frontlines

Asset Protection Planning
Helps in Workout Negotiations

True BLUE!

Third-grader knows the meaning of tikkun olam.

T

he beginning of Darren
Skolnik's fundraising career
began last October when his
school, Detroit Country Day, passed
out UNICEF collection boxes during
Halloween.
"On Friday evening of that weekend,
our family was attending the high
school performance of Grease. During
dinner before the show, Darren read
the back of the box, which listed vari-
ous amounts and what they could buy
for UNICEF' said his mom Suzanne
Skolnik of Birmingham. "The last item
on the list was $500, which could buy a
water pump for an entire village."
Darren set out to raise that amount.
He took his box to the show that night
and walked up and down the rows of
audience members during intermission
introducing himself and telling about
his goal. He returned to the Sunday
matinee where he asked the director
if he could make an announcement
and then collect donations. Over the
Halloween weekend, the third-grader
collected more than $750 for UNICEF.
In January, Temple Shir Shalom,
which the Skolniks attend, sponsors a
day of social action. This year, Darren
and his mother chose to take a bus
tour of Detroit and the social action
projects being done by the organiza-
tion Summer in the City. After the
tour, Darren stood up to tell Summer
in the City founder Ben Falik that he

would help him raise
money. He and Ben
spoke briefly, and
Ben left Darren with
"we'll do big things
together:'
The family had
tickets to see the
Blue Man Group on
Mother's Day. Darren
wrote to them to ask
if he could collect
donations for Summer
in the City after the
show. He followed
up with a phone call
after not hearing back Darren Skolnik and the Blue Man Group
for a few weeks and
was told that some-
collect donations.
one would be contacting him. A week
Once the show was over, Darren
later, he received an email inviting him
and his parents were escorted to an
to come to the May 3 show to collect
area inside the theater, while his team
donations.
collected donations from people who
On the night of the performance,
were leaving. After a few minutes, the
Darren and his family, along with his
Blue Man Group stealthily made their
team of volunteers, including Ellie
way up the aisle until face-to-face
Moskowitz, daughter of Rabbi Michael
with Darren, presenting him with a
Moskowitz of Temple Shir Saholm,
check for $1,000 for Summer in the
met Falik at Summer in the City head-
City. In all, Darren collected $3,000 for
quarters in Detroit. Then, it was off to
Summer in the City!
the show at the Fisher Theatre, whose
"Darren is my hero. I would hire him
management also helped make it pos-
as my life coach, but I fear he would
sible for Darren to meet his fundrais-
miss too much school;' Falik says. "He
ing goal by inserting a flyer into every
is a great example of our do-ocracy
playbill announcing that he would be
— taking initiative to make big things
in the lobby at the end of the show to
happen."

❑

DI CONTENTS

JEWISHNEWS.com

May 17 - May 23, 2012 I 25 Iyar-2 Sivan 5772 Vol. CXLI, No. 15

Arts/Entertainment
39
Around Town
24
Calendar
28
Designation Detroit .(center)
Family Focus
35
Food
44
Here's To
22

Israel 1, 14, 26, 29, 31
Letters
5
Life Cycles
48
Marketplace
.51
Metro
8

Next Generation
Obituaries
Out & About
Points Of View
Sports
Staff Box/Phone List
Synagogue List
Torah Portion

37
58
41
31
38
6
34
33

Columnists

Danny Raskin
Robert Sklar

46
.31

Shabbat / Holidays

Shabbat: Friday, May 18, 8:33 p.m.
Shabbat Ends: Saturday, May 19, 9:43 p.m.

Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), Sunday, May 20

Shabbat: Friday, May 25, 8:40 p.m.
Shavuot, Day 1: Saturday, May 26, 9:50 p.m.
Shavuot, Day 2: Sunday, May 27, 9:51 p.m.
Holiday Ends: Monday, May 28, 9:52 p.m.

Times are according to the Yeshiva Beth
Yehudah calendar.

On The Cover:

Page design, Michelle Sheridan

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My work as an asset protection
planning attorney inevitably results in my
getting involved in settlement and workout
negotiations between my clients and their
bankers. As would be expected, the facts
and circumstances of each client's situation
will affect the ultimate outcome of the
agreement that is reached. The less available
the client's assets are and the more difficult
and expensive it is for the creditor to reach
those assets, the greater the leverage we
have and the better the deal we can make
for our clients.
Proper
asset
protection planning is
invaluable to help us
negotiate the greatest
discounts available
for our clients. While
it is always preferable
for a client to initiate
asset protection well in
advance of becoming
Howard B. Young
financially distressed,
in many cases I am able to develop an asset
protection plan for the distressed client that
will create the necessary leverage needed
to help achieve an optimal result in future
settlement negotiations.
With regard to the negotiations
themselves, having competent and
experienced counsel represent you in those
negotiations is critical. I have dealt with
many seasoned businesspersons who have
for years negotiated their own loans and built
successful businesses. However, negotiating
with banks when a client is facing the loss of
his or her personal assets is a different story.
The client likely has little experience at this
and is emotionally involved. This can often
be a formula for disaster.
If you are a debtor who is facing future
negotiations with the bank, or if you feel you
might benefit from consulting with an estate
and asset protection planning attorney,
please give me a call at 248.258.2700 or
email me at hyoung@wyrpc.com .

By: Howard B. Young, Esq.

You may read Howard's blog at
www.michiganassetprotectioniawyerblog.com .

WEISMAN, YOUNG & RUEMENAPP,
P.C. is a full service business law
firm. Formed in 1980, our continuing
mission is to provide legal services to
our clients with a solid commitment to
effectiveness, efficiency and excellence.

WEI SIN/AN,
YOUNG &
RUEMENAPP, P.C.

ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW

30100 Telegraph Road,

Suite 428
Bingham Farms, MI 48025
Phone: 248.258.2700
Fax: 248.258.8927
Website: wyrpc.com

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May 17 • 2012

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