Every Tuesday, the Jason Taylor Foundation dedicates the day to spotlighting one of our partners, volunteers, or celebrity friends that have supported our tireless efforts toward building a brighter future for the youth of the South Florida community.
This week the Jason Taylor Foundation would like to spotlight one of our original volunteers, Mike Judd, for our #SpotlightTuesday segment. The Global Wealth Management JT’s Ping-Pong Smash 12 – presented by Publix marked the twelfth-straight year of Mike’s dedication and devotion to the Jason Taylor Foundation.
Mike stated that his involvement with the foundation was inspired through his longtime friendship with Seth Levit, the Executive Director of the Jason Taylor Foundation. Prior to JT’s Ping-Pong Smash 10, the JTF honored Mike as a Legacy Volunteer. Legacy Volunteers are the men and women who had dedicated their time and efforts over the Foundation’s first decade of service, helping the JTF further its mission of building a better future for South Florida’s children in need.
Mike has supported nearly every program the Jason Taylor Foundation offers, with his favorite being Cool Gear for the School Year. Each August, Mike can be found at Old Navy, helping to provide instructions to celebrity shoppers, lining up eager students and distributing the valuable $300 gift cards so the kids can bring home their Cool Gear.
When it comes to JTF events, Mike knows them all well. Just this past Sunday, Mike was in his usual role as the JT’s Ping-Pong Smash floor supervisor, overseeing eight Division Supervisors, 24 Table Monitors and four Score Keepers, ensuring that the integrity of the tournament was maintained.
Just prior to the 12th annual Smash, he reflected back on one of his most memorable special event experiences with the Jason Taylor Foundation from the very first JT’s Ping-Pong Smash.
“It was a brand new idea and everyone knew it was something different than what any other charities were doing,” Judd recalled.
The inaugural Smash was no easy task. Mike volunteered his time to help assemble 24 low-cost, “back yard” Ping-Pong tables over the course of several weeks leading up to the event. In route to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, more than half of the tables were damaged and had to be put back together only hours before the event was set to begin. By the time the doors opened for the event, the tables were glued, stapled and nailed together, launching one of South Florida’s most popular and fun charity events. JT’s Ping-Pong Smash may never have seen a second year were it not for the hard work and dedication of volunteers like Mike.
Mike is currently a Physical Education Teacher and Head Swim Coach at Pompano Beach High School. He believes his experience in working with children has come in handy while volunteering for the Jason Taylor Foundation and we couldn’t agree more. Thank you, Mike Judd, for your tireless dedication to the Jason Taylor Foundation!
