Dropping off the children

We send our children off to school and hope we are leaving them in a safe place. We trust that the teachers and staff are capable of protecting them and keeping them nourished in a variety of ways and that we will see them later in the day.

For generations parents across our nation have done this and it has been fine. Sometimes there was a storm or a blackout or a hurricane or something like that for the educators to deal with and there were drill systems set up, like in case of fire, to help evacuate if needed. When I was growing up in the Midwest we had tornado drills and air raid drills. It was scary sometimes, but we grew used to it and nothing happened. We were safe.

Suddenly, we have crazy stuff to deal with. We have people stealing airplanes and steering them into skyscrapers and we have other people outrageously armed with a cache of weapons who commit genocide and then suicide. We have seen a day care center in Oklahoma City blown to bits and now yet another school mass shooting. It is unbearable to all of us, as citizens and as parents. It is unbearable to think of the mindset that made that young man shoot his mother and then the innocent victims in the elementary school.

We don’t have all the answers. There are massive amounts of weapons throughout our country and we are told that after the shooting, more assault weapons were sold than ever before. My contention is to stop manufacturing and dispensing ammunition. Who then would care if the guns were there? They would be rendered largely harmless. But even if we could accomplish that and get anyone to agree to anything anymore within a consensus, there is still the matter of the disturbed minds that would do such a thing. We still have to deal with that issue and that’s a biggie.

As a parent and as a neighbor, I know we can’t just forget about this. We can’t just wait a few weeks and move on without doing some things to set a plan in motion. We need to continue the dialogue, the outrage, the mourning so that we don’t forget, so we don’t get complacent and it becomes business as usual. We need to seek out answers from professionals and we need to identify the troubled souls among us and try to help them before they strike.

We need to act and continue to act before any more children are lost. This must be our highest priority. We must put politics aside and find answers before more lives are snuffed out in the horror of these violent acts. We all need to listen to each other and find a way to keep the children safe.

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Camp Lee Mar

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">A private 7 week residential summer program offering a unique curriculum incorporating a strong Academic and Speech program with traditional camp activities. Our campers flourish at Lee Mar due to the structured environment we provide which allows our campers to feel comfortable and secure. Careful study is made of parent input, school (IEPs), camper interview, etc., so that the interests and needs of each child can best be determined for suitable grouping prior to the camper arriving. At Lee Mar the children find comfort and friendship with children of similar age and functioning level. From this foundation we encourage our campers to embrace and learn new skills and have new experiences which they can build upon on their return home. We also focus on building friendships which last throughout the year, as well as learning how to cope with the dynamics of group situations. Development of the whole child is our goal. We work hard at improving the daily living, social, and life skills of our campers, while giving them the happiest summer of their lives!</span></p>

Mosholu Day Camp

<p dir="ltr">For over 80 years, Mosholu Day Camp has been providing affordable, quality camping to children from all over the Bronx, Manhattan, Rockland & Westchester. Our picturesque facility sits on beautiful Lake Cohasset in Harriman State Park. It offers children a place to develop, experience, and enjoy the nature around them, while taking part in unforgettable outdoor summer activities. </p> <p dir="ltr">Mosholu offers campers more, while you pay less. As a camp that focuses on traditional activities our goal is to give children unforgettable experiences and lifelong friendships. The camp has expert staff and top-notch facilities. Mosholu is a safe and nurturing environment filled with exciting activities and adventures for all ages. Director, Mike Halpern brings over 40 years of camping, teaching and childcare experiences and along with an amazing leadership team, built a program that allows campers to learn and thrive.</p> <p dir="ltr">The camp provides a nurturing environment where campers have an opportunity to enjoy activities (like music, arts, sports, and special programs), while a special focus is placed on swimming, where campers begin to develop and improve water familiarity and swimming skills take part in row boats, kayaks and an amazing waterpark. The camp has an amazing challenge and ropes course area with a number of challenges including a rock wall, zip line, tree climbing and rope swing. Campers gain independence while supervised by counselors who understand the needs of emerging tween campers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mosholu is a “funtastic” place where campers make new friends, are creative, focus on sports and arts, and have a positive experience. Counselors are college-aged and older, and are directly supervised by adult professional child care workers who are in tune to the campers' needs. There are tons of inter-camp games and parties, as well as cookouts and a water balloon sling shot area where campers stay cool and laugh. </p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">Mosholu Day Camp offers bus service (included in the price) from all over Westchester, Upper Manhattan, The Bronx and Rockland. It is an amazing camp experience at an amazing price!  It is a place where memories are made that last a lifetime!<span id="docs-internal-guid-be08b0e8-7fff-e32f-eaed-a8310d12ec1f"></span></p>

Fieldston Summer Camps

<p>Fieldston Summer Camps provide a fun, eventful summer for all ages. Fieldston Outdoors, Fieldston Sports Camp, Fieldston Premier Sports, Fieldston Future Leaders Camp, Fieldston Emerging Leaders Camp, and Fieldston Expeditions Camp are comprehensive programs covering a spectrum of subjects and interests designed to engage campers. Our programs and classes range from outdoor adventure to educational, sports, and STEAM programs. All camps are held at our campus in Riverdale, with the exception of Fieldston Expeditions Camp, which takes place at locations across the country.</p> <p> </p>