The Connection will hold its annual fundraising gala on Oct. 3 at the Embassy Suites in Berkeley Heights. The Summit nonprofit on Maple Street counts more than 5,000 members.
The event, titled "A Night of Hollywood Glamour," runs from 7 to 11 p.m. at American Beauty Events at the Embassy Suites. The evening features cocktails, dinner, dancing and a silent auction. Proceeds support The Connection's Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance so families can access programs including aquatics, dance, gymnastics, summer camp and enrichment classes, according to a community contributor post on Patch.
"You're not simply buying a ticket to dinner," Antonietta LaVecchia wrote in the post. "You're helping someone else get a seat at the table."
LaVecchia described what the Scholarship Fund makes possible: a child attending summer camp with friends, a working parent gaining access to childcare, a person with special needs finding a welcoming place to learn and exercise, or someone going through cancer treatment finding support when they need it most.
The fund also helps cover costs for The Connection's adaptive programs for children with special needs and its Pathways cancer-support program, which offers free wellness services for women undergoing or recovering from treatment.
Pathways received a $10,000 grant from the Connie Dwyer Breast Cancer Foundation in September to support its Sister Strong Fitness Program, which provides free, individualized fitness training for women dealing with cancer, Local Media NJ reported.
Lesley Andrews, director of Pathways, said in that Sept. 6 report that the grant lets the organization provide specialized training at no cost to women rebuilding strength and confidence during and after treatment.
Pathways was created in 1994 in partnership with Overlook Hospital and The Resource Center for Women. It remains one of the few local organizations providing direct support services for women with cancer.
The Connection was incorporated in 1922 as the YWCA of Summit and renamed in 1998. Its 79 Maple Street facility includes a fitness center, pool, gymnastics space and classrooms. The organization serves families across Summit, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Chatham and surrounding communities.
Ticket information is available at theconnectionnj.org/gala-2026/.
Upcoming at The Connection
- Oct. 3: "A Night of Hollywood Glamour" gala, 7–11 p.m., American Beauty Events at Embassy Suites, Berkeley Heights. Tickets at theconnectionnj.org/gala-2026/.
