What’s your favorite pastime? Golfing, playing pickleball, playing games, cooking, reading, gardening, playing tennis, biking, hiking? There are so many to choose from! Having a hobby or favorite pastime is important not just for enjoyment, exercise, or socializing, but also for your mental health. The same can be said for the endorphin boost you receive when you make a positive impact on someone’s day or life. Doing good makes you feel good.
What if you combined the two and made your favorite pastime activity a fundraiser to #ENDALZ? You can do just that through Alzheimer’s Association’s The Longest Day campaign, where participants work to outshine the darkness of Alzheimer’s and all other dementia through a fundraising activity of their choice on any day that works for them.
Over the next several months, we will be highlighting ways you can turn a favorite pastime into a fun and charitable event, highlighting some events across the state as inspiration.
Join us for one of our activity-focused calls over the next couple of months where you can gather ideas with other enthusiasts on how to turn your passion into a fundraiser. Check out the schedule here. But the Mah Jongg Kickoff will take place on Feb. 27 from 7-7:45 p.m. Sign up to attend.
This month’s activity highlight is Mah Jongg, a popular tile-based game that involves skill, strategy and luck.
Leigh Carter Young and Ashley Sigmon own Mahj in the City in Charlotte. They have taught thousands of people how to play and see it as a way to pay forward their love of the game.
“Mah Jongg brings families together, it’s multigenerational and a game people can bond over,” said Ashley. “It’s also a game that can easily be made into a fundraiser.”
Name of your Mah Jongg TLD fundraiser: Our Mah Jongg fundraiser is part of Team Charlotte Country Club. [Note: the larger group fundraiser is called Charlotte’s The Longest Day Tennis Fundraiser]
Leigh and Ashley did a Q & A with the Alzheimer’s Association about their The Longest Day Mah Jongg fundraiser:
Event Description: This day-long event features tennis and pickleball in the morning, followed by Mah Jongg in the afternoon. Participants can join one or more activities to support the Alzheimer’s Association.
Event History: This will be our third year hosting the Mah Jongg portion of the event at Charlotte Country Club.. However, Charlotte’s The Longest Day Tennis Fundraiser was originally started in 2015. It has grown each year to include multiple clubs throughout Charlotte and evolved to now include pickleball and Mah Jongg. Currently, Charlotte Country Club, Providence Plantation Swim & Racquet Club, Myers Park Country Club and Carmel Country Club all participate. Last year, more than 200 players from all over Charlotte joined together to play tennis, pickle ball and Mah Jongg for the Alzheimer’s Association. Together, we have raised more than $196,469.
Funds Raised: Last year, Team Charlotte Country Club raised nearly $29,000 through the combined tennis, pickleball, and Mah Jongg events.
Inspiration for the Event: “A friend, aware of my personal connection to Alzheimer’s disease, invited me to participate in the tennis tournament several years ago—the original The Longest Day fundraiser at Charlotte Country Club,” said Leigh. “Exercising your brain is just as important as physical activity, especially for Alzheimer’s and other dementias. I suggested adding Mah Jongg to the event, and the organizers loved the idea. It’s been a fantastic addition, helping us raise even more money for the cause.”
Setting Up the Event: “We integrated our event into an existing fundraiser,” said Ashley. “The tennis and pickleball tournaments are held in the morning, followed by Mah Jongg in the afternoon. Previously, we hosted two two-hour sessions, but this year we will have a single three-hour Mah Jongg event.”
“Participants pay a fee to play, and we welcome all experience levels—even beginners. We group beginners together and assist them in getting started. Players can purchase jokers, and 100% of the proceeds go to the Alzheimer’s Association.”
“We’ve found that this event encourages more people to learn Mah Jongg without feeling intimidated,” said Leigh. “Mah Jongg is a fantastic game for exercising your brain and brings joy to people for various reasons.”
“There are four clubs in the Charlotte area that host The Longest Day fundraisers and we would love to see that grow, and our goal is to add Mah Jongg to each one of them.”
Personal Connection to the Disease: “My dad was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease at 63,” Leigh shared. “He had a heart attack and needed quadruple bypass surgery. After his surgery, he began experiencing cognitive decline. His mother passed away from Alzheimer’s, but we didn’t expect it to affect him, especially at such a young age.”
“I’ve had several family members pass away from dementia, including my grandmother,” said Ashley. “It’s a disease that affects too many and being able to turn something we love into a fundraiser that fights this disease has been special for both Leigh and me.”
Importance of the Alzheimer’s Association and the Fundraiser: “I’ve found a great community of support through this event,” said Leigh. “Alzheimer’s and other dementias touch so many lives, and the connections I’ve made have been incredibly helpful. It’s easy to feel helpless when a loved one has Alzheimer’s, but this event gives us a way to impact the future of the disease.”
LIKE LEIGH & ASHLEY, WE ALL HAVE A REASON TO WANT TO OUTSHINE THE DARKNESS OF ALZHEIMER’S. Start planning your own The Longest Day Fundraiser today.
The Longest Day® is the day with the most light — the summer solstice. The Longest Day participants fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s and all other dementia through a fundraising activity of their choice on any day of the year that works for them. With sports tournaments, card games, parties, baking and more, participants raise funds to advance the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association®. Join the fun today!
Alzheimer's Association North Carolina Blog