Saturday March 11th, a group of Tawonga alumni visited the kids at the
Edgewood Center for Children and Families. The beautiful facility,
located on Vicente Street in San Francisco, is the oldest children's
charity in the Western United States. Founded in 1851 as a shelter
for orphans of the Gold Rush, it has been in continuous use since
then, evolving into a place of refuge for emotionally disturbed,
abused, and neglected children.

Ryley Share, head of the Community Service Committee of the Alumni
Association, put the event together and somehow even managed to get
the weather to cooperate as days of rain (and hail!) were interrupted
during our time at Edgewood with springlike weather.

Andy Grossman and Katie Somers kicked off the singalong portion of
the day, coaxing the apprehensive kids into song with a rousing
rendition of Here Comes the Sun. Mimi Gordon put a special
abbreviated edition of the Tawonga Songbook together for the group to
enjoy.

After both alumni and kids warmed up with singing, we adjourned to
the outside playground, where Elizabeth Rosser, Monica Pallie and
Larissa Siegel (who took time out from celebrating her birthday!) all
helped organize games that in the words of the facilities
coordinator: "Pulled some kids of their shells in ways that I have
just never seen before." Benjamin Packard and Debbie Pollack radiated
such energy that the kids naturally gravitated to their Tawonga
charisma.

Kudos to Ryley and the rest of the team, who came out on a cold
Shabbat morning to warm up the world a little bit with some truly
special children.

-Steve Gershik
Alumni Association President and Tawonga Board Member

To learn more go to the Tawonga Alumni Association website at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tawonga/

// posted by The Camp Tawonga Staff @ 11:22 AM