June 11, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
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Sending the kids to camp might not happen guidelines.” Hillel was scheduled to open on June 29 and end on Aug. 21 before to Cuomo’s announcement. A new open date Gov. Andrew Cuomo offered some clar- is yet to be determined. ity on when summer camps can open in Leibowitz noted the desire for Hillel to the state. open this summer, but realizes that the In a June 2 news conferhealth and safety of campence, he announced that ers and staff is the most summer day camps across important factor. “We recthe state can open June 29. ognize the importance of There have been no guidecamp, but it needs to be lines released from the implemented in a safe manstate for camps to follow ner in accordance with the upon reopening. A decision health department recomto reopen sleepaway camps mendations and guidehas not been made. lines,” he said. “The safety For Five Towns camps and health of our Hillel such as Hillel Day Camp, families are our top prioriwhich uses the grounds of ty and we are planning for the Hebrew Academy of all possibilities and modifithe Five Towns and Rockacations that we may need to way Lawrence campus, a implement.” Leibowitz later start date is anticipatadded that Hillel typically EvAn LEIBoWITz ed, should the camp open, averages roughly 900 campsaid Executive Director Hillel Day Camp ers and 300 staff members Evan Leibowitz. each summer. executive director “We are waiting for speHebrew Academy of cific guidelines from the Long Beach Executive health department, while working with Director Richard Hagler said that a sumour medical team, and speaking to par- mer camp opening date remains unclear. ents and staff in order to make an “We’re proceeding as if we’re going to informed decision about opening,” he have summer camp,” he said. “Like said. “We have a number of possible plans everybody else, we’re going to follow what in place that we can roll out or adapt government agencies such as the CDC depending on the recommendations and (Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
By MATTHEW FERREMI mferremi@liherald.com
W
e have a number of possible plans in place that we can roll out or adapt depending on the recommendations and guidelines.
Elizabeth Bessen/Herald
THAT suMMER dAy camps can open on June 29. Five Towns camps are still working out details of how they will reopen. New York Mets players Dominic Smith, left, and Jeff McNeil, right, visited Hillel Day Camp last year. tion) and the county’s department of health say.” Hagler noted that HALB has roughly 1,000 campers and 200 staff members each year. While Hillel and HALB are considering opening, the Lawrence Woodmere Academy summer day camp has decided to be closed this summer. “It was with sad
hearts that we announce that we are postponing camp until summer 2021,” Summer Day Camp Director Candice Morgenlander said. “This has been the hardest decision we have ever made “As we navigate this unprecedented journey, we find comfort in knowing that LWA Summer Day will return in the summer of 2021.”
Hewlett High School students help donate PPE MId donATIons HAs worked with State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, left, who was with Dylan Mirvis, Matthew Field and Ian Volman outside the state senator’s Rockville Centre office on May 11.
By MATTHEW FERREMI mferremi@liherald.com
With the help of some local officials, a Hewlett resident has lent a helping hand to his community during the coronavirus pandemic. Hewlett High School sophomore Dylan Mirvis established a charity venture with fellow 10th-graders classmates Matthew Field and Ian Volman called MID Donations. The initials represent the student’s first names. Mirvis said he was inspired by a desire to assist others in his community. “When this lockdown started, I was motivated to find a way to give back to people,” he said. “About three weeks ago I thought of the plan and two of my classmates helped put it together.” They have been donating personal protection equipment such as masks, gloves and hand sanitizers to places in need. Mirvis has collaborated with State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat who represents the Five Towns, to donate the items to local fire departments, including Hewlett, Lawrence-Cedarhurst, Inwood, Woodmere and Long Beach. MID has also worked with Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, who passed on the equipment to Brooklyn courthouses. “As everyone is aware, there is a massive shortage of personal protective equipment affecting our first responders around the country, especially in New York,” Gonzalez said. “Thanks to our
Courtesy Dylan Mirvis
friends at MID Donations, we were able to acquire KN95 masks as well as other PPE items such as surgical masks, gloves, gowns and hand sanitizer for our local fire departments.” Mirvis appreciated the efforts of his local politicians during this pandemic. “We spoke a few times about how this time was unprecedented as no one knew at first how to handle this situation,” he said. “To know that I’ve been able to help my local officials and give back to a community that has already given me so much is just a great feeling.”
The items are gathered by Mirvis from the Brooklyn-based Assure Distribution, a company that manufactures PPE items. Assure Distribution Chief Operating Officer Marc Kassman is amazed by the efforts of Mirvis. “I don’t know how I would have handled it back when I was their age,” Kassman said. “But the fact at their age that they realize that they have the opportunity to make a difference is tremendous.” Kassman admires the teamwork that Mirvis and his classmates have shown. “This is a great example of the youth
leading us into the future and the fact that they’re putting their efforts together as a team is better than one individual person doing it,” Kassman said. “If we would all do this as a group, we would be in a better place in society.” The support for the charity has been great for Mirvis to witness. “I thank everyone who has been donating,” he said. “I hope everyone stays safe and we will get through this together.” Donations can be made to the charities GoFundMe page: https://bit.ly/2U1vn08.
