JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In less than two weeks, a legendary coach will host one of Jacksonville’s biggest parties on February 29th. The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund is coming full circle, back to The Bank where the charity was created nearly 30 years ago.
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Everbank Stadium hosted an epic playoff comeback two seasons ago. Now it’s about to tackle childhood cancer. This year the Jay Fund Wine Tasting Gala is returning to its roots.
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“We started 20 years ago at the Florida theater with a couple 100 people,” Keli Coughlin told Action News Jax John Bachman. “And it’s really grown tremendously, we’re going to have nearly 1,000 people and we’re going to be at EverBank stadium, walking around on the field and, you know, still continue to have the best wine and the best food, and really just a good time that it will all go to support local families who are tackling childhood cancer.”
Coughlin runs the Jay Fund that her dad, Tom Coughlin started in 1996 when he coached the Jaguars. Back then volunteers with the team helped the family launch what has now become a huge help to many Jacksonville families fighting childhood cancer.
Related Story: Change of venue: Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Wine Tasting Gala at EverBank Stadium in 2024
Coughlin said, “Last year alone, we helped over 400 families and over $2 million worth of support that went directly to them primarily to cover the household expenses for them. Because we know that almost always when a child is diagnosed with cancer, somebody has to stop working and become a full time caregiver. So at the same time that those families are facing the crisis of having a child with cancer, they’re also seeing their income going down while their expenses are going up.”
February 29th, fitting of a leap day, supporters of the Jay Fund will get a unique chance to step foot on the field for what’s become on of Jacksonville’s biggest parties.
When you come in from the south endzone, it is going to feel like game day. The video boards will be lit up. The field will be striped. The one difference... at the 50 yard line there will be the Jay Fund logo.
Read: Childhood cancer survivors advocate for more federal funding on Capitol Hill
Bachman asked Coughlin, “Is this sort of a full circle moment for you in the Coughlin family? Obviously, your dad came here made quite a legacy on the field.”
She answered, “It’s really special when you when you mentioned it like that, you know, the J fund would not be what we are today, without the help of the Jacksonville Jaguars. When my dad came here in the late 90s. To start the franchise, he had this vision of helping local kids with cancer, but he didn’t know exactly what that looked like.”
What it looks like, is the faces of hundreds of kids and their families, bravely tackling cancer--with your help.
Related Story: Tickets still available for the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Wine Tasting Gala at EverBank Stadium
Coughlin added, “My dad will always have a tremendous football legacy. And we’re so proud of him for that. But this takes things sort of to a whole ‘nother level to be able to create an organization that will be here for the long term to help families in the Jacksonville area.”
Tickets are $150 a person. You’ll get to taste wines from all over the world and food from 30 local restaurants. Tickets are still available. If you’d like to go, here’s the link to buy tickets tcjayfund.org/wine.
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