To Life!

AROUND TOWN

Upbeat Benefit

Family funfest aids JARC clients.

S

TOP: Josh Ketai of Franklin
and Andrew Luckoff of West

Bloomfield, both 15

ABOVE: Alana, 6, and Stacy

Doctoroff and Margaret
Bornstein, all of Huntington

Woods

46 June 1 • 2006

Jig

said Devin Weiss,
uspended more than 20 feet in
16, of Bloomfield
the air on a giant bungee chord
Hills. Volunteering
trampoline, Ann Aronovitz,
11, of Huntington Woods certainly seemed along with him were
elated.
. David Kozlowski,
15, of Bloomfield Hills
"It feels like you're floating:' Ann
and Josh Freed-and
said after bouncing up and down and
Andrew Luckoff,
flipping forward and backward in
both 15,
•
mid-air.
of West
She was just one of
Bloomfield. "It's rewarding mak-
hundreds of children who
ing the clients feel happy:' said
enjoyed a day of extreme fun
Weiss. "I think it's nice that
at the Joe Dumars Fieldhouse
everyone's able to have fun and
in Shelby Township on April
we're able to give back in such a
30. They went in-line skat-
fun way."
ing, walked on high ropes and
SpringElation 2006 chairs
played laser tag, carnival games,
included: Nate Forbes and
miniature golf, basketball and
Lindsay Gross, both of
more at JARC's eighth annual
Franklin; Barry Leshman of
SpringElation fund-raiser.
Huntington Woods and HoWard Luckoff
In all, more than 1,500 people took part
of West Bloomfield.
in the day of fun to benefit children. with
Spotted in the crowd were:
disabilities and their families. .
Karen and Evan Kaplan of
"I think what we do really touches peo-
ple in a way that makes them respond very Troy; Renee and Craig
Erlich and Julie and
generously," said JARC's executive director,
Jeff Morganroth
Joyce Keller of Waterford. "Every family
of Bloomfield Hills;
knows it's the hick of the draw whether
Joanne and Danny
they might have a child who needs addi-
Aronovitz, Jenny
tional support." .
Kaplan and Ron
The event exceeded the organization's
Applebaum of
goals this year, raising $580,000 for JARC's
Huntington Woods;
Merle and Shirley Harris Children and
Edie and Steve
Family Division. The division's specially
Arbit of West
trained staff provide's in-home care, advo-
Bloomfield; Sandy
cacy, school inclusion and other support
Bittker, David
.
services.
Katzman and Sherri
"Families do feel isolated:' said Dr.
Murray Levinson of Huntington Woods. and Jimmy Ket-ai, all
of Franklin. ❑
He attended the event with his :son, Josh,
26, who has Williams syn-
drome, a genetic condition that
causes developmental problems.
"JARC helps you achieve the
best life you can for youf child:'
Dr. Levinson said.
Hundreds of new sponsors
and donors helped make this
year's SpringElation such a
success. A new group of high-
school-aged volunteers called
"extreme teens" also took part,
setting up a dodge ball tourna-
ment and helping collect items
for an auction.
"It feels good because you're
giving back to the community:'

Jamie, 10, and David Steuer

of West Bloomfield

BELOW: Ron Elkus of
Huntihgton Woods, Kate

Bush of Royal Oak and Dan
Medow of Huntington Woods

Alex Ferber, 15, of
Franklin, Devin Weiss,
16, of Bloomfield Hills,

and Dan Bittker, 17, of
Franklin