Summer Could Have Been a Nightmare

An open letter of thanks from a grateful parent in Crown Heights who asked to keep his name anonymous:

As the summer comes to an end, it is time to express a tremendous sense of Hakaras Hatov to those who mobilized to the call of the hour: creating healthy and productive summer experiences for the children of our community.

A short while ago, we were at the end of what was essentially a 3-month quarantine our homes became schools, workplaces, recreational spaces, in addition to the normal uses of day to day life. Children and adults all vying for a coveted nook to study or work with a semblance of quiet. All of this, in the confines of our cramped Crown Heights apartments and houses.

Let’s be honest: a day under the roof with this level of activity occurring was exhausting. More frustrating for many was the sheer number of hours that our children were “plugged in” to electronic devices.

As the summer approached, we would check camp websites and COLlive for updates, hoping and praying that camps would indeed open and we could send our kids into the fresh air and away from the constant allure of electronic game sets. To our dismay, New York State and other states and provinces made it virtually impossible for a camp to open and function.

Facing the prospect of our kids being unstimulated, to put it mildly, for the duration of the hot, humid summer months was simply put: a nightmare.

At this critical juncture, the esteemed board of Oholei Torah, along with their indefatigable new director of operations Rabbi Yossi Langsam, worked tirelessly to secure a campsite where our dear boys from Crown Heights could have a healthy and productive summer.

Indeed, their efforts were fruitful and YKK Pennsylvania was born. And what a campsite to boot! Located on the grounds of the legendary Camp Saginaw, it could be called the “Rolls Royce” of campgrounds. The physical beauty of the campgrounds, replete with dozens of state-of-the-art activities, served as the backdrop for which the dedicated staff was able to deliver a truly remarkable summer.

There were many others who opened camps and programs that deserve our thanks and recognition. I specified the above camp as this is where my boys attended.

To all of the dedicated staff, directors of YKK and board members, and especially Rabbi Langsam, I offer my profound thanks for making this a reality.