Our Forgirlsake community — those of you who’ve followed, participated, and donated — may be wondering: What’s up with all the FGS athletic events? Why not just send out an appeal letter and be done with it? To paraphrase the famous Cindy Lauper lyric, “Girls (and women) just want to have fun!” and there is serious fun to be had when we pair the athletics women love with a way to support education for at-risk girls in developing nations. The Forgirlsake mission resonates with our audience of well-informed, internationally-aware women, many of whom participate in one or more sports or physical activities on a regular basis. From walking to yoga to tennis, our supporters love to move!

One successful event in our annual lineup is the Forgirlsake Tennis Open (FGSO), which is held outside in the Fall in Greater Boston. This year we are thrilled that it will be hosted by Wightman Tennis Center in Weston. It’s both competition and party, with prizes, food and beverage sponsors, and an Extravaganza Raffle wrapped into a three hour event where women doubles players connect to enjoy a tournament for a cause. We couldn’t do it without our dedicated FGSO Committee (Stephanie, Tina, Lenore, Lauren, Deb, Jennifer, Jordana and Eydie), and our volunteer-run sports-based fundraising model means that 100% of proceeds go towards the projects Forgirlsake is supporting.