JUNE 30 • 2022 | 51

of advancement, Trepeck 
Harris oversees all of the 
development, fundraising and 
advancement of the Tamarack 
mission for the lay leadership 
side. She works closely with the 
camps’ internal chief advance-
ment officer to plan, develop 
and guide lay leadership.
Creating meaningful experi-
ences for children and teens is 
important to Trepeck Harris, 
who is a mother herself. “Kids 
spend so much time in school 
and they learn math, science 
and reading,” she explains. 
“But sometimes what’s lacking 
are the true life skills that kids 
learn at camp.”
Camp, she says, is a play-
ground where kids learn 
teambuilding, dependence, 
problem-solving, connection, 
community, friendship, confi-
dence and leadership, among 
other important life skills.
Just last year, Trepeck Harris 
worked with Geoff Kretchmer, 

president of Tamarack Camps, 
to spearhead an effort focus-
ing on tzedakah. Called 
CAMPaign for Change, it 
teaches 8-year-olds the value of 
giving back and what it means 
to “take care of their own.” 
Through the project, camp-
ers made tzedakah boxes and 
collected change from family, 
friends, neighbors and com-
munity to learn why charity 
matters.

EXPANDING COMMUNITY 
INVOLVEMENT
Through her volunteer work 
with Tamarack Camps, 
Trepeck Harris has connected 
with other Jewish organiza-
tions in the area as well. After 
being introduced to Hebrew 
Free Loan, she’s joining the 
board this year to add to her 
work with Tamarack Camps.
“It’s really exciting and ful-
filling,” she says of the new 
opportunity. “It allows me to 

learn about entrepreneurial 
aspects, business, law and all 
of the things that Hebrew Free 
Loan does.”
In addition, Trepeck Harris 
and her husband are joining 
the Wolf Fellows Israel Mission 
this October. “We are also 
super excited for that,” she 
adds.
Yet before the mission takes 
place, Trepeck Harris is send-
ing her 8-year-old son, Ethan, 
to Tamarack Camps for the 
very first time.
“This is the first time that 
I’ve experienced Tamarack as a 
parent,” she explains. “Up until 
this point, it’s been on the vol-
unteer side.”
Experiencing Tamarack 
Camps as a parent, however, 
is something Trepeck Harris is 
looking forward to. 
“I’m excited for the experi-
ences that he’s going to have,” 
she says of Ethan, who will 
be attending the camp for a 

10-day session.
“I think he’s going to come 
back a new person, just totally 
independent and confident 
and more understanding of 
tradition,” she says of the expe-
rience at Tamarack Camps. 
“He’s a lot of the fulfillment 
and the inspiration that I get 
from being a part of it.” 

Julie 
Trepeck 
Harris

COURTESY OF JULIE TREPECK HARRIS

Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Family Foundation.

 
 
 
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