DAWN STEINBERG
World Traveler and Camera Club Enthusiast
Dawn moved to North Shore Towers ten years ago and quickly joined many clubs and
almost immediately participated in a variety of activities. She soon assumed a leadership
role in the Camera Club and has shared her prize winning photographs, most of which were
taken as she trekked across the globe.
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I was born and raised in the Flatbush section
of Brooklyn. I attended the Caton School, P.S.
249 and Walt Whitman Junior High School. I
started high school at Erasmus Hall but then
my family moved and I finished at Midwood.
From there I went on to Hunter College on 68th
Street and later did graduate work in education
at Brooklyn College.
DID YOU HAVE A CAREER?
I started my career as a first grade teacher.
I took maternity leave from 1975 until 1980.
While on leave I completed courses that would
qualify me to teach gifted and talented classes
and became certified in that field and did that
for 30 years. In addition, I became the grade
leader and was elected as the UFT (union)
Chapter Chairperson.
WHAT WAS THE ANNENBERG
CULTURAL GRANT?
Ambassador Walter Annenberg, the philanthropist
and publisher of TV Guide and
Seventeen Magazine, gave millions of dollars to
improve cultural opportunities in city schools.
This brought $20,000 into our school to enrich
the activities of our pupils. We used the funds
to provide instruction and musical instruments
for pupils to play, and other extracurricular
activities.
In time, our school community began to
change. More immigrant families moved in
with language and parenting problems. I led the
Mega Skills project that helped parents become
more involved in the school and improve their
child-raising skills.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY?
I was married for 30 wonderful years when
my husband passed away. I have one son who
has two children of his own, a girl almost 13
and a boy/young man of 15. I’ve enjoyed traveling
with them to foreign locations of their
choosing.
HAVE YOU DONE MUCH
TRAVELING ON YOUR OWN?
Some 16 years ago I met a gentleman and
we’ve been globetrotting together ever since.
Thank goodness for digital cameras. I’ve taken
thousands of pictures on our travels. It’s so easy
for me to delete the ones I don’t like. Africa
and China were among my favorite destinations
and I plan to return. We also enjoyed trips to
Australia, Chile, Vietnam, and the Galapagos
Islands.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES AT NST?
In 2002 I retired from teaching and seven
years later sold my house in Marine Park,
Brooklyn, after living there for 33 years. I then
moved to NST.
There is so much here that I like: the gym,
pool, and especially the friendly vendors in
the arcade. In addition, I patronize the movie
theater, beauty salon, restaurants, dentist, and
library. All within walking distance.
I belong to several clubs. The Camera Club
occupies most of my free time. We have more
than 20 members who possess a wide range
of ability and everyone is very supportive and
helpful. Most of our time is spent critiquing
each other’s photos, and share information
about our cameras. Everyone is welcome. Time
is also spent selecting photos to display in the
Arcade and also in neighborhood venues like
libraries, restaurants, and galleries.
We also enjoy going on group photo shoots.
Members own the gamut of cameras from cell
phones to sophisticated SLR’s. We meet on
alternate Mondays in the Coleridge Lounge
at 7:30 PM. There is a $25 per person annual
membership fee. At meetings we also discuss
how to use photo software, watch Great
Courses videos on photography, and see Power
Point presentations led by fellow members.
CAN YOU RECALL AN UNUSUAL
CAMERA SHOOT EXPERIENCE?
Yes, a photo I took when in Vietnam caused
quite a stir here at NST. My small group of
fellow travelers and I visited a wooden house
built on stilts on a lake. The owners raised and
sold crocodiles. It was a fascinating visit to the
farm until we heard a small child crying inside
the house. We looked in and saw this toddler
very upset with real tears (not crocodile tears).
All in our group wanted to know why the boy
was alone and crying.
Through an interpreter we learned that his
parents had left him while they went to work
with the crocodiles. They had put his pet in a
tall wicker basket and he couldn’t reach the
lid to release the pet.
When we lifted the large woven wicker
lid, out slivered a six-foot-long python – his
pet. It went straight for the boy and wrapped
itself around him which made him stop crying
and he smiled as he obviously enjoyed the
“caressing” of the pet reptile. We all snapped
photos of this tender scene.
Once home, we included this photo of the
happy child wrapped in a friendly python for
an Arcade display. A few residents vociferously
objected to our showing this example of child
abuse and were disgusted by a scene showing
a dead child. Of course, the child was not dead
but happy. Our explanations were ignored and
they wanted the photo removed. Fortunately,
the Board of Directors ruled against such
censorship and the photo remained. Another
reason why I love living here.
A happy boy rests with his pet!
Photo by Dawn Steinberg
Dawn Steinberg
4 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ September 2019