2002

\ 19b2

The Fresh Air Society Hits 100!
This Is Where You Can Read All About It

Wendy Rose Bice

It was 1927, the same summer Babe
Ruth packed Yankee Stadium, setting a
world record for hitting 60 home runs in a
season, that the Fresh Air Society celebrated
its own milestone: after 23 winning sea-
sons, camp had a new ball field. In fact,
Fresh Air Camp had a brand new home:
55-acres on Blaine Lake in Brighton.
What began with simple, afternoon pic-
nics on Belle Isle in 1902 had matured into
a seasoned, overnight camping program.
Two women, Blanche Hart and Ida
Kopple, were the agency's mother ducks.
Together with dozens of devoted volun-
teers, they labored tirelessly, raising funds,
holding meetings, managing budgets and
finances and organizing food and medicine
deliveries. Yet, they always left time for
camp; basking in the laughter of children
dashing back and forth in relay races and
taking a quiet minute to utter evening
prayers before campers gorged themselves
with plates of nutritious food. Looming
over their little charges, the Fresh Air Soci-
ety volunteers made sure every last morsel
was consumed. In those first decades of
the 20th Century, camper weight gain was
considered a measure of success.
In 1920, Gertrude Wineman became the
fourth Fresh Air Society board president.
By that time, she had proven her passion
for helping those in need. Wife of Henry,
co-owner of People's Outfitting Company,
Gertrude was often at camp, playing with

the children while generously contribut-

ing to the agency. Her work helped pave
the way for the Brighton expansion. Eight
decades later, in 2001, Wineman's grand-
son, Henry II, found himself in his
grandmother's shoes. Beaming as he
watched 1,200 children sing together on a
Sabbath night at Camp Maas, this mod-
ern-day board president, together with

Camp,.
Beauffficallon

Project

TAMARACK CAMPS,
part of the FRESH AIR SOCIETY,
would like to offer you a unique
opportunity to be part of the
beautification of CAMP MAAS.
With your support, we will continue
our extensive beautification campaign
to create a natural, distinctive and
desirable environment for our campers.

dozens of volunteers, is equally devoted and
passionate.
As a young boy, Henry II marveled at
his grandmother's legacy. By that time,
camp had been dubbed its more modern
name, Camp Tamarack and had a second
location in Ortonville.
In 2002, the Fresh Air Society — now
more commonly known as Tamarack
Camps — will mark its 100th anniversary.
To celebrate, many special events are
planned for the coming year. And it all
begins here. Every other week, Tamarack
Camps will borrow this space from theJew-
ish News to reminisce, reflect and share sto-
ries of these past 100 years. Much of what
you read will be excerpted from the up-
coming book, A Timeless Treasure: 100 Years
of Fresh Air Camp, being released this No-
vember 11 at the JCC's Jewish Book Fair.
For those who went to camp, something
in this column will likely trigger a long-
cherished memory... a special night, a spe-
cial place, a certain song, your favorite
food, your friends. Don't miss the book.
And, don't miss this
space. We promise to
bring smiles to your
face.

Contributions can be made
by calling the Fresh Air
Society Office, 248 647 1100.

the M ate

Sunday,
November 11, 2001
J .C.C. Book Fair
Maple-Drake location

BOOK SIGNING:
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

(/)
BOOK PRESENTATION: V)
L.1.1
12:00 noon

Fresh Air Camp at
Brighton welcomed
its first campers in
1927. Rightfrom the
start, the flagpole
became the central
meeting — and playing
— place. Brighton
remained operational
until 1994.

--

e Board of

and th

resh Air Societ

staff wi

V 7.

10/5
2001

4

a

Happy New Year.

PreViclem,
Ronald So
Vice Pres'
Brian Kepes
Vice Pr
Barbara Ti-on
Treasurer
Donna Nladdin
Secretary

Frank Mils
Darren Findling
Bob Sher
Jeffrey Sternberg
David L. Harold, M.D.
Past President
Harvey Finkelberg
Executive Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mark Adler
Fred Bartholomevv, NW.
Elise Bratley
Rabbi David Castiglione
Ronald Charfoos
Greig Davis
Jeffrey Devries, MD.
Susan Langnas Feber
Sander Gelmen
Stuart Goldstein

If you or anyone in your
family has ever been
touched by the magic
of Tamarack Camps,
you will not want
to miss...author
Wendy Rose Bice
presenting her book...

Room is still available for
Tamarack Camps Fall Color Family Camp on the
scenic grounds of Butzel Conference Center.
November 2-4, 2001
Enjoy nature, crafts, sports, Shabbat!
Call 248 647 1100 for information

Marla Rowe Gorosh
Arnold Gross
Sharon Hart
Barbara Kappy
David Kirsch
Howard Klausner
Pam Lippitt
Mitchell Rosen•asser
Susan Roth
Todd Sachse

Charles Schiff
Stan Singer •
Vicki Solway, M.D.
Steven Swartz
Susan Tapper
Rabbi Mon Toiwin
Daniel Weberman
Lori 'Weberman
Julie Yolks

LIFETIME HONORARY MEMBER
Jack A. Robinson

