Spirituality
Patron event kicks off camp's
financial aid program.
W bile Tamarack Camps has
assisted families in sending
children to camp for over
100 years, a few factors have made 2009
unique.
For the first time in its 107-year his-
tory, the Bloomfield Township-based
Jewish camping agency will allocate
more than $1 million in financial aid
in order to fulfill its mission — never
denying a Jewish child the opportunity
to attend camp because of financial cir-
cumstances.
Its inaugural "Send a Kid to
Tamarack" patron event was held at
the Bingham Farms home of Doreen
Hermelin. The event honored entrepre-
neur and philanthropist Florine Mark of
Farmington Hills and raised $125,000.
Mark, a Tamarack alumna, needed
financial aid at age 11 to make camp a
reality.
"We were a big family; my sister was
sick and my parents didn't have enough
money to send me to camp," said Mark.
"I remember feeling so lucky when I
found out I could go because Tamarack
helped us."
The majority of the event's 175 attend-
ees were once Tamarack campers or
staffers.
"One of the special things about our
agency is that it has touched so many
lives over the last 100-plus years," said
Shelley Hutton, Tamarack's board
president. "I love meeting new people
and hearing about their connections to
Tamarack. In many cases, it includes
multiple generations."
Roughly one-third of Tamarack's
campers receive financial aid each
summer, according to Jonah Geller, the
agency's executive director. The ratio
has increased to one-half in the last few
years because of the economy. Geller
says sending a child to camp benefits
a family in numerous ways, especially
these days.
"Most of our financial aid applications
include a letter from parents indicating the
value of a Jewish camp experience for their
children, especially when Jewish day school
or a trip to Israel may not be an option','
said Geller.
"Many of the letters this year have
focused on accommodating a family's
basic needs, such as food, medical care,
shelter and supervision. A number of
parents have informed us that the respite
we provide also allows them time to
figure out their next step regarding jobs,
housing, loans, etc." ❑
Howard Rosen
supports
Tamarack by
bidding on and
winning Tiger
tickets donated
by the Findling
Law Firm,
Royal Oak.
Doreen Hermelin, hostess, and Florine Mark,
honoree, enjoy the evening while helping
children attend Tamarack.
A32 May 14 ' 2009
To help "Send a Kid
to Tamarack" or to
learn about obtaining
financial assistance
to send your child to
camp, call Tamarack's
office, (248) 647-
1100, send an e-mail
message to tamarack®
tamarackcamps.com or
visit the Web site, www.
tamarackcamps.com .
Friendship Circle recognizes
a large group of its friends.
Volunteer leaders Andrew Goldman, 15, of Bloomfield Hills; Max Herczeg, 15,
of Farmington Hills; Carson Kane, 16, of West Bloomfield; Noah Zucker, 16, of
West Bloomfield; Justin Moss, 17, of West Bloomfield; and Matt Luckoff, 17,
of Bloomfield Hills
Levi Stein
Special to the Jewish News
C
lose to 1,000 people attended
the annual Friendship Circle
Recognition Event — honor-
ing the 750 dedicated volunteers of the
Morrie and Sybil Finkel Volunteer Club.
The West Bloomfield-based
Friendship Circle is an organization
with a unique approach to helping
families of children with special needs.
Innovative programming and creative
activities are designed to foster a rela-
tionship between community teenagers
and the children by drawing on the
love, boundless energy and dynamism
of the teenage population.
The May 6 event began with a
Chinese auction in LifeTown, a 23,000-
square-foot facility that serves as a
therapy and activity center, social
meeting place and hub for the network
of volunteers, staff and supporters.
Following the auction, attendees walked
a short distance to the Shul-Chabad
Lubavitch for the reception.
Bassie Shemtov, co-
founder and director
of Friendship Circle,
told the volunteers,
"Thank you for orches-
trating such brilliance!
Your dedication, your
heart, your unending
Avy Schreiber, cen-
ter, of Southfield,
with other singers
ability to give and give has created the
most inspirational song and the most
amazing example of a united commu-
nity."
Teenage volunteer Max Herczeg pro-
claimed to the crowd, "Friendship Circle
has taught me hope. Watching children
half my age struggling with and over-
coming life's toughest challenges has
taught me to become more patient,
responsible and most importantly a
true believer in hope."
In the past year alone, Friendship
Circle has opened its doors to 70
schools in Michigan and more than
3,000 families in Metro Detroit. As its
impact spreads across the nation, many
are still surprised to learn about what
started in West Bloomfield. Li
Levi Stein is public relations coordinator
for the Friendship Circle.
For information on the Friendship
Circle, access the Web site at:
friendshipcircle.org or call
(248) 788-7878.