frontlines

Camp Gear Wanted

Nicole Goodman

JN Intern

L

ittle did anyone know that one conversation on
a bus ride in the depths of Alaska would lead to
something that would positively affect the lives of
hundreds.

While on Tamarack Camps' Alaska Trip last summer, high
school juniors Anna Sherbin and Zoe Soble, both of West
Bloomfield, were inspired to start Gearin Up, a nonprofit
organization that donates camp gear to help camps provide
campers with the full camp experience.
"We both have had such amazing experiences at camp
and such wonderful opportunities," Sherbin says, "and since
we have been so fortunate that our parents have been able
to provide us with these opportunities, we want to make it
easier for other kids to have opportunities like ours:'
After doing research on camps in need of donations,
the girls found Camp Kesem and St. Francis Camp on the
Lake. Camp Kesem is run by universities across the country,
including a branch at the University of Michigan, for kids
who have had a parent with cancer. Meanwhile, St. Francis
Camp on the Lake in Jerome, Mich., is for kids who have
special needs. The girls found it especially fulfilling speaking
with the representatives from the camps and hearing how
grateful they were for the help and support.
In addition to collecting gear, Gearin Up also raises money
to buy additional supplies needed by campers. Throughout
the year, Sherbin and Soble have been selling Gearin Up
T-shirts for $15 each around the community, including at
their schools, Bloomfield Hills Andover High School and
Frankel Jewish Academy (FJA), respectively.
FJA has a tradition of picking three causes at the beginning
of the year to donate money to from their Dress-Down Days
and, for the 2012-2013 school year, the school picked Gearin
Up as one of their causes.

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Zoe Soble and Anna Sherbin started Gearin' Up to help
others have a full camping experience.

"We're following through with the Jewish core values, tik-
kun olam, repairing the world:' Soble said.
Looking forward into the next few years, the girls hope to
expand Gearin' Up by finding more camps to donate to and
spreading the word about the organization.
"The main things are getting the goal out to a lot of people,
having them talk to their family and friends, and making it
more of a community effort:' Sherbin says.
Sherbin and Soble also hope to bring the organiza-
tion to college with them when they graduate and to get
younger kids involved in the organization to keep it active.
Additionally, they are looking to visit Camp Kesem this sum-
mer to see their donations put to use.
Gearin Up is having its first donation drive from 11 a.m.-
3 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at the main entrance of the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield. Anyone who donates
camp gear, art supplies, board games and/or monetary dona-
tions will receive a Gearin Up T-shirt. For more information,
contact Anna Sherbin at amsherbin@gmail.com or (248)
804-7434, or Zoe Soble at (248) 318-8960.

❑

JEWISHNEWS

May 23-29, 2013 I 14-20 Sivan 5773 I Vol. CXLIII, No. 16

Ann Arbor
122, 123
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In 1992, Regina Slutsky and her
family emigrated from Kiev, arriving
with $250 and a desire to make life
better for the children. "In Kiev, my
children would only be able to go
so far in life, because we are Jews,
and daily we were made to feel
ashamed of that," Regina said. "It
was very hard to pick up and move
to a new country, but here we are,
and we are okay. Hebrew Free Loan
helped us to be okay."
First, Regina and her husband,
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After that loan was repaid, they
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HFL again to help cover some costs
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Grant money from The Jewish
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"Everyone was so warm, so gentle
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We came here to get a better life,
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"la story doesn't end ham

Health. A fresh start.
A good education.
The next great business idea.

Shabbat and Lights

Shabbat: Friday, May 24, 8:38 p.m.
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recycle to others, generating
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to help maintain the lives of
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www.hfidetroit.org
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May 23 • 2013

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