24 | JUNE 22 • 2023 

OUR COMMUNITY

G

et your golf clubs out, 
start practicing your 
swing and get ready 
to give back. 
The annual Lois Zussman 
Golf Classic, which raises 
money for Gesher Human 
Service’s Lois and Milton Y. 
Zussman Activity Center/
Clubhouse, returns on 
Monday, July 17, at Franklin 
Hills Country Club. 
Last year’s event raised 
$200,000 for the Clubhouse, 
which provides enrichment, 
educational and employment 
opportunities for adults living 

with mental health challenges 
and intellectual development 
disabilities. 
The event itself was started 
about 20 years ago by the 
Zussmans. After Lois passed 
away in 2015, the outing was 
named in her memory. Milt 
passed away in August 2022, 
about a month after last year’s 
golf outing, so this year’s event 
will honor both of their lives. 
The event starts with lunch 
in the late morning and is 
highlighted by an 18-hole 
scramble. There will be an 
auction in the evening along 

with a reception and dinner, 
with prices including a chance 
to win a golf trip for four to St. 
Andrews in Scotland. 
Eric Adelman, Gesher’s 
executive vice president and 
chief advancement officer, 
says the event is full of fun 
with a crowd of folks coming 
together for a great cause in 
the Zussman Activity Center/
Clubhouse, one of Gesher’s 
flagship programs. 
“It provides a wonderful, 
meaningful opportunity 
for folks with mental 
health challenges to realize 
their dreams, to build 
community, to build skills 
and confidence in moving 
toward independence, getting 
a job and living the life 
they’d like,” Adelman said of 
the program. “
And having 
a welcoming place where 
they can learn and grow and 
build community is really the 
fulfillment of our mission.” 
Adelman says the Zussman 
Activity Center/Clubhouse 
allows Gesher to serve as 
the bridge to hope and 
opportunity for folks with 
mental health challenges in 
our community. 
“The need continues to 

grow as we start to move 
stigma away and talk 
more about mental health 
challenges. In making sure 
folks can get into care and 
support when they need it, 
programs like this are even 
more important,” he said. 
Last year’s golf outing 
attracted its usual attendance 
of about 120 golfers. Generous 
sponsors are a major reason 
for the consistent six-figure 
fundraising figure.
Adelman hopes attendees 
have a good time, learn a lit-
tle something about Gesher, 
understand they’ve contrib-
uted to making some folks’ 
lives better, and have some 
additional awareness and 
knowledge that some of our 
neighbors, friends and family 
are living with mental health 
challenges. 
“
And at the end of the day, 
they want the same opportu-
nities and hopes that every-
body else in our community 
has, and thanks to programs 
and events like this, folks can 
get it,” Adelman adds. 

To buy tickets, see sponsor benefits 

and learn more, visit https://jvshuman-

services.org/events/golf-classic/. 

Last year’s event raised $200,000 
for the Lois and Milton Y. Zussman 
Activity Center/Clubhouse.

Lois Zussman 
Golf Classic 
Returns

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Adam Zussman (second from right) played in a foursome with (from 
left) Bill McKeogh, Eric Rillo and Lowell Scott at the 2022 Lois 
Zussman Golf Classic

Lois and Milt 
Zussman in 
2015

