APRIL 1 • 2021 | 43

SPOTLIGHT

W 

hen 13-year-old 
Sydney Michaelson 
returns to Camp 
Tanuga for her sixth summer 
(after a year hiatus because of 
the pandemic) she’ll go with the 
satisfaction of knowing she’ll be 
making a profound difference 
in the health and well-being of 
kids at another camp more than 
1,645 miles away. That’s how 
far it is from Kalkaska, Mich., 
to Gold Creek, Mont., home to 
Camp Mak-A-Dream.
Sydney launched a fundrais-
ing campaign for Camp Mak-
A-Dream’s Michigan chapter as 
part of her mitzvah project for 
her bat mitzvah, which she cele-
brated March 6 at Temple Israel. 
The final tally for her efforts is 
expected to be near $9,000.
Since 1995, Camp Mak-
A-Dream has provided an 
expense-free, fun summer 
respite for kids across the U.S., 
Canada and the globe who are 
battling or who have survived 
cancer. It includes all the ameni-
ties you’
d envision at a full-ser-
vice camp, plus medical super-
vision to create a safe haven that 
nurtures campers’ physical and 
emotional well-being. 
“I love my Tanuga experience 
so much,
” says Sydney, “that I 
want other kids to be able to 
experience the same thing, espe-
cially because they have cancer, 
and they can go to camp with 
other kids that are like them.
”
It turns out the love for and 
support of Camp Mak-A-
Dream is a Michaelson family 
affair, inspired by Sydney’s 
grandfather. “My papa told me a 
lot about it,
” Sydney says. “I just 

thought it was a really 
good organization.
”
“Papa” is Bob 
Mellen, of blessed 
memory, a West 
Bloomfield CPA 
who was the camp’s 
Michigan chapter trea-
surer. It is his legacy that Sydney 
is honoring.
Mellen was introduced to 
the camp by his lifelong friend 
Hadar Granader, whose brother 
and sister-in-law, the late Harry 
and the late Sylvia Granader, 
donated 87 acres of their 

Montana ranch to make Camp 
Mak-A-Dream a reality. 
Harry, a building contrac-
tor by trade, helped build the 
Ronald McDonald Houses next 
to Detroit’s Children’s Hospital 
of Michigan and Mott Children’s 
Hospital in Ann Arbor. The 
indelible impression left on 
Harry by his regular visits with 
children at those hospitals 
fueled his vision and passion for 
Camp Mak-A-Dream.

LASTING LEGACIES
Hadar carries on his broth-
er’s legacy as president of the 
Michigan chapter. Mellen’s wife, 
Margie, is a longtime volun-

teer and board member of the 
Michigan-based supporters.
Sydney’s mother, Melissa 
Michaelson, is the daughter of 
Bob Mellen and principal of 
Hillel Day School. “Sydney has 
an innate desire to help others 
and believes in tikkun olam,
” 
she says. “Her connection to 
camp, and her papa, made 
Camp Mak-A-Dream a natural 
choice.
” 
Sydney’s father, Jeremy, an 
endodontist, echoed those sen-
timents: “Sydney knows how 
much Camp Mak-A-Dream 
meant to her papa and she felt 
strongly about choosing some-
thing that would connect to 
him.
”
Sydney’s generous donation 
will go to the camp’s Robert 
Mellen Travel Fund, which 
during a normal year would 
help offset travel expenses 
for campers traveling from 
Michigan. Despite having to go 
virtual for the second straight 
summer, the kids will be able to 
connect with their fellow camp-
ers while still enjoying quality 
programming offered by the 
Camp Mak-A-Dream staff, all 
within the comfort of their own 
homes. 

For information, visit the Friends of Camp 

Mak-A-Dream website at campdream-

mich.org or call (248) 723-5575. 

Bat mitzvah girl raises funds 
for Camp Mak-A-Dream.

Honoring ‘Papa’

ALAN MUSKOVITZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Sydney and 
her Papa, Bob 
Mellen, in 2013

Sydney 
Michaelson

JVS Needs Direct 
Care Workers

JVS Human Services is 
launching a hiring blitz to 
secure 45 new employees 
to work with individuals 
with disabilities.
Twenty-five will be 
summer employees to 
work as job coaches for 
high school students with 
disabilities who have 
internships; these positions 
could be suitable for 
college students interested 
in human services, social 
work or psychology, 
or teachers off for the 
summer.
Other new staff will be 
employed in positions in 
Southfield and Detroit 
where they would be 
working with participants 
with disabilities in various 
skill-development, 
employment, and 
engagement programs.
Starting pay begins at 
$12 an hour with some 
bonuses. 
“If you have the heart 
for working with people 
who are on the path 
to employment and 
community inclusion, 
this is an outstanding 
opportunity to make a 
difference in people’s lives,” 
said Aubrey Macfarlane, 
JVS’ COO.
Preliminary interviews 
on Zoom will be held on at 
4 or 4.30 p.m. Thursdays, 
April 8 and April 15. For 
the Zoom link, a detailed 
job description or to 
complete an application, go 
to jvshumanservices.org/
DirectCare.. 

