Eugene and Marcia Applebaum, seated, right center, with family members and
campers at the unveiling of the Applebaum Village sign
It Takes A Village
Applebaum family funds rebuilding
of new namesake village at Tamarack.
W
ith his trademark wide,
warm smile, Eugene
Applebaum recounts a
seminal boyhood experience:
"When I was 10 years old, my mother
took me on the Woodward Avenue
streetcar to the Jewish Community
Center so I could go to Fresh Air sum-
mer camp for the very first time. Since
my parents could not afford camp, I
received a scholarship that allowed me to
go for just $3 a week.
"As we approached the JCC, I saw the
name Aaron DeRoy on the building:'
he recalled. "I asked my mother, 'Who
is Aaron DeRoy?' She said, 'He is a very
successful Jewish businessman who
helped you go to camp.' That moment
stuck with me because one day I wanted
to do that — I wanted to help others"
Over the years, Applebaum built a suc-
cessful chain of local drugstores called
Arbor Drugs, which he sold after 35
years to CVS. The sale allowed him and
wife, Marcia, the opportunity to expand
their philanthropy.
For him, one of the most personal
philanthropic commitments was the
creation of Applebaum Village at Camp
Tamarack in the 1990s — an enduring
tribute to the summer camp that meant
so much to him as a child.
When Tamarack Camps' leadership
recently approached the Applebaums
and their family with plans to renovate
facilities at Camp Maas in Ortonville,
including redevelopment of Applebaum
Village to a new location, there was no
hesitation.
"Applebaum Village is very meaning-
ful to me, but it also has special signifi-
cance to my entire family, including my
daughters and their children:' he said.
"It is possible that my grandson will be a
camper in Applebaum Village this sum-
mer."
The family provided the financial
support for the construction of the new
Applebaum Village, and they also includ-
ed endowment funding for scholarships
to help young boys to attend camp, just
as Applebaum received in the late 1940s.
"A Jewish camping experience is
such a crucial component in enriching
a young person's Jewish identity:' said
daughter Pamela Applebaum, president
of Arbor Investments Group.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held
in July. The new village will include five
new heated cabins for year-round use, a
lodge and bathrooms. It will house up to
60 boys entering grades 2-3.
Applebaum Village is part of a $26
million updating, renovation and
rebuilding of 60-year-old Camp Maas.
The Applebaum gift, as well as oth-
ers, has been matched by the William
Davidson Foundation.
"We are hopeful other families will
follow their lead to ensure Tamarack's
vibrancy for a future generation:' said
Darren Findling, president.
"For me, it is quite simple
Applebaum said. "I was given a won-
derful opportunity years ago. I want
others to receive the same. This is
what we do as Jews. This is what my
parents taught me and what I want my
children and grandchildren to carry
forward into the future:' *
Meet Miriam Renz from Sharon, Massachusetts. An English
Literature major at Yeshiva University, Miriam spent her
summer creating curricula for a teaching conference at the
Walden Woods Project, a nonprofit that preserves the legacy
of Henry David Thoreau. Through the internship, Miriam was
able to combine her love of literature with her passion for
At YU, Miriam is pursuing her Liberal Arts degree while
simultaneously engaging in a meaningful Judaic studies
curriculum. This is the essence of Torah U'Madda and what sets
YU apart.
Picture yourself at YU. #NowhereButHere
www.yu.edu1212.960.52771yuadmit@yu.edu
JN
October 22 201
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