As your new Chief Advancement Officer, I am inspired daily by the generosity, spirit, and warmth of the Tamarack Camps community. Thank you for welcoming me with open arms: it is truly an honor to have this opportunity to work alongside such amazing team members, board leaders, committee volunteers, alumni, families, and donors. Your dedication to preserving the legacy of a “fresh air” experience for the next generation of campers is evident – and your passion is extraordinary!
It has been my privilege to serve as a development professional over the past fifteen years, advancing the missions of worthy nonprofit organizations to improve the lives of children and families. This work includes Forgotten Harvest, Focus: HOPE, and most recently, the Beaumont Health Foundation. In every corner of our nonprofit community, I have seen donors’ values, goodness, and gifts impact others in incredibly deep and meaningful ways.
It brings me such happiness to think about the generosity of this donor community taking shape in the lives of campers: connecting young people to their past, nurturing them in the present, and preparing them to create positive change in the future. Leaning on the nostalgia of my own childhood summer camp memories, like each of you, I recognize and appreciate the positive impact that this Jewish camping experience has on the lives of children and young adults. It reinforces important cultural and moral values, while also cultivating good character and confidence. Camp helps young people balance between independence and social cohesion, including teamwork and cooperation. And as you all know well, a Tamarack summer allows new friendships to flourish and fosters lifelong relationships.
Speaking of social connectedness, it has been delightful to meet many Tamarack leaders, donors, alumni, campers, and families! I look forward to getting to know more of you in the months ahead. In the spirit of this virtual space we currently occupy, I welcome your outreach, introductions and stories: you can find me at aimerman@tamarackcamps.com. I would be so happy to hear from you!
On my very first day on staff, we received a call from a family wanting to make a gift. They shared that decades ago, their son received a scholarship which enabled him to attend camp. This is what philanthropy is all about: sometimes we give and sometimes we receive – and it is this link between the giving and the receiving that connects us to one another.
We are so grateful to be connected to one another during this important time in Tamarack’s history and I am thrilled to be on this journey with each of you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your steadfast support and for all you do for Tamarack Camps.
