West Hartford Resident Elana MacGilpin will manage the Canton Facility which will be known as the Mandell JCC Valley Sports and Community Center.

At the Mandell JCC Valley Sports & Community Center, from left, are fitness director Zac Brazalovich, sports director Taylor Losey, office manager Brenna Evans, assistant director Samantha Lewis and director Elana MacGilpin. Photo courtesy of John Fitts, cantoncompass.com

Submitted release

The Mandell JCC in West Hartford is excited to announce it has acquired the Valley Sports Center, 310 Albany Turnpike, Canton, CT. The facility is undergoing a rebranding, and will be transformed into the Mandell JCCValley Sports and Community Center, a satellite location of the Mandell JCC. A soft opening is scheduled for December 2015, with a Grand Opening taking place January 2016.

Thanks in part to a generous grant made by the Jewish Community Foundation, the Mandell JCC Valley Sports and Community Center will provide Farmington Valley residents with various sports and community programming. The center, open to all ages, faiths, and backgrounds, will focus on similar sports-oriented programming previously offered by the Valley Sports Center, with additional components including youth and adult sports leagues, personal and small group training, youth vacation programs, drop-in play, birthday party and rental opportunities, and more.

The Mandell JCC Valley Sports and Community Center will also feature cultural and community-based programs, including children’s enrichment classes, current events discussion groups, book clubs, arts programs and Jewish-centric events, such as Shabbat Club, Passover gatherings, and more.

“We are building on the success of the Mandell JCC and are eager for the numerous opportunities this acquisition offers,” said Joyce Mandell. “We are confident in the dedication this community has to the Valley Sports Center, and are enthusiastic to provide the caliber of programming Greater Hartford has come to expect from the Mandell JCC brand.”

Official launch dates for the new Mandell JCC Valley Sports and Community Center will be announced within the coming weeks. For more details, upcoming schedules and programs, collaboration and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Elana MacGilpin, 860-231-6327, [email protected], or visit www.mandelljcc.org/valley.

The Mandell Jewish Community Center is open to everyone and supported by funds raised by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, a recipient of funding from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, and a member of the JCC Association of North America. For updates, follow the Mandell JCC on Facebook and Twitter. All dates and programs subject to change