Annual Sunday Funday Event Raises Over $285,000 in Support of Camp Bob Waldorf
LOS ANGELES, CA – (October 17, 2023) – Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA) and the Foundation for Camp Bob Waldorf (FCBW) hosted its annual Sunday Funday event on Sunday, October 15th at Camp Bob Waldorf (CBW) in Glendale, raising over $285,000 to help send youth from low-income households in Los Angeles to camp.
More than 350 community leaders, mentoring matches, and families attended the brunch and carnival to support camp programming and learn how Camp Bob Waldorf transforms the lives of over 1,000 Los Angeles youth each year. Guests also enjoyed camp tours and a carnival featuring food trucks, a rock-climbing wall, DJ, inflatable obstacle course, arts & crafts, bubble play, archery, arts & crafts, the LAX PUPs, and games with players from the UCLA men’s basketball team.
Sunday Funday honored current JBBBSLA Board Member, CBW supporter, and former Big Brother, Eric Fingleson. Sunday Funday Event Chair and JBBBSLA Board member Alex Kozakov introduced Eric, thanking him for his years of dedication to the agency. “As a board member, Eric has witnessed the impact of Camp Bob Waldorf, not just on his Little Brother River, who attended camp, but also on the thousands of campers each summer. Eric is selfless and has given so much of his time and energy to help make the world a better place.”
JBBBSLA CEO Cari Uslan welcomed guests to the brunch, acknowledging the current crisis in Israel and requesting a moment of silence in memory of lives lost.
“I want to acknowledge the challenging days we have all been living through over the past week,” Uslan said. “We have witnessed horrible acts of violence and terror that cast a dark shadow over all of us. And it is critically important that we come together as a united community, demonstrating our collective strength, compassion, and hope for a future that is better than today. My heart is full of gratitude for each and every one of you gathered here at camp.”
Board President and former Camp Bob Waldorf camper Sandy Sigal and Camp Director Simon Hansen also delivered remarks before former camper and current camp counselor Sarah Molina shared her experience.
“My first summer at Camp Bob Waldorf changed my life,” Molina said. “Before camp, I was shy and had a hard time standing up for myself. After just 10 days, I had become more confident and started to dream big and see my full potential. Camp will always and forever be my home away from home.”
California Assemblymember Laura Friedman attended the brunch and congratulated Eric Fingleson at the event hosted in Glendale, a district she has served since 2016. Representatives from State Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymember Isaac Bryan also attended the event. Special thanks to the Sunday Funday lead sponsors The Isander, Shane and Sigal Families, donors, JBBBSLA staff, JBBBSLA Board, the Sunday Funday Committee, and the Camp Bob Waldorf staff.
About Camp Bob Waldorf
Owned and operated by Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles and inspired by Jewish values to help others, Camp Bob Waldorf is a non-denominational residential camp located on 112 acres in the Verdugo Mountains of Glendale. Since 1938, Camp Bob Waldorf has served over 60,000 youth from low-income households in Los Angeles County in a fun, safe, nurturing environment. Camp programs are built upon four core pillars – Community, Identity, Inclusion, and Respect.
All campers have access to JBBBSLA’s other programs – including the Teen Talk App providing social and emotional support to teens and College Access + Success (including the Erwin Rautenberg College Guidance Program and the Arnold S. Nelson and Rising Leaders Scholarships to attend college and more). Learn more about these programs at jbbbsla.org.
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