By Sharon Wisch-Ray
Like many of you, before I was old enough to go to sleep away camp and after I returned home, I attended day camp at Camp Shalom at the Dan Danciger Jewish Community Center. In fact, the recent Apple iPhone commercial featuring “Go Chicken Fat Go,” aka the “Youth Fitness Song,” has stirred many a precious memory of Ralph Bedford and the DDJCC gym and pool.
This summer, Camp Shalom has expanded its activities with some new fun features including a Ga-ga pit, a camp favorite and for the younger set, teeter totter, playhouse and gardening tool sets. These items hold great meaning for the camp and preschool, as they were purchased from funds donated by fellow parents in memory of Merritt Kazda. Merritt was an occupational therapist. Providing varied outdoor physical activities for the children honors her and her profession.
Moreover, the camp now has its own water park! A beautiful splash and play area was installed recently. Thanks to a generous donation from Harold, Leigh and Jordan Gernsbacher and from friends of the family in memory of their beloved Toni Gernsbacher, campers can stay cool in a state-of-the-art water environment. The dedication for the splash pad is planned later this summer.
All campers from the youngest to the oldest will enjoy the many new and enhanced outdoor features this summer. This year’s activities include swimming, arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor games, as well as gardening in the Congregation Ahavath Sholom Community Garden. Each week ends Friday with a joyous Shabbat program of singing, dancing and tasty treats.
Camp Shalom is beginning its 59th year of serving the Fort Worth and surrounding communities, offers a traditional summer day camp, encouraging kids to just be kids. Over the years, preschoolers through grade school children and their children and their children’s children have enjoyed lots of summer fun in Camp Shalom.
Sessions began June 9, but there is still room for your camper to join the fun. For additional information and registration, call Director Rachel Blackmon at 817-737-9898.
Showtime Film Series continues June 29
Congregation Ahavath Sholom will present the next to last installment of its 2013-2014 Showtime Film series, “Loving Leah,” at 6:30 p.m., Sunday June 29 at the synagogue 4050 S. Hulen St. The screening is free and open to all.
“Loving Leah” is a sweet, but quirky love story revolving around the unexpected wedding and unconventional married life of a 26-year-old widow and her late husband’s brother, a handsome 30-year-old cardiologist. It is a romantic movie and will enthrall the audience. Jane Pawgan will lead the post-film discussion after the movie.
Kudos to Showtime committee members Michal Bloom, Liz Chesser, Bootsie Coggan, Hedy Collins, Kim Goldberg, Lisa Laudato, Foster Owen, Dr. Jane Pawgan, Debby Rice, Reggie Rog, Jayna Sosland, Jim Stansbury, Sheila Stocker, Roz Vaden and Stephanie Zavala.
Congregation Ahavath Sholom’s 2014 Showtimes Film Series is funded by Congregation Ahavath Sholom as well as the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, and their help is much appreciated.
For more information please call Congregation Ahavath Sholom at 817-731-4721.
See you at the movies!
Send your news to me at sharonw@texasjewishpost.com