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Free Family Expos
Summer camps and teen programs in spotlight.
Question:
Carolyn Krieger-Cohen
Special to the Jewish News
Which is the best network?
Answer:
p
arents whose children want
to do something different this
summer will be happy camp-
ers as they stroll through the Ultimate
Summer Camp and Teen Program
Expos being held for the first time
locally at four different venues Dec. 10-
11
Whether their sons and daughters
prefer adventure to arts and crafts,
water sports to world travel, or horse-
back riding to computers, local Jewish
families will find a wide range of spe-
cialty camps for kids and specialized
programs for teens (many of which
provide Jewish content) throughout the
U.S. and abroad designed to tap into the
individual interests of boys and girls
and to accommodate parents' varying
budgets.
Admission is free for the expos, which
are being planned by Birmingham resi-
dent Judy Karp with the Camp Experts
& Teen Summers. This international
company, founded more than 20 years
ago, provides free assistance and advice
to parents about summer camps and
specialized teen programs for kids
between 7 and 18.
Karp, a married mother of three, has
personally visited many of the overnight
camps across the U.S., meeting with
their staffs and touring their facilities to
experience everything they have to offer
firsthand.
"No two kids are alike and family
budgets differ dramatically as well:
explains Karp. "It is so rewarding to
match each child's passions, skills and
personal traits with a summer camp or
teen program that allows them to grow
as individuals and create positive, last-
ing memories. Many parents in Metro
Detroit don't realize how many extraor-
dinary summer experiences are out
there for their children!'
Karp has arranged for the participat-
ing camps and teen programs to extend
their early-bird registration discounts for
families attending the expos.
Jennifer Mattler of West Bloomfield
turned to Karp to help her find a camp
that her 10-year-old son, Morgan, and
8-year-old son, Ari, would enjoy. "My
boys are so different, but I wanted them
to go to camp together. Judy found us the
perfect camp environment and their first
experience was a big success!'
Exi5ert
Birmingham residents Jolie Altman and sons Sawyer, 13, and Aldan, 15, review
summer camp and teen program options with Judy Karp, standing, organizer of
the Ultimate Summer Camp and Teen Program Expos.
Jordyn Waterstone, 17, of Farmington
Hills was determined to spend the sum-
mer between her junior and senior year
at North Farmington High School doing
community service in a country with
underprivileged children. Her parents,
Carrie and Joey Waterstone, were hesi-
tant until they met with Karp.
"Judy provided us with great infor-
mation about a community service pro-
gram in Thailand that met our criteria
as well as Jordyn's," Carrie Waterstone
explained. "She gave us feedback ahead
of time from other families whose
children had participated in the same
program. Jordyn was able to distribute
the funds she raised here at home to
orphanages in Thailand. Her trip was
life-changing."
More than 50 overnight camp direc-
tors and teen program representatives
from the U.S. and Canada will be on
hand at each event showcasing their
programs, which include traditional
overnight caps and middle school and
teen programs which include com-
munity service, internships, pre-col-
lege programs, language and cultural
immersion, outdoor adventure and
specialty camps in sports, arts, theater,
film, computer and music.
Parents will have the opportunity to
discuss issues unique to their children,
such as homesickness, special needs,
allergies, coed/all-girls/all-boys options,
kosher menus and so on.
There is no charge to families for
Karp's service. "I save parents a lot of
time and remove the pressure they feel;'
said Karp. "It's often hard for people to
differentiate camps and programs when
looking at their Web sites.
"I'm like a matchmaker. I take every-
thing into account, from a kid's hobbies
and interests to their personalities and
concerns to the types of people and envi-
ronments they enjoy, and then I try to
find a perfect fit. I think I thrive as much
finding just the right summer program
as the kids do participating in them."
For information, Judy Karp can be
reached at (248) 723-2880 or judy@
campexperts.com.
Ultimate Summer Camp
And Teen Program Expos
• Wednesday, Dec.10, 2:30-5
p.m. , Birmingham Community
House
• Wednesday, Dec. 10, 6:30-
9 p.m., Jewish Community
Center, West Bloomfield
• Thursday, Dec. 11, 3-5 p.m.,
Detroit Country Day School,
Beverly Hills (A closed event:
for parents and students only)
• Thursday, Dec. 11, 6:30-9
p.m., Andover High School,
Bloomfield Hills.
Free admission
There is no network that
is the best everywhere. In
general, they're all good.
Which is best for you,
depends on your lifestyle.
Coverage, customer ser-
vice, fees, and many other
factors come into the equa-
tion when selecting a car-
rier. You also need to con-
sider the handset you like
best. Not all handsets are
available on all networks,
so certainly that preference
will effect your network
choice. Our expertz will be
able to make a solid recom-
mendation once they get
the chance to evaluate your
needs and lifestyle. Stop in
at one of our 40 Metro De-
troit locations and an expert
will be able to find the best
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Email Questions to:
asktheexpertz@wirelesstoyz.com
and visit the nearest
locations at:
Jennifer Babby
12 Mile & Northwestern
248.945.0090
Elizabeth Price
10 Mile & Evergreen
248.948.5000
Sandy Maizi
Orchard Lk. & Telegraph
248.253.1400
Adverusement
December 4 • 2008
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