Great brands. Great prices. All in one spot. A scene from The Circle Never Ends The Never-Ending Circle Birmingham 950 S. Old Woodward Ave. Birmingham, MI 48009 (248) 283-8400 Shelby Township 50800 Corporate Drive Shelby Township, MI 48315 (586) 731-4111 Also with locations in Gaylord and Traverse City In us on Facebook! facebook.com/wittocksupply on your next order Offer valid o select products. Cannot be combined with any other offers. n Offer code must be used when I placing die order. Offer expires 12/31/12 Code: BK11/81211 I Fruit Experts Since 1999 E di ble ARRANGEMENTS EdibleArrangements.com What a Delicious Way to Celebrate! 6167 Haggerty Rd • West Bloomfield • (248) 960-5200 3766 12 Mile Rd • Berkley • (248) 547-7000 22 September 20 0 2012 Documentary on Friendship Circle airs Sept. 23 on Channel 7. S ince its inception in 1994, Friendship Circle of West Bloomfield has assisted tens of thousands of families that have children with special needs. Inspired to make a mark on the community, Bassie and Rabbi Levi Shemtov set out on a mission to help children of all religions and ethnic backgrounds. Now, the story of Friendship Circle is featured in a heartwarming documen- tary set to air on Sunday Sept. 23, at 5:30 p.m. on WXYZ-TV, Channel 7. Friendship Circle offers therapy for children of all ages with a wide variety of medical issues ranging from autism to multiple sclerosis by teaching them essential life skills in "Lifetown," a remarkable indoor city. The documentary entitled The Circle Never Ends is produced and hosted by longtime Detroit broadcaster Eli Zaret, who takes viewers through Friendship Circle, interviewing the Shemtovs, the inspiring children of Friendship Circle, their parents and the dedicated teen volunteers who make it all possible. Zaret, who made his mark in the broadcasting industry as a sportscast- er, captures some beautiful moments in this fast-moving and emotional journey through the inner workings of one of Metro Detroit's best-kept secrets. The production gave Zaret a new point of view. "My perspective on volunteerism was greatly altered:' he said. "Kids with special needs can be frightening, and some of the teens admit they were intimidated at first. But they quickly realized that unlike many of their peers, the kids with special needs passed no judgment on how they looked, who they knew, how much money they had or where they lived. The purity of the friendship overwhelmed many of them. The kids with special needs don't even under- stand lying, coercion or deception. As teen volunteer Jenna Silverstein said, `They just want to be your friend."' The documentary shows that as volunteers began sharing their expe- riences about this special bond, the number of volunteers swelled, allow- ing the Friendship Circle to grow exponentially. The project also affected Zaret's views as a parent. "Parenthood is always wrought with challenges, but raising children with special needs goes beyond what anyone outside that realm can imagine," he said. "I realized that many parents of special needs children are prisoners in their own homes, unable to even get a baby-sitter in many instances. I learned that without outside assis- tance, these parents are quickly and tragically overwhelmed. It was both disheartening to realize the pervasive- ness of this as well uplifting to realize that so many good people were willing to help." In the documentary, parent Julie Zorn, who has two sons with special needs, sums up the feelings of many families who rely on Friendship Circle. "There is just so much love, acceptance and affection here she said. The documentary was made pos- sible by generous donations from attorney Sam Bernstein, the William Davidson Foundation and several other benefactors. It came about after a visit by Zaret to Friendship Circle some six months ago at the urging of longtime broadcasting colleague Mort Meisner. "When made aware of this remark- able, internationally renowned charity that was created in our own backyard, we felt compelled to bring greater awareness to it," said Channel 7 General Manager Ed Fernandez. If you miss the Sept. 23 5:30 p.m. broadcast, catch a repeat on Channel 7 Sunday, Sept. 30, at 3:30 p.m. ❑