Campers spending the 64th summer season at Camp Emunah in Ellenville, New York, can expect a fresh look at the veteran Chabad girls overnight camp.
The camp has invested some $50,000 this past winter into replacing the roof of the camp’s main office building and kitchen.
“Some of the buildings in camp are as old as our history and obviously in need of a facelift,” admits Rabbi Shmulie Hecht of Emunah’s administration. ”
“The thought of spending even more money to continue with our bunk renovations was very daunting,” he says. “That was until Shaya Gordon stepped in.”
Gordon, a businessman from Crown Heights, met with Rabbi Hecht and immediately put a plan into action. It was titled “The Revamp Camp Project.”
“Every girl in camp deserves to feel like a princess,” Gordon said. “If we cannot afford to do all the work at in one summer, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get started. Let’s start out with a modest goal, and then expand on it in the future.”
The goal for summer 5777 is to completely renovate 2 existing bunks. Gordon has pledged to help raise the money and to oversee that the project is finished on time and that the workers get paid.
These renovations include: Raise existing ceiling to 13”, insulate walls and ceiling, sheetrock and paint interior, rewire electricity and add air conditioning, remodel bathrooms and showers, replace doors and windows.
The plan also includes building 10 new bunk beds and 4 single beds and purchase 24 brand new mattresses.
The estimated cost of the project is $21,000 of which $9,000 has been already raised. Potential donors are being asked for donations in increments of $1000 deposited into a special account for renovations.
“Any extra money raised for this project will be used towards renovating bunks for summers to come,” Hecht said, inviting potential donors to email him at [email protected].
Thanks So much Shmulie! We are so excited!
I agree that for that price, they should have better accomodations. However, how many people actually pay full price, the Hechts have always been very generous with discounts and scholarships over the years. I don’t know how many thousands of girls have been given the opportunity to go to camp due to their generosity.
Yes you are right that an ac can be bought for $200 but you need to look at it from the other end the electric in these buildings is extremely old and there is a problem that if every building gets an air conditioner the energy pull is gonna be more amps than these lines can handle and that will cause wires to melt and cause electrical fires And the price to upgrade these wires to ones that can handle the amp draw is well over 2l3000 per building this making it 3200 per bunk to put in an ac… Read more »
Thank you Shmullly for overseeing this project, and at that rate, for overseeing everything! May it be met with only Hatzlacha!
A Parent
At $2,000 per child per month it’s embarrassing that some bunks – the very same that I slept in four decades ago – do not have basic air conditioning – in Ellenville. An a/c can be bought for $200. My daughters love camp BH but these basic improvements will be very much appreciated. IMHO do the bunk houses first and then the common areas.
Thank you Shaya and Shmulie.
Now when are they fixing the main staff building?
l’ve sent all my girls to camp emunah