AROUND TOWN

Gone Camping!

Hundreds flock to ORT's 'Camp Hermelin' for a day of family fun.

Brooke Radner, 3, of West Bloomfield

A

Julia Eisenshtadt, 11, of Bloomfield hills
(on a Jacob's Ladder)

day of nonstop laughter and smiles
has become an early fall tradition at
the Bingham Farms home of former
ORT International President Doreen Hermelin.
Her 15-plus acre property is transformed into
the ultimate campground for a day with bounce
houses and slides, pony
rides, an obstacle course,
basketball, dancing and
so much more.
This year, more than
500 campers, their par-
ents and grandparents
attended Camp Hermelin,
ORT's family-friendly
fundraiser, which also
doubles as camp reunion.
The Oct. 3 event included
activities hosted by a
variety of day and over-
night camps, including Maplehurst, Willoway,
Tamarack, Tamakwa, Seagull, the Varsity
Shop Training Center, Joe Dumars Fieldhouse,
Walden, Tanuga, the JCC, Camp Ramah, Summer
Impressions, Star Trax and Fun Services. It was
all topped off with a huge cookout and s'mores.
"This is ORT's only event that several genera-
tions can enjoy at the same time said Rachel
Zimmerman of Huntington Woods.
She co-chaired Camp Hermelin along with
Jennifer Gilbert of Franklin.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to have a con-
versation with your kids about the importance of
giving back:' Zimmerman added. "To empower
people to succeed is the best goal there is!'

18

October 14 • 2010

Lynne Konstantin and Jeffrey Hermann

Max Muchnick, 8, of West Bloomfield

of West Bloomfield with their children,
Annabel, 2, and Charlie, 6

and his grandfather, Larry Miller of
Bloomfield Hills

Organizers started Camp Hermelin in 2008
as a way of reaching out to the community and
spreading the word about ORT's global network
of schools, which educate 300,000 students
worldwide each year. The event raised more than
$43,000 for ORT Michigan between ticket sales, a
raffle and an auction of camp-related and family-
related items. Local corporate sponsors included
Quicken Loans, Homedics, Schechter Wealth
Strategies, Kenwal Steel and PNC Bank. Hiller's
Markets donated apples, Somerset Collection
donated water bottles and Camp Tamarack
donated five buses to transport people to and
from the event.
Spotted in the Camp Hermelin crowd were:
Melanee and David Radner and Brad "Bubba"
Urdan, all of West Bloomfield; Julie Grant
Goldman and Marty Goldman of Oak Park;
Sonny and Norman Cohn and Rabbi Jason
Miller, all of Farmington Hills; Nicole and
Steven Eisenberg of Birmingham; and Ashley
and Gregg Oleshansky of Franklin.

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For more information about ORT Michigan's programs
and services, go to www.orgmichigan.org or call (248)

723-8860.

Save the date: Technically Speaking 2010
cyber safety seminar, Nov.18, 7-9 p.m.,
at the West Bloomfield JCC. The event,
intended for adults, is open to the public
and free of charge.