ShopRite LPGA Classic Brings More Than Golf to the Community

For one week, Galloway Township will be on the national stage.

ShopRite LPGA Classic week commences May 28 and concludes with the 54-hole, $1.5 million golf tournament at the on Route 9 June 1-3, broadcast nationally by the Golf Channel and covered by media outlets both nationally and internationally.

However, the classic has become more than just a sporting event to some in the Galloway community.

“It increases the sense of pride in the community,” Deputy Mayor Tony Coppola said Monday afternoon, April 30. “People fix up their houses, their plants, their flowers; it’s another way to highlight their homes. … It’s great for the community.”

The biggest complaint residents had about the tournament before last year was that Route 9 was closed during tournament week. Organizers of the event ensured the road was open last year and will remain open this year. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Galloway each of the next three years.

“The LPGA engages the community,” Coppola said. “They’ve worked well with the community, and their efforts have minimized the impact to Galloway residents.”

“I’m happy to see (the LPGA’s) values are the same as ours,” said Joe Sheridan, President and Chief Operating Officer of Wakefern Food Corporation,

Sheridan said the tournament’s been able to raise $1 million each year it’s been held, and that over $25 million total has been raised.

“People like to know that the money that’s raised stays here,” Sheridan said.

“My grandfather and my great uncle loved this event and they supported the cause,” said Nicolas Sumas, Vice President of Operations for Village Super Markets, ShopRite, a third generation ShopRite executive. “And when there’s a storm or a holiday, that’s when we step up. We want to make sure you have a holiday meal.”

Sumas said ShopRite works with the Food Bank, the schools, sports organizations, the Boy Scouts, and has raised money to fight Autism.

“That’s the icing on the cake, it’s a philanthropic effort,” Coppola said, adding that he’s happy the tournament can provide work for those local to Galloway. “They use local contractors, they use local volunteers.

“ My family has been involved in that program for a long time.”

From a sports perspective, 24 of the top 25 and 94 of the top 100 female golfers will compete at the event that generated an exciting finish last year when Brittany Lincicome was victorious by She returns to defend her title this year.