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..