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WISH FAMILY SERVIC
Join us for Fall Fix Up
on November 8TH

Fix Up in your
Community

Former JCC counselor's federal

child pornography case is pending.

Families, friends, and
community groups are
invited to come help
homebound older adults
prepare for winter.

Ronelle Grier I Contributing Writer

F

All ages welcome!

Meet at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek
at 9:30am for breakfast
and supply pick-up.

Fix Up tii
Cemetery

Young adults will be
working at the historic B'nai
David Cemetery to restore
and beautify the grounds.

Meet at 9:30am at the
B'nai David Cemetery.
Breakfast will be provided.

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1

9535 Van Dyke Road,
Detroit

111111\%

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In partnership with NextGen

Fix Up
the City

hdi and Repair the World

6th-12th graders earn
community service credit
while giving back on
Detroit's Belle Isle!

Registration and pizza
lunch starts at 12:15pm.

Transportation provided.
Drop off (bus leaves at
12:30pm) and pick up at
Adat Shalom Synagogue.

In partnership with J-Serve
and Repair the World

To register, visit

gsdetroitorg/volunteers/fall fix up.

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Or contact Lindsay Leder at
(248) 592-2309 or Ileder@jfsdetroit.org .

Fall Fix Up is generously
Sponsored by:

FIFTH THIRD BANK

•
•

TMV
AWA

SHAAREY ZEDEK

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12 October 22 • 2015

No Local Charges

ormer Jewish Community
Center (JCC) day camp coun-
selor Matthew Kuppe will not
be facing local charges of criminal
sexual conduct following a two-
month investigation that included
interviews with several campers and
parents, according
to West Bloomfield
Police Chief Michael
Patton.
Kuppe, 21, was
arrested Aug.
12 after a U.S.
Department of
Homeland Security
investigation
revealed he had
taken and posted
nude photographs
of three JCC camp-
ers on a foreign
website known to be
Mathhew Kuppe
frequented by those
with a predilection
for child porn-
ography.
Kuppe remains in federal custody,
where he is being held without bond
while awaiting trial on six felony
counts of production, distribution,
receipt and possession of child por-
nography.
According to police, interviews
with campers who spent time in
proximity to Kuppe did not reveal
any evidence that the children had
been molested. The interviews were
conducted by trained professionals
at CARE House, an Oakland County
facility specializing in child sexual
abuse. The results of the investiga-
tion were then sent to the Oakland
County Prosecutor's Office, which
determined it would not be pursuing
charges of sexual abuse.
"While we remain deeply dis-
turbed about this incident, we
are relieved for our families and
campers that after an exten-
sive investigation, the Oakland
County Prosecutor's Office, work-
ing with professionals from CARE
House, did not find evidence of
molestation," said Jim Issner, JCC
executive director.
"We will continue to strive to
deliver positive experiences in our

camp and early development pro-
grams with the safety of our children
remaining our highest priority:'
Following Kuppe's arrest, three
JCC camp staff members — the day
camp director, assistant director
and the director of the special needs
department — were terminated after
it was discovered they failed to pass
on information
from a fellow coun-
selor about inap-
propriate conduct
by Kuppe during the
summer of 2014.
Part of Kuppe's
duties at that time
included working
with campers with
special needs, many
of whom are unable
to communicate,
which caused con-
cerns among some
parents.
"We're stressed
and concerned
because we can't
ask our kids ... we have to under-
stand we may never know," said the
mother of a 7-year-old camper with
special needs. She asked to remain
anonymous.
A new special needs director,
Megan Coultas, has been hired,
according to a recent letter sent
from the JCC to parents of children
with special needs. Her background
includes a master's degree in autism
spectrum disorders and experience
as the Autism Consultant Unit Head
for two of the JCC summer camp
programs in 2011.
West Bloomfield parent Darcee
Matlen is enthusiastic about the new
director and hopes the incident will
not cast a lasting blight on the JCC.
"I sent her a long letter and she
was very receptive:' said Matlen,
whose 8-year-old son with special
needs has been a JCC camper for the
past several years.
At press time, the JCC administra-
tion did not comment on the status
of the search for a new day camp
director and assistant director.
The federal case against Kuppe has
been assigned to U.S. District Court
Judge Avern Cohn; a trial date has
not been set. *

