Sprituality

Walking For Friendship

3,000 walkers support Friendship Circle's work for children with special needs.

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Some of the 3,000 walkers that joined the Walk4Friendship.

Blake Orman
Teen2Teen Staff Writer

T

he day began dark and rainy,
but by the time the third
annual Friendship Circle
"Walk4Friendship" commenced at the
Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield on Sept. 7, the sun was shining.
This year's walk brought together 3,000
friends and supporters of the Friendship
Circle, which provides assistance to fami-
lies with children with special needs.
"The Friendship Circle has the unique
ability to bring together people from so
many different walks of life," said Shari
Ferber Kaufman, a member of the execu-

Simply walking wasn't enough for some.

tive board of the West Bloomfield-based
organization's Ferber Kaufman LifeTown.
"We, as a community, are blessed to be
able to offer the services we do to our spe-
cial children. The Friendship Circle takes
the hand of one special friend and puts
it into the hand of another special friend,
regardless of age, gender or affiliation!"
Starting at the JCC, walkers could
choose a 5K walk or a one-mile family
walk. At the finish line on the Friendship
Circle campus, participants enjoyed a
BMX bike stunt show, a moonwalk, a giant
bubble machine, entertainment and food.
Inside the nearby Shul, younger children
enjoyed High Holiday-related arts and
crafts.

Bubbles engulf Aaron Rudman, 7, and his sister, Sarah, 4,
of West Bloomfield.

Brandon Dembs, 13, and his sister,
Payton, 11, of Walled Lake make sand art.

"I have participated in the walk for the
past three years, and I can honestly say
that the hype and the preparation is well
worth it in every possible way because the
outcome is more and more spectacular,
making the greatest difference in all of our
lives:' said volunteer Zoe Pinter, a junior
at the Frankel Jewish Academy in West
Bloomfield.
The 3,000 walkers provided a record-
breaking turnout.
"This is overwhelming, it could not have
been better; said Bassie Shemtov, founder of
Friendship Circle with her husband, Rabbi
Levi Shemtov of Chabad-Lubavitch."The
miracle of the weather, together with the
amazing crowd, will really portray the great

Yara, 8, and Yair Hyman, 7, of Southfield
enjoy cool treats.

message Friendship Circle has to show!'
The walk is one of the largest fundrais-
ing events of the year for the organization.
More than $300,000 has been raised so
far through contributions from individual
and corporate donors. To meet the initial
target of $500,000, the Walk4Friendship
campaign is extended until Oct. 8, the eve
of Yom Kippur.

❑

Blake Orman, 16, is a junior at the Frankel
Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield.

To contribute to Friendship Circle, go
to friendshipcircle.org or call (248)
788-7878.

Shayla, 4, and Lezlie Mostyn of Wixom with

Anne Kohler, 11, of Bloomfield Township.

„IN September 18 • 2008

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