Charlies Lafitte Foundation Raises $1 Million For Count Basie Theatre Endowment

Submitted by Scott Wasserman

At its 12th Annual Charity Golf Classic on June 29 at the Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, NJ, the Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) raised a record $1 million for Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, this year’s beneficiary.

Count Basie Theatre is a world-class arts and entertainment venue in Red Bank, NJ, that fosters understanding and appreciation for the power of the performing arts and creates opportunity for cultural enrichment for people at all economic levels. The funds raised at this year’s Charity Golf Classic will create an endowment for arts and educational outreach programs at Count Basie Theatre, making the arts available to students of all backgrounds.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Charles Lafitte Foundation and all of the other supporters of the Golf Classic,” said Tom Widener, Chairman, Count Basie Theatre Board of Trustees. “The money raised will have a tremendously positive impact on our education programs, which are the soul of the Count Basie Theatre.”

Suzanne and Jeffrey Citron, CLF’s co-founders, matched each Golf Classic donation, dollar for dollar. Over the past 12 years, CLF’s Charity Golf Classic has raised nearly $6.5 million to improve the lives of countless individuals.

“Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we are proud to support Count Basie Theatre with the largest amount raised at this event in our foundation’s history,” said Jeffrey Citron, co-founder of CLF. “These funds will help provide access to the arts for students of all socioeconomic levels for many years to come. We are extremely grateful to our Golf Classic partners, many who have supported this event for more than a decade, for their contributions in making this the most successful year.”

The Count Basie Theatre’s educational mission is to provide a foundation of cultural enrichment to students of all ages and economic levels. These efforts include arts instruction and coursework, plus unique programs like teacher’s professional development and bus-in programs for students in underprivileged school districts.

“Whether onsite at the historic Basie’s Performing Arts Academy, or offsite in the schools, the Citrons and supporters of the Charles Lafitte Foundation helped us raise one million dollars to advance the Count Basie Theatre’s mission,” said Adam Philipson, President and CEO, Count Basie Theatre. “The endowment created from this year’s Golf Classic will provide thousands of arts education and outreach opportunities for generations to come.”

Each year, CLF selects a different nonprofit organization as the beneficiary of its signature event. Since the first event in 2003, CLF has devoted the Golf Classic’s proceeds to a single organization that works to improve and enhance communities.

For more information about CLF, visit www.charleslafitte.org.

Photo 1: Jeffrey Citron, co-founder of Charles Lafitte Foundation welcomes the crowd to the Foundation’s 12th annual Charity Golf Classic, and talks about this year’s beneficiary, Count Basie Theatre.

Photo 2: Kyra Citron, director of the Foundation’s Kid’s Corner talks to Golf Classic attendees about Count Basie Theatre, and the organization’s arts education programs.

Photo 3: From Left to Right - Suzanne Citron, co-founder of the Charles Lafitte Foundation; Jeffrey Citron, co-founder of the Charles Lafitte Foundation; Jennifer Vertetis, president of the Charles Lafitte Foundation; Kyra Citron, director of the Foundation’s Kid’s Corner.

Photo 4: At its 12th annual Charity Golf Classic, the Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) unveiled and presented a $1 million donation, the largest amount raised in the history of the event, to Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. Suzanne and Jeffrey Citron, CLF co-founders, matched each donation from the event, dollar for dollar. Since its first year in 2003, CLF’s Charity Golf Classic has raised more than $6.5 million to improve the lives of countless individuals.