This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the SenioRITAs Tennis Tournament at Sawgrass Country Club. The all-volunteer team effort continues to ensure that 100% of SenioRITA proceeds go directly to fighting breast cancer through research and patient services.
When the RITA tournament began in late 1996 at Deercreek Country Club, the tennis committee was trying to create a great event; committee chair Charles Jantz suggested that Jacksonville needed a women’s tennis event to raise money for a local charity. Breast cancer research was chosen.
Throughout the past 25 years, the organization has expanded to include the “Mixed Ritas” and the “SenioRITAs,” which has just presented a donation for $184,500 to Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Senior Director of Development Jason Simpson.
SenioRITAs is a grass-roots volunteer organization that is increasing awareness of self-examination programs, treatment options and research programs within the Jacksonville community.
What makes SenioRITAs and RITA different from some other nonprofit organizations is that they’re all-volunteer, meaning no salary, no rent and no overhead costs. Adding the major sponsors’ generosity means that 100% of the net proceeds from each event is donated to local Jacksonville agencies. Every dollar stays in our community.
To date, SenioRITAs have raised more than $2 million to benefit research and patient services at Mayo Clinic, Baptist Medical Center Beaches and the Buddy Bus Mobile Mammography Unit.
“Thank you to Chuck Jantz and Karen Aaro and the entire SenioRITAs committee for their hard work and dedication,” said Jason Simpson, senior director of development for Baptist/MD Anderson Cancer Center. “Over the years, they have been passionate about the fight against breast cancer. Our patients are the true beneficiaries; in addition to helping fund the latest technology, the donations have been instrumental in offering financial support to the patients who lack resources in obtaining mammograms via the buddy bud, providing amenities to patients such as Dignicap and establishing an endowment so that we can plan for the future needs of our breast cancer patients at the beach and in North Florida. We are blessed to have such a great partner like SenioRITAs as we plan to serve our patients in the future!”
“In 2021, our events included our annual Pussers Party, the Sawgrass Country Club SenioRITAs Auction Party and the big weekend Tennis Tournament,” said Committee Chair Karen Aaro. “Our friends, families and sponsors were very generous this year, and the icing on the cake was a $30,000 donation from an anonymous donor, which made 2021 the best year we ever had!”
Now, 25 years later, the RITAs and SenioRITAs have donated $5,331,270 by “knocking that little ball over the net.”
For local information about joining the SenioRITAs tournament, volunteering, attending events or making a donation, send an email to chuckjantz@gmail.com or go to the-rita-foundation.org/senioritas.
