Annual Sunday Funday Event Raises Over $400,000 in Support of Camp Bob Waldorf
LOS ANGELES, CA – (October 24, 2022) – 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 23rd at Camp Bob Waldorf (CBW) in Glendale, raising over $400,000 to help send underserved youth 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 petting zoo, rock climbing wall, DJ, carnival games, inflatable obstacle course, arts & crafts, the LAX PUPs, a basketball clinic, and a new Teen Zone.
Sunday Funday honored current JBBBSLA Board Member, CBW supporter, and former Big Brother, Scott Tiano. JBBBSLA CEO Cari Uslan introduced Scott, thanking him for his years of dedication to the agency, noting that “Scott was a Big Brother and has served as a Board member for five years. Scott is always there when you need him. He is quick to volunteer and despite his busy schedule, always finds a way to follow through. It is a pleasure to honor Scott Tiano with all of you today.”
During the brunch, guests enjoyed moving speeches from parents of campers, including Rushell Westby, who shared the impact CBW had on her son, Jalen, who attended camp for 11 years. “Camp Bob Waldorf provided an opportunity for Jalen to develop a sense of identity, awareness of life’s surroundings, and resilience,” Westby said. “He was taught to strive for greatness, to be the best he can be. Camp Bob Waldorf became a special, integral place for my family because it allowed Jalen to just be a kid and have lots of fun, while doing it in a safe and nurturing environment.”
During brunch, Uslan encouraged attendees to support a new addition to the Camp’s popular Challenge Course – a bouldering wall. “Campers of all ages will benefit from bouldering. At Camp Bob Waldorf, we believe in ‘Challenge by Choice,’ which means a camper will never be required to participate in any activity,” Uslan said. “We want our campers to feel a sense of accomplishment and the bouldering wall will give our campers another chance to shine.”
Camp Director Simon Hansen shared highlights from the Camp’s first overnight sessions since 2019 and spoke of the importance of camp. “The summer camp experience is more important now than ever. Coming out of the pandemic, kids needed opportunities to be themselves in the outdoors, and enjoy fun environments, they need unstructured play time with positive and encouraging role models, and they need to unplug from technology. Campers had an awesome experience getting to make new friends, try new things, and practice being the best version of themselves.”
Special thanks to the event’s lead sponsors The Bider, Isander, Shane and Sigal Families, donors, JBBBSLA staff, JBBBSLA Board, the Sunday Funday Committee, and Camp Bob Waldorf staff.
Owned and operated by Jewish Big Brother 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, the camp has helped more than 60,000 underserved children, offering youth development activities for children as young as nine and providing services to them through the age of seventeen and beyond
All CBW 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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