a.
Two spe'cial-yolunteers
light.Up a WeSt
Bloomfield nursing •
home:
LONNY GOLDSMITH STAFF WRITER
hen her two friends month, was Burstein's, who
walked into her room started going to Danto .when her
at Danto Health Care uncle was a resident there.
Center, Sophie Mek- "Seeing kids made my
lir's face lit up.. uncle happy; she said
They sang songs;and Sarah Burstein "I thought that I could
make other people happy
and Cad
talked about an upcom-
Murphy visit toe
ing session at Camp Sophie
Meklir.
Burstein 'asked Mur-
Tamarack.
Nine-year-olds Sarah phy, her best friend, to
Burstein and Can Murphy, join her "We go and see people
fourth graders at Forest and that don't have a lot of family,"
Highmeadow elementary schools Murphy said.
The two visit and:talk with
in Farmington Hills, volunteer
at the West Bloomfield nursing the residents, and play Bingo
home added last year to the with them on Mondays. They .
Maple/Drake Jewish Comrnuni- get dropped off by a parent, and
ty Campus. - spend two hours at Danto once
The idea to volunteer, which or twice a week.
The girls spent 15 minutes on
has been going on for nearly a
W
'
a recent Wednesday with Mek-
lir, watching her making, crafts,
and singing "Twinkle, Twinkle
Little Star." Afterwards, they
passed out Snacks to the current
events group.
"They're both pretty amazing
for wanting to do this," saysBon-
nie Sorkin, activity director at -
Dant°. "Oftentimes, adults are
uncomfortable in hospitals and
nursing homes. Kids talk about
their fears and don't come with
the baggage."
Danto has two wings, long-
term and the sub-acute (less se
ill). Burstein and Murphy
were at first afraid to visit the
YEW page 31
.
:
A group of concerned locals are . getting . together
to help a Montana tamp for children with cancer.
LEE SNIDER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
ou can never haVe too- but the guests
many friends — especial.; own way there, :
ly when you're absorbed in dent Alex Miller sr
providing , relief and ble is a lOt Otthese
ceOt /3001E'
respite for cancer patients and ill
vane. They'renatenre e
their families
When Harry and Sylvia going tA)beliealtkvenenith. to go:
The Friendi of Camp Mak-A-
.Gninader of Birminghani opened
Camp 1VIalt-A-Dream, their 87- Dream organization is still in the
acre recreational fertility in west- early stages of formation, but its
ern Montana, growth was board of directors boasts the type
definitely part of the plan. Now, of heavy hitters who can get
two years after the first group of things done in a hurry. WDIV
campers found temporary escape General Manager Alan Frank,
from their cares in the idyllic Ford Motor Credit Company's
woodland setting i .the Camp Edsel. Ford II, former Detroit
Mak-A-Dream Foundation is Tiger great Alan Tranunbll and
President Tom
P
taking its first major step toward_ Detroit istons
Wilson are among the high-pro-
expansion.
A Michigan chapter of the file names on the group's letter-
Friends of Camp Mak-A-Dream head.
Though nothing has been fi-
was recently formed to raise
funds to finance improvements nalized, the Friends araexplor-
at the camp and help absorb the i.ng the idea of holding „a
transportation expenses of the sports-relatedfund-raising event
cancerPatients who'visit.
"The camp is totally cost-free, FRIENDS. page 30
,