The Annual Meeting is a time to celebrate the year’s successes at JFS. The 166^th Annual Meeting was held at Luck Stone Corporation and celebrated many accomplishments: providing the highest quality services to our clients, new community collaborations, and successful events such as the Big Schtick and Draw Back the Curtain. JFS expects to end the year with record results.

JFS also expanded our partnerships in the Jewish community, partnering with the Weinstein JCC, Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, the Richmond Jewish Foundation area synagogues, RTA, and local Hillel groups to produce KiRVA, Food for Thought, EnRICH, The Big Schtick, the Golf and Tennis Classic, Draw Back the Curtain, and renewed financial commitment with JCFR and RJF.

The night was comprised of several speeches and the presentation of the JFS Shamash award. Elizabeth Thalhimer Smartt welcomed guests and reflected on her time as JFS President. To date, she has been involved with numerous aspects of JFS over a fifteen-year period, and will be greatly missed as she steps down from her presidency. Larry Salzman and Jerry Samford were also honored for their years of service as JFS board members. Their support and commitment in numerous other ways has aided in making JFS the successful non-profit that it is today. Both remain JFS Board of Trustees members.

The meeting also inducted new officers to the board of directors, which are as follows:

President: Bernie Henderson

1^st Vice President: Ron Felmus

2^nd Vice President: Sandy Sisisky

Treasurer: Eric Shoenfeld

Secretary: Karen Fine

Immediate Past President: Elizabeth Smartt

A highlight of each annual meeting is honoring the year’s Shamash Award recipients and this year, Jerry and Ann Samford were recognized. The “Shamash” is the candle in the menorah that serves to light the other candles during Hanukkah, reflecting the impact that Jerry and Ann have had on JFS and the community. Jerry has been a board member since 2005, and has served as President while Ann has been a dedicated volunteer to JFS, particularly through her wonderful “Rich History” photo project. The Samford’s dedication to the community has had a far-reaching impact on the agency and makes them deserving recipients of this year’s Shamash Award.