When working to form the United Nations after WWII, Winston Churchill famously said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” When I think about these wise words and consider the new waters we have navigated over the past year, a Tamarack Camps alum and champion clearly comes to mind: Scott Wasserman.
Throughout COVID-19, Scott dedicated expertise, time, and energy to giving back to the Detroit Jewish community. Scott skillfully and successfully moved many organizations’ fundraising events to a virtual setting, including our Send a Kid to Tamarack. Any time you do something new, there can be hesitation and fear. Moving an event that is traditionally held in-person (and one that is critical to raising funds for camper scholarship) to Zoom seemed to be a daunting task! However, from our very first planning meeting with Scott Wasserman, we knew we were in good hands. Scott’s brilliance and hard work helped produce an inspirational event – and, our emotion, excitement, and energy shined even through a computer screen! Our first foray into the virtual fundraising space raised more money for scholarship than any previous event, helping to ensure that every child who wants to come to camp, can. It was a special night and one that would not have been possible without Scott Wasserman.
I was on several event planning calls and zoom meetings with Scott and the professional staff – and in each, I could tell our project was a labor of love for Scott. He went above and beyond to burn the midnight oil and make something special for camp. This was Scott’s way of giving back to a place that is meaningful to him. He worked tirelessly to coach us through to a final product that reflected the spirit of camp and what it means to our children, families, staff, partners, and community. That night, filming LIVE with Scott and his team, was a blast – and even virtually – our community was connected, and together, we celebrated the many reasons why we all love camp so much.
During our planning meetings, Lee would often talk about how Scott grew up through camp and found his passion for storytelling through video production and multi-media. I am so proud that he is a product of Tamarack Camps and this community; and this is why I am excited to give the 2021 President’s Award to Scott Wasserman.
To Scott, we are so proud of you. You helped the Detroit Jewish community create a virtual community and provided us with a new stage for important event programming. When we couldn’t be together in person, you kept us connected to each other; and to the missions we support and love. During an unprecedented crisis, you rose to new challenges and found ways to do the things that at first, seemed less than comfortable. Thank you for helping us continue to tell our story. We are grateful for your commitment and passion to Tamarack Camps – and all you do for the Detroit Jewish community.
The President’s Award will be presented at the Annual Meeting on Monday, August 9. Please join us from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm at Springdale Park. RSVP today!
