President's Message
North Shore Towers Goes to Camp!
BY SUSAN BARTELSTONE
Camp Kehilla, that is. Camp
Kehilla, in operation for
more than 25 years, calls
itself a pioneer in special needs
camping. And, for the six members
of the North Shore Towers-UJA
Fundraising Committee who made
a visit to the camp on August 5
(including Board President Bob
Ricken and Board member Marty
Schwartzman and his daughter,
who’d been a counselor at Camp
Kehilla), this description doesn’t
even begin to describe this exceptional
place.
Run by the Sid Jacobson JCC
with UJA-Federation support,
Camp Kehilla provides children of
all races and religions who have a
range of physical, developmental or
behavioral/emotional challenges a
safe place to spend the summer and
enjoy fun activities and skill development.
In addition, many of the
counselors are professionals (with
Masters or advanced degrees in specialized
areas), so they’re equipped
to deal with campers who require
extra TLC.
Campers range in age from 4
to 21 and can choose from five
different units of activities, including
arts and crafts, drama, music,
athletics, swimming, sensory integration
and vocational training.
There are also carnivals, dress-up
days, zoo and farm visits, trips to
Long Island sports teams and many
other exciting events. Educational
activities are available too, like
when representatives from the
Huntington Fire Department taught
the kids about fire safety and what
clothing will keep them safe in a
fire.
Eneas Arkawy, chairperson of the
NST-UJA Committee said, “All of
us were extremely moved to see the
work that was being done at the
Camp, how much fun the kids were
having and what a wonderful bond
the staff had with the kids. But I
was also sad to see how much more
could be done. The Camp is starting
to show its age a little and really
needs our help. It’d be wonderful
if we could get them a new pool and
update some of the other facilities,
things that are needed that they just
don’t have the funds for right now.
We at North Shore Towers could
make such a difference here.”
Camp Kehilla is located at the
Kaufmann Campgrounds, 75
Colonial Springs Road in Wheatley
Heights. Free door-to-door bus
transportation is available from
Nassau, Suffolk and parts of
Queens. For more information,
call 516-484-1545, Ext. 205; email
campkehilla@sjjcc.org or visit their
website at www.campkehilla.org for
more information.
Susan Bartelstone is a Crime
Prevention Specialist, podcaster
and blogger with thousands of
articles, posts and podcasts bearing
her byline. Her signature topics
concern crime prevention and
domestic violence and have been
featured in a long list of media
including Yahoo Home Page,
MainStreet.com, Time Out New
York and the Today Show.
This has been a busy and productive
month here at the
Towers.
The Board's decision to make
tennis free to all Country Club
members has resulted in a huge
increase in tennis players. It's wonderful
to see several courts being
used every day and we’re looking
forward to some evening tennis as
well. In addition, the Pickle Ball
court is now being used and it has
added another amenity for those of
us who live at North Shore Towers.
And, being close to the flower and
vegetable gardens and the barbecue
areas affords us all additional
recreational activities.
The UJA event in August to benefit
Camp Kehilla was attended by
many shareholders and raised a
great deal of money to sustain the
summer camps and the rehabilitation
facilities sponsored by UJA.
(See more about this important
event below.)
Our Board Committees are now
operating and about 100 residents
are helping Board members to bring
their suggestions to the entire Board.
Art Studio update: The new Art
Studio is now being used by about
40 residents. The Special Projects
Committee has now added free art
lessons being taught by one of our
own artists who utilizes the facility.
In a few days we will be announcing
the date for the next Open
Board Meeting and each of the
Committee leaders will report on
their ideas for Board consideration.
At that meeting, we will also hear
the concerns and suggestions from
the members of our community. We
look forward to seeing you there.
Bob Ricken
From NST, l-r: Charlotte Balsam, Reva Mandelbaum, Bob Ricken,
Phyllis Goldstein, Eneas Arkawy, Allyson Schwartzman
The UJA-Federation of NY
needs YOU…your time and/
or your financial support, so
programs like Camp Kehilla
can continue to exist. Contact
Sherri Candel at 516-762-5896
or candels@ujafedny.org for
ways to help.
You can also donate to
Camp Kehilla directly: on
line at https://www.ujafedny.
org/mitzvah-projects/
northshoretowers or leave
a check with the concierge
in your building in care of
Eneas Arkawy (Building 1),
Fran Feigenbaum (Building
2) or Reva Mandelbaum
(Building 3).
The North Shore Towers-
UJA Fundraising Committee
also needs you! If you’d like to
join us and help raise money
so that the UJA-Federation
can continue its vital work,
please contact Eneas Arkawy
at 718-229-1878.
September 2019 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 3
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