NAUGATUCK — Hundreds of people are expected to attend a fundraiser next week for the family of a Board of Education member who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor.
The fundraiser will be held on Jan. 24 to raise money for Jim Jordan and his family.
Jordan, a-46-year-old married father of two, was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive, malignant brain tumor. The fundraiser is being organized to help family members with medical or other expenses they incur while Jordan undergoes treatment.
“The Jordans do so much for the community; they are the kindest, greatest people, and I think this community just wants to help them,” organizer and family friend Jeanne Kennelly said.
The event will be from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Naugatuck Elks Lodge, 758 Rubber Ave. Tickets are $10 or $30 per family. They can be obtained by calling Kennelly at (203) 841-7041 or James Goggin at (203) 996-6675. They can also be purchased at the door.
Anyone who would like to make a donation can mail it to Kennelly at 31 Park Ave., Naugatuck, CT 06770 or Jane Spino, 123 Graham Ridge Road, Naugatuck, CT 06770. Checks should be made out to The Jordan Family.
Goggin, the borough’s tax collector and Jordan’s close friend, said he believes more than 500 people will attend the event and that the count could be much higher than that. He is not surprised by the outpouring of support.
“Jim is a very bright guy and an incredible asset to the town,” Goggin said. “He’s not a guy who is on the front lines looking for accolades; he just does the work.”
Jordan, an accountant by trade, has served on the Board of Education for the past five years and on the Planning Commission for 10 years, where he was the chairman for several years. He has also served for about 15 years as treasurer of the Democratic Town Committee.
Goggin praised him for his work on the school board’s finance subcommittee for “streamlining the Board of Education budget without cutting programs” during tough budget cycles.
Mayor Robert Mezzo said the greatest way to explain Jordan’s impact on the community is to look at the outpouring of support he and his family have received in the past month since Jordan was diagnosed.
“I’ve known Jim personally for many years, so it is difficult to talk about his current situation without getting emotional, but I know Jim is a very caring person who has love for family, friends and community, as evidenced by many years of public service,” Mezzo said.
He said Jordan has always operated at the highest ethical level and for the betterment of the community.
“This community rallies around people in their time of need,” Mezzo said. “Jim has done that for others and now he is going to be the recipient of that love in the community.”
