Hello!! We are thrilled to announce that the 12th Annual Lois Goldblatt & Barbara Wilpon Mah Jongg Tournament will be taking place on September 22, 2024.  This year’s tournament will take place at the beautiful Davidson Gundy Alumni Center at The University of Texas at Dallas. We have also partnered with Dr. Tae Hoon Kim, head of the Biological Sciences program at UTD who has graciously sponsored the event, and we look forward to a long and beneficial relationship with him as his renown genomic research program expands its focus into the field of pediatric cancer. This is an especially meaningful and heartfelt partnership for us as Ryan went to preschool at the Callier Center at UTD.  In addition to supporting Dr. Kim’s work, The Ryan Goldblatt Foundation (RGF) will use the money made from this tournament in several ways:

• Over the last seven years, the RGF has partnered with Dallas Children’s Theater to bring plays to the hospital. The response to this has been phenomenal. The children in the hospital LOVE watching the plays live in the atrium. Most of these kids have never been to a play before, so this experience is a new one and one that is cherished by both the families of the kids as well as the actors from the theater.  This live theater gives the kids a sense of wonder and lets their minds be somewhere else other than focused on what’s happening to them at that moment.

• Along with financial support, the RGF also puts together Halloween goody bags filled with toys and fun knick knacks for the kids receiving chemotherapy at Children’s Health – Dallas and Plano. The kids love getting the annual goody bags. The look of pure joy on their faces as they rummage through the bags is absolutely priceless.

• The RGF also supports Camp Sol. Camp Sol is a camp for families who have lost a child. Medical professionals and mental health professionals assist these families with their grief and it’s a place for families to meet other families who are going through the unimaginable. Surviving siblings attend the camp and meet other kids who have lost a brother or sister. Parents learn how to deal with the loss of a child. This camp is free to families and unfortunately, there is usually a wait list to attend. The camp takes place on a weekend twice a year and the RGF is proud to help provide support in order for families to receive the much needed emotional assistance this camp offers.

We appreciate everyone’s support and look forward to seeing you, rekindling old friendships and making new ones-the real reason we all love Mahj!!