Sometimes, there does not need to be a reason for doing something, other than to have fun — which is precisely why Herndon’s JJ Deli owners Jeff and Jackie Johnson are helping to organize the first official “McLean-area Golf Tourney” this month.
“We’re hoping that we’ll do this on a regular basis and maybe donate it to a local charity in the future — nothing big where we would have to raise thousands and thousands of dollars, but something small and local — but for right now it’s just to have fun,” said Jeff Johnson.
Jeff Johnson and his friends held their own golf tournament at Herndon Centennial Golf Course in the summer of 2005, after hearing about the McLean High School 50th Anniversary Golf Tournament held at Reston National Golf Course that same summer.
“So this is that same group, and since this is our 30th reunion and we had a great turnout before, we thought, let’s go ahead and replicate what we did a couple of years ago,” said Jeff Johnson, a 1977 graduate of McLean High School. “But so many people move back here after they graduate that we figured it wasn’t necessary to just have McLean High School people involved. I mean, I was in the army for 20 years and moved back here, and there’s a guy from my high school that lives two blocks away from us.”
Subsequently, the Aug. 23 golf tourney is open to all graduates of McLean High School, Langley High School and O’Connell High School.
“Rivalry or not, what a great way to get back together and reconnect years down the road,” said Jackie Johnson, who graduated from McLean High School in 1980.
As of right now, Jeff Johnson says they are expecting approximately 60 golfers, but their goal is to get 80 participants.
“But no matter what, we’re cutting it off at 100,” he said. “So far, we have people coming from all three schools, with people from class of ‘73 up until the class of ’85, so we’re covering a pretty good span.”