metro
WHOM
DO WE THANK
OR IRON DOME?
Am
a
&
1,
4k
Emily Elconin and Randi Goode in the Orchard Valley Swim & Racquet Club
pool before the club closed in 2007
Deed Donated
Former Orchard Valley Swim Club
given to Friendship Circle.
2 1
Thank the Technion. As recently seen, Israel's Iron Dome can intercept
and destroy missiles — and save lives. In terms of capabilities, speed and
accuracy, there is no system like it anywhere in the world. It was developed
at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, whose CEO says, "We couldn't have
done it without Technion graduates...some 80 percent of our engineering
force are Technion graduates." ■ And there are many more breakthroughs
at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. As one of the world's leading
universities in science, technology and medicine, the Technion is a major
source of innovation. The brainpower of its graduates helps drive the Israeli
economy and contributes to the health and security of people in Israel and
around the world. ■ The American Technion Society consists of thousands
of people in the United States who support the Technion. Please join us
and help make the next generation of Technion breakthroughs possible.
For more information, visit www.ats.org/IronDome or call 617.964.0048.
Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor
T
American
Technion
Society
Advancing Innovation for Israel and the World
American Technion Society — Detroit Office
6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 304, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301
For information contact: Regional Director, Joey Selesny, 248.593.6760 or joey@ats.org
Happy Passover from the American Technion Society
— Detroit Chapter
Linda Kovan, Chapter President I Scott Leemaster, National Board President
Please join us on our upcoming
mission to Spain and Israel
May 26th — June 7th, 2013
For information contact:
Joey Selesny, Regional Director 248.593.6760
Email: joey@ats.org
American Technion Society — Detroit Office,
6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 304,
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301
Al1110 American
Technion
Society
Advancing Innovation for Israel and the World
1823150
20
March 21 • 2013
he Orchard Lake Swim
& Racquet Club, nestled
near the Woodcrest North
neighborhood at the end of Beverly
Crest Drive in West Bloomfield, has
been donated to Friendship Circle,
best known for assisting children and
young adults with special needs by
providing them with important life
skills training and emotional support.
The nearly 5 acres the swim club
sits on was deeded to Friendship
Circle by David Glass of Birmingham
and Randy and Lauren Lesson of
West Bloomfield, who purchased the
property for back taxes at an auction
a year or so ago.
The club, which opened in 1968
and closed in 2007, boasted as many
as 335 family members in its heyday.
The land was deeded to the neighbor-
hood association for $1 from Detroit
Edison when the surrounding homes
were new and full of families with
young children, says Joel Elconin of
West Bloomfield, the last vice presi-
dent of the club. When the club shut
down, 160 families still were mem-
bers.
The board tried to give the club
away, but was unable to do so,
Elconin says. In the deed, DTE
Energy stipulated that the property
be used for recreation or a nonprofit
organization, he explained.
Longtime members have wonder-
ful memories of Orchard Lake Swim
Club. Amy Vine of West Bloomfield
and her family were members in
the 1970s and 1980s. "Orchard Lake
Swim Club was like a second home to
me, and I even learned how to swim
there."
Alan Cutler of West Bloomfield,
a former member and a founding
president of the club, said, "I'm very
pleased to see the club will be vibrant
again with smiling children:'
The property, now overgrown,
has not been used since 2007. The
pool has been sealed since then and
Elconin is unsure of its condition. He
says there are tennis courts, a basket-
ball court, a play structure, a club-
house with locker rooms and bath-
rooms, a snack bar and picnic area.
"There's a lot of work to do:'
Elconin said.
David Glass said, "We truly hope
that our donation of the swim club
to the Friendship Circle will further
strengthen their place in the commu-
nity and will help them to continue
to honor their extraordinary commit-
ment to the many children and fami-
lies who benefit from this incredible
organization!'
Bassie Shemtov of the West
Bloomfield-based Friendship Circle
said, "We are so appreciative of the
generosity shown by David and
Randy. We are working to determine
the best future use of this beautiful
facility and land:'
Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Friendship
Circle executive director, added, "We
hope to start some programming
there, perhaps with the tennis courts,
this summer. It will need significant
repairs. We did not yet get a reliable
estimate. After assessing the options
for renovation and getting a better
idea of cost, we will explore possible
funding opportunities."
❑
Wendy Fayne of Mort Meisner Associates
contributed to this story.