The Fleury Family: Bobby, Matt, Irene and Quilty.

Why They Do It
Irene O'Connor and Matt Fleury

Here’s the routine…

Almost every day, Irene O’Connor drives her son Quilty to the Mandell JCC to play basketball at 6 AM before his school day begins, and then again after school, as well as Saturdays and Sundays.  As a basketball fanatic, Quilty has found his happy place at the JCC’s basketball program and Irene, an award-winning local news personality, has now found a side job as his chauffeur.

But she certainly understands his connection to the JCC.  Her own connection goes back to her high school years when she was first introduced to the JCC as the go-to, after-prom party spot.  When she married Matt Fleury, President & CEO of The Connecticut Science Center, they enrolled their twin toddler boys, Quilty and Bobby, at Campareenah and joined the JCC as a family. She and Matt still enjoy working out at the JCC, and Irene credits trainer Kathy Armstrong Crouch, with getting her in television camera-ready shape.

Both Irene and Matt feel that the JCC is such a great community, and when she was approached by Joyce Mandell to join the board, she didn’t hesitate. “I was excited to help the JCC to thrive. I think it is such an important place for our kids and families.”  Irene proudly serves on the Membership/Marketing Task Force and is looking forward to leveraging her PR skills to raise awareness for all of the great things the JCC has to offer.

When the JCC was in crisis at the height of the pandemic, Irene and Matt quickly stepped up to support the Crisis Fund in addition to their annual gift. They are particularly interested in supporting the programs aimed at preschoolers and those kids who may need scholarships.

Matt says, “The Mandell JCC has been a hugely valuable resource for our family. The Mandell JCC was a lifesaver during the first year of the pandemic, where the gym was opened in shifts for basketball when there was nowhere else to play. We also appreciate the personal welcome we enjoy from the staff and the cultural programs, such as the recent screening of the film The Rescuers.”

Irene and Matt share with their boys the importance of giving back, and the boys see for themselves how their parents are deeply involved in the community.  Irene says, “We set the expectation that you can’t just use and use these resources.  It is important to give something back to our community.”

Matt adds, “I often remind people how fortunate we are to have the Mandell JCC has a resource in our community.”