“I didn’t know until recently that some families can’t afford the full tuition of Camp JCC each summer,” says Linda Spindel, active JCC board member. “I just took it for granted that all kids who wanted to come to Camp JCC could attend.”
Reading recently that the number one thing that binds Jewish adults to their heritage is their early experience at a Jewish day or overnight camp, Spindel felt compelled to speak out. “There’s something so special about that week of immersion,” she says. “Children start singing Jewish songs, partake in Jewish rituals. They ask questions, and ultimately identify.”
“I asked what dollar amount it would take to send a child to Camp JCC, and decided to help out,” says Spindel.
The cost to send one child to camp for a week at the JCC ranges from $260 to $460, as many of the campers who need scholarships use the JCC’s extended care option.
Spindel wrote a check to send a child to camp for one week. Every time she went swimming, she’d think about the child she helped be able to swim at Camp JCC. She thinks others can assist in this effort too.
“So many of us in this community could either give this amount for a camp scholarship, or could go in on a week of camp with a group of friends,” Spindel says. “It can make a kid’s summer.”
The Simon Family JCC now has a camp-designed tzedakah box in the front lobby so that donations of all kinds from $1 up can accrue before next spring. These funds will be used for camp scholarships, supplies, and provisions. Even a small gift can make a change for a child and impact their families.
To donate $1 or more, write a check to the Simon Family JCC and designate it for CAMP in the memo, or contact Evan Levitt at 321-2337 (elevitt@simonfamilyjcc.org). Contributor’s names will be in the 2015-16 annual donor report.
by Leslie Shroyer