Great adventures in California and New York
Fall 2012
For 26 years we have been offering CAMP ERUTAN sessions for free – campers attend free of charge and all of our staff and counselors volunteer their time. None of this would be possible without your generous support.
This summer we held sessions of camp in June and July in San Simeon, California. The campers invited to these sessions were repeat campers who needed a break from their day to day lives. The campers told me that CAMP ERUTAN is the only vacation they ever get. I never thought of camp as a vacation, but clearly this is the campers’ experience.
The end of August we held a session of camp in East Hampton, New York. We had the best east coast weather we have ever had. The mosquitoes were even kind to us this year! Lots of laughter, sharing of stories and a warm sense of community is how I would describe our time together.
My gratitude for you can not be overstated. This was a year of great loss of family and friends; however, one can not compare sorrow. The loss I feel can not be equated to the loss one of our campers feels without a family.
Christina turned 19 on August 31st. Her father was murdered 11 years ago. Her mother passed away last February after being on dialysis for 9 years and diagnosed with cancer 3 years ago. Christina is now completely on her own.
Christina graduated from high school in June and was accepted to a 4 year college. When Christina contacted social services to ask for financial assistance and/or food stamps she was told she would have to drop out of her 4 year college and attend a 2 year school or have a baby. These were the only options available to her if she wanted help from the “system.” She’s sticking with the 4 year college and attempting to make it work on her own.
Christina’s is a very sad story with many more gruesome details that I will not go into but hopefully, it will also be a success story if she stays on her chosen path.
CAMP ERUTAN is a glimmer of hope for Christina and all of the other campers who have had the opportunity to be a part of the CAMP ERUTAN family. I ask for your continued support so we can continue to help kids in need.
With heartfelt appreciation I wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful holiday season.
Lisa Tanzman Founder & Director
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