First-time camper grants expanded to 5th-graders
By Jewish Review
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For the third year, the B’nai B’rith Men’s Camp Association’s Dor L’dor Fund will cover 50 percent of the cost of tuition for first- time campers entering second, third and fourth grades enrolling in BB Camp’s Maccabee session, June 23-June 30.
Over the past two summers, the Dor L’dor Grant served 87 first-time campers. Due to the success of the program, BBMCA is expanding the grant to entering fifth-graders, as well.
“From generation to generation, we are passing on this gift from our oldest campers to our youngest campers,” says Irv Potter, secretary of the BBMCA executive board.
Inspired by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s Camper Incentive Program of Western Massachusetts, Irv Potter brought the idea to the Men’s Camp Association Board meeting in 2006, and the board unanimously voted to create the fund.
Dor L’dor grants will be available to any first-time camper entering second through fifth grades in the fall and who attends the BB Camp Maccabee Session, regardless of affiliation or ability to pay. The gift will be in addition to any financial assistance provided by B’nai B’rith Camp.
“Our goal is to increase the number of kids exposed to Jewish camping through this program,” said Potter.
According to recent studies, Jewish overnight camping plays an integral part in the development of a child’s Jewish identity.
“We infuse Judaism in all of our programming,” said BB Camp Director Michelle Koplan. “B’nai B’rith Camp believes in ‘backdoor’ Jewish education, in which we teach children about Judaism, their traditions, culture and heritage in informal ways.… Informal Jewish education is a very powerful teaching methodology that really works.”
“The Dor L’dor Fund is truly a testament to how much the B’nai B’rith Men’s Camp Association believes in Jewish camping and B’nai B’rith Camp’s mission,” sai Koplan. “Their support is undying, and I cannot express my appreciation enough to these tireless volunteers. They are incredible.”
In addition to the Maccabee Dor L’dor Grant, the B’nai Brith Men’s Camp Association, the Foundation for Jewish Camping, and a record-breaking $15-million gift from an anonymous donor to FJC will be providing $1,000 incentive grants to all first-time campers enrolling in B’nai B’rith Camp’s three-week sessions (see story below).
For more information regarding BB Camp or the Dor L’dor Fund, contact Koplan at 503-452-3444 or mkoplan@oregonjcc.org.
B’nai B’rith Men’s Camp Association is an independent 501(c)(3) organization that supports BB Camp. Since 1930, the association has been providing financial support for the camp. In addition to supporting BB Camp, they hold their own one-week camp session. This year, they will hold their 76th encampment at BB Camp starting Aug. 18.
“While the fee to attend Men’s Camp is quite reasonable, we expect each camper (as our members are called) to also make an annual contribution to the camp,” said Potter. “Donations that night usually run somewhere over $100,000. Since, in this case, the major donors to the Camp are actually users, we do not have to explain to them the camp’s needs. They see and experience them first hand every year.”
For more information about the B’nai B’rith Men’s Camp Association, contact Potter at 503-228-1455 or irving@jprlaw.com.