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Metro
Hot Works Presents
North Oakland County Art Festival
August 14-16, 2009
Matt Lash playfield
in Israel dedicated.
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David Elazar School students enjoy the new Matt Lash Jungle Gym
Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer
M
graduate student at University of
Michigan's School of Social Work in
Ann Arbor (with a focus on commu-
nity organizing) — put out a call for
donations for the memorial fund.
With nearly 51,200 collected from
donors, including participants of
the Birthright trip she and Lash
had participated in, she contacted
the Israeli office of the Jewish
United Fund/Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Chicago. The office's
assistant director, Susan Peled
stepped in to organize the memorial
ceremony and the purchase of the
jungle gym with the donated funds.
ore than two years ago,
Whitney Lacefield visited
an Israeli school as the
American leader of a Chicago-based
Shorashim Birthright Israel trip.
This summer, she returned for what
she knew would be "an intensely
amazing morning."
On May 25, Lacefield attended the
dedication of playground equipment
constructed in memory of Detroit
native, Matt Lash, who participated
on the 2006 trip while he was a stu-
dent at Chicago-Kent College of Law.
"When he died,
School Spirit
I didn't quite know
Hundreds of the
how to handle the
school's students
loss and the hurt that
were present at the
seemed to overtake
dedication of the
me',' Lacefield wrote
Matt Lash Jungle
in a blog shortly after
Gym. "The students
Lash's 2008 death
embraced the day by
from bone cancer at
providing entertain-
age 27.
ment and participat-
"So I decided to set
ing in art projects,"
up a memorial fund in
Lacefield said.
his honor to be donat-
"The parents
ed to the David Elazar
of the students at
Susan Peled and Whitney
School in Kiryat Gat,
the David Elazar
Lacefield at the dedication.
Chicago's sister city
School donated their
in Israel': she said. "It
own money for the
only seemed appropri-
memorial ceremony,
ate, not only because Matt had such
which they did \\'ithout even being
an amazing way with children, but
asked. They were just so moved by the
also because it would be a way to keep
whole idea and wanted to contribute."
his name and spirit alive in Israel, the
The program also was attended by
place I personally met him and fell for
some of the Birthright participants
all his charm and laughter."
who had been on the 2006 trip with
Originally from Marietta, Ga.,
Lash. "And Yossi Nameiri, the Israeli
Lacefield, 29 — an incoming
guide on our Birthright trip, brought
Honor A Life on page 12
Orna Amrani
Mixed Media
World class artists at Olde World Canterbury Village,
a 19th century village and designated historical landmark.
2369 Joslyn Ct., Lake Orion, MI 48360
FREE ADMISSION and FREE PARKING
Friday 6pm-9pm, Saturday 10-8, Sunday 10-5
Free Live Entertainment • Great beverages and food
•Interactive Demonstrations • More!
The Chadwick Group, P.C. Teen Art Competition
Grades 9-12 or ages 13-19
Produced by Hot Works, LLC, the same company that
produces the award-winning Orchard Lake Fine Art Show
www.HotWorks.or
If you missed the Orchard Lake Fine Art Show, you will find
great art, including the work of Orna
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August 6 . 2009
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