Does anyone know of an organization...

[Menolly]

......that sends autistic spectrum kids to camp?

Thanks to the generous Jewish community of Gator Town, Beorn has attended Camp Ramah Darom in Clayton, GA for one month every summer since he was 8 years old. Except for last year, which was my fault as I turned in his application late and he was wait listed.

Paul and I have paid only $500 each year he went to camp, as that was a struggle for us to come up with. Between financial assistance from the camp, and scholarships through our shul, the local Lubavitch, and the Jewish Council of North Central Florida, Formerly the GJA, we have been able to pay the $3500+ camp tuition every year he went.

This year I got his application in on time, and he is enrolled and has a Bar Mitzvah tutor lined up for him while he's there. Camp has given him a $1000 scholarship, and Lubavitch has offered up to $400, if we need that much to pay off the balance. Unfortunately, I've received the same answer from Congregation B'nai Israel (our shul) and JCNCF: donations are down this year due to other organizations getting donations for Katrina relief and they have no money at all to offer for camp scholarships.

Tuition this year is $3700. Between the $600 Paul and I are paying (with my FIL's help), the $1000 camp scholarship, and the $400 from Lubavitch, that leaves a balance of $1700. What I need to know is the name and email addresses, snail mail addresses, and/or telephone numbers of organizations I can contact for possible help in meeting the balance of his tuition.

I have already been in touch with United Way and various national Autism societies. Nothing is available for sending a high functioning autistic child to Jewish camp. I'm open to any other suggestions for organizations I can contact.

Ramah Darom is so good for him. Besides keeping him judaicly involved over the summer, he lives in a bunk with 13 other boys and comes home at the end of the month so centered and balanced. The one month at camp does more for him than the entire year of his various therapies, although I don't even want to think of what he would be like without those as well.

So please, if you can think of any organization I can contact for help, please let me know.

Thanks.

[Marv]

Edit-sorry, i mis-read your post.

[Avatar]

Sorry Menolly, no suggestions, but good luck and all anyway.

--A

[High Lord Tolkien]

I know she wasn't asking for this but, are there any internet gurus here on the Watch that can set up a way for Members to send money to Menolly to help her out?

A Paypal-like donation site or something?


I don't have a lot to give but if enough of us sent her our coffee/soda money for the week it might be enough.

(plus, at least one of us on the Watch has to be loaded with money)

[Menolly]

Oh, HLT, thank you for the suggestion. But I really couldn't in good faith accept something like that.

[[Syl]]

The idea's been batted around before, usually centered around the premise of giving Jay/Vain cash to help run the site, but since they keep refusing it... I'd also be happy to contribute what meagre amount I can.

Looking at PayPal, it looks like you can set up a free personal account to receive money. After $500 you have to upgrade, tho. I tried searching for any kind of info on charity accounts, but no luck.

Heh. I speak Hebrew, but I know nothing of any Jewish organizations. Isn't there a certain genetic disorder that predominately effects people of Jewish (Ashkenazi, I think) descent? I'm sure there has to be a foundation for it. They might be able to point out some routes to follow if not offer direct assistance. *shrug* Googling, I see that it was Tay-Sachs. There's at least The Chicago Center for Jewish Genetic Disorders.

If you're ok with putting your address out there, I could send a check in Beorn's name, Menolly.

[kevinswatch]

The only autism organization I know of is called Pathfinders for Autism. It's an organization located in Baltimore. It's founded by ex-Oriole B.J. Surhoff, who has an autistic child.

www.pathfindersforautism.org/

I donno if they'd be able to help or not, but I thought I'd pass that along.

As for the Watch donation thing, I donno if this is a good idea or not, but maybe we could set up a Paypal donation account for the Watch, but instead of using it for the Watch's expenses (since that's not a problem, heh), we could use it for donating it to other causes. Or helping out someone at the Watch, if they needed it.

Donno, just an idea I had from reading HLT's and Syl's post.-jay

[The Laughing Man]

WILL SOMEBODY SET UP THE DAM PAYPAL ACCOUNT ALREADY!!!!!!

O bviously we know each other well enough, and am sure each of us trusts Jay unquestionably to handle such a thing, so just do it! some of us would like to maybe have a way to help anonymously, so as not to draw any attention to themselves, maybe....

[Menolly]

Please all, this was not my intention at all!

:::slinking away:::

[Menolly]

:::slinking back in:::

Paul tells me I'm being too proud, and that I should welcome help if sending Beorn to camp is that important to me. It just doesn't feel right accepting money from individuals I've never met, or even those I have but don't know well, like nearly family.

I have no problem with asking for help from organizations set up to do this, but to accept from those of you who are willing to help feels...funny.

But, perhaps if we can set up a system so the money goes directly to Camp Ramah Darom, so that I never even see it, would ease my conscious? I would ask only that I know how much was finally sent the camp, so I would have an idea how much more I need to somehow collect from other sources.

And, although Beorn will probably protest, I could offer to pay back what I can from any cash bar mitzvah gifts he may receive come September, if I don't still owe money to Camp.

[[Syl]]

You could offer, but I don't think anyone would take you up on that, heh. The opposite, I think.

'Sides, it would be from an organization. Kevins Watch is an organization, right? Heck, we even have meetings.

Give it a couple days, and we'll see what we can get done.

BTW, when's the deadline for tuition?

[Menolly]

BTW, when's the deadline for tuition?

Camp starts exactly one month from today. I was going to call this afternoon and see if I should withdraw him so a child on the wait list would have the chance to go, but if there's any possibility of sending him I want to put that off for as long as I can.

A couple of years ago we brought him to camp still owing $600, but we were able to pay that when we arrived. So I'm thinking the deadline is at least the day camp starts, if not even later than that.

[Marv]

When i was 18 i worked at a summer camp in New Jersey and have seen how much it means to the kids that get the chance to go. I can spare a little for young Beorn

The camp i went to was run by a company called Easter Seals and they are very good. Whats the name of the camp Beorn goes to menolly? Do they have a web site?

[Menolly]

The camp i went to was run by a company called Easter Seals and they are very good. Whats the name of the camp Beorn goes to menolly? Do they have a web site?

The link to the camp's website is in my first post in this thread. It is not a special needs camp, it is a regular camp for Jewish kids. But, with the help of the organizations I cited above, Beorn's been attending this camp since the summer before third grade, before we ever had a diagnosis. The summer after we got the diagnosis, when I informed the camp about it, I was worried they would say they weren't equipped to handle a camper with his disorder. Instead, they said that they loved having Beorn, and have never had any problems with his 'idiosyncracies,' as all kids have their own. They have continued to welcome him with open arms, and Beorn is comfortable there.

I also think that's one of the reasons why he does so well at this camp. He is an only child who has to learn to live with 13 other boys in his bunk, and most of the time they make no special accomodations for him. He is so centered and focused when he returns.

[Menolly]

Well all, I was going to call the camp today to see how long they would give me to pay off the balance. But I realized yesterday was the first day of the first session, and I am sure they were dealing with paperwork and payments for the arriving campers. So, I'm going to call tomorrow.

Please send some vibes that they don't insist I unenroll Beorn, so they can offer his spot to someone on the wait list.

Thanks.

[Menolly]

:::starting to feel like I'm talking to myself here:::

I called the camp today and was asked to call back tomorrow, as they are still dealing with paperwork and last minute payments for the current campers. I have to work in the morning, so I'll try to reach them right after lunch.

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

The camp seems eager to be accommodating, from the communication I've had with them. I hope things go well!

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

For those of you who are interested in helping Beorn attend summer camp, please follow these directions.

Send any contribution that you are able to the following address:

Liz Cossin
Camp Ramah Darom
6400 Powers Ferry Road NW, Suite 215
Atlanta, GA 30339

...along with a note that your contribution is to a scholarship for Beorn Wagner's camp tuition. Edit: A check made out to Camp Ramah Darom is the preferred method of payment.

My apologies, but I neglected to ask if these contributions are tax deductible, and I don't see a note to that effect on the camp's website.

[Menolly]

I am truly humbled. To any and all who decide to help us with Beorn's tuition, thank you. It truly is not why I started this thread, but I sincerely appreciate just the thought.

I spoke with Liz today myself. And even if the total balance isn't paid off by the start of camp, they're willing to work with me. And she even understands about the financial stress of the Bar Mitzvah in September as well. So, it looks like Beorn's definitley going! Yay!

Thank you all, so much.

[[Syl]]

L'hatslacha!

...v'ain dvar.