friends in New Jersey and Manhattan participating in it."
