Summer is Fast Approaching!
Summer 2008 is just around the bend with
9 weeks to go until the start of Session I.
The Ranch Camp office is bustling with activity, preparing for another amazing, fun-filled summer at camp.

There are still spots available for this summer, so if you are interested in registering, please call the Ranch Camp office at 303-316-6321.

Volunteers Wanted
JCC Ranch Camp needs your help. We will be working on beautification projects throughout the month of May, prior to the start of camp and need volunteers to come down on weekends to help us suceed in completing all projects before the start of camp on June 8th.

If you or your family is interested in helping, please contact the Ranch Camp office.

Pool Renovation
We are so excited that for the first time since it was built, the Ranch Camp pool is getting a complete renovation just in time for a grand reopening before the start of summer.

The pool is getting a liner, new tile is being put in, a new deck is being poured, and the fencing surrounding the pool is being improved.

The pool has always been one of the most popular sites at camp during the summer months and with all of these new improvements, will surely continue to be a fun, cool place for our Ranch Camp community.

A Greener Camp
This summer, Ranch Camp will be focusing its attention on becoming a “green” camp environment; a place where staff and campers are conscientious about comsumption, waste, and the natural beauty that surrounds us.

We are setting up a recycling center next to our trash dumpsters, and each cabin will have their own recycling bin that they will be responsbile for taking to the center on a daily basis to deposit recyclable waste.

As a part of our pool renovation, we are purchasing a pool cover that will help to reduce energy use in heating the pool. And in all areas of camp, more attention will be brought to what we can do to help reduce our ecological footprint.

Spring Has Sprung
Spring has arrived to camp, with new grass coming up everywhere and the wildlife emerging from their Winter hideouts.

A herd of elk was seen on our fence line neighboring the Boy Scouts and deer are frequently seen grazing in the meadows.

Springtime is amazing, but we can’t wait for Summer to arrive!

New Ranch Camp Directors!
This Fall, Dirk Bird was honored with the wonderful opportunity of becoming the Denver JCC’s new Sports and Fitness Director. With this promotion, Miriam and Gilad Shwartz have stepped into the Ranch Camp director position.

Miriam was a Ranch Camp camper from
1993-1996, and began working at camp in 1999. Gilad and Miriam met at Ranch Camp in 2001 while working in the corral, and were married in 2004. For the last several summers they have co-managed the corral and are now extremely excited to co-direct the Ranch Camp.

Miriam and Gilad are living on-site at the camp and are commuting to the Denver office several times a week. Please stop by the Ranch Camp office to say hello!

Need a Venue for Your Event?
With Miriam and Gilad living on-site at Ranch Camp, they are looking to have the ranch be utilized year-round for events, functions, and retreats. If you or someone you know is looking for a venue to host their personal, group, or corporate event, please consider Ranch Camp.

Rental group rates and fees are now available, and will soon be posted online. For further information, please contact Miriam and Gilad at (303) 316-6321 or send them an email via the contact page.

Staff Profile: Jarrah Fry
Jarrah starting working for the Ranch Camp in 2003 and for the past five years has been instrumental in the camp’s mountain biking, ropes course, and trip camps programming. He was born in England, and moved with his family to Australia when he was a teenager. Jarrah is not only an extremely talented and experienced outdoorsman, but is also a skilled mechanic and a terrific cook!

Did you know:

• Jarrah’s real first name is Thomas
• Jarrah hates peanut butter and tomatoes
• Jarrah loves bonsai trees

On the Road Recruiting
Gilad and Miriam will soon be heading out on the road, traversing the Western states in an effort to promote Ranch Camp and encourage kids to join us for a fantastic 2008 summer season.

If you would like them to talk to your congregation or group of friends, please call or email to set up a meeting.

Gaga For Ga Ga!
One of the more popular spots at camp is the Ga Ga pit. This is the place to be for engaging in friendly competition with fellow campers and counselors and hanging out with friends. In fact, some campers would play Ga Ga all day and all night if we let them! No, we have not added lights to the Ga Ga pit (not yet anyway), but we are pleased to announce that you will be able to double your Ga Ga pleasure this summer at Ranch Camp. Ga Ga pit number two was built this winter right next door to Ga Ga pit number one. Ga Ga pit number two means more time spent playing everyone’s favorite Jewish summer camp game!

Ranch Camp in Cyberspace
We recently launched a new version of the Ranch Camp website (www.ranchcamp.org) in preparation for a busy summer of web surfing. In addition to the wonderful E-camp photos that are downloaded on a daily basis, make sure to check the Ranch Camp Blog this summer. The Blog will be posted every few days by Ranch Camp director Dirk Bird, and includes brief recaps of programs, stories and humorous and poignant anecdotes. The Blog will be up and running by the first day of Session I. We hope that you enjoy this new virtual window into summer at Ranch Camp.
Visit the Ranch Camp Blog.

Staff Profile: Charles White
Last summer, many Ranch Campers had the opportunity to improve their hip hop dancing skills and find their inner rhythm in classes taught by RC’s resident hip hop dance expert, Charles White. Charles, who doubles as the co-manager of the Ranch Camp kitchen, will be back sharing his hip hop dancing expertise with our campers. In addition to hip hop dance, Charles may be teaching a couple of DJ classes as well. We are thrilled to have Charles back with us this summer!

Summer Magic At Ranch Camp
Ranch Camp is pleased to be partnering with Jewish Family Services and the Jewish Disabilities Network to bring Summer Magic to Ranch Camp this year. Summer Magic, now in its 16th year, gives children with special needs a taste of Jewish summer camp. This will be the first year that Summer Magic takes place at Ranch Camp. We hope that this will become an annual part of our summer program. Ranch Camp received a grant from the Jewish Community Center Association and Coca Cola for this fantastic program. For more information about Summer Magic, please contact Rita Singer (720) 335-0854 or rocky2323@aol.com.

Fore more information about how Coca-Cola and the JCCA help fund our summer camps, download and read the press release (requires Adobe Acrobat).

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Give the Gift of Ranch Camp

At Ranch Camp, children form lifetime memories and friendships. They also build a foundation of self-confidence that serves them well throughout their lives. As the parent of a Ranch Camp camper, (or as a former camper yourself), you understand the impact that a summer spent at Ranch Camp has on a child.

Unfortunately for some families, sending their child to Ranch Camp is beyond their financial means. However, you have the power to change this — you can give a child the gift of lifetime Jewish memories and friendships. You can make it possible for a child to experience the wonderment of Jewish camping at Ranch Camp.

In 2006, Ranch Camp provided nearly $70,000 in scholarships to over 50 children who, because of the generosity of others, were able to go to camp. In the coming years, we anticipate an increasing demand for scholarships. Today, we ask you to help send a child to camp by making a contribution to the Ranch Camp scholarship fund.

If you are interested in making a gift to the Ranch Camp scholarship fund, please contact Dirk at (303) 316-6321. You can make summer at Ranch Camp possible for a child in need.

Israel in Elbert County:
Ranch Camp continues to strengthen its connection to Israel by welcoming both Israeli staff and campers to our summer home in Elbert County. In partnership with Jewish Community Center Association (JCCA) and the Jewish Agency, Ranch Camp will employ eight Israelis who go through an extensive and rigorous training process to work at North American Jewish camps. The relationship with our Partnership 2000 sister community, Ramat Negev, gives children a Jewish Colorado summer.

Interaction between staff and campers from the U.S. and Israel decreases the geographical distance between the two countries while creating long-lasting friendships. We look forward to having a vibrant Israeli element at Ranch Camp again this summer.

Staff Profiles: Miriam and
Gilad Shwartz
We are excited to report that long-time Ranch Camp equestrian program directors, Miriam and Gilad Shwartz are returning to Ranch Camp this summer after a one-year hiatus for graduate school.

Miriam and Gilad have an unwavering commitment to quality and safety, and openly share their love and passion for horses to all of our campers. We look forward to having them with us at Ranch Camp for many years to come.

Attention Future Philanthropists:
A wonderful new program, B’nai Tzedek, a joint venture between the Colorado Agency for Jewish Education (CAJE) and the Jewish Community Foundation, allows Jewish teens to influence their community for generations to come.

Here’s how it works:
Participants open a Personal Endowment Account with a $250 contribution, an amount matched by the Jewish Community Foundation. During the year, participants attend three educational and social programs that explain the meaning of tzedakah and introduce participants to other teens who are are contributing to make the world a better place. Each spring, participants make donations to non-profit Jewish organizations from their philanthropic accounts.

If you are 13 years of age and are interested in this fantastic program, pick up an application from the Ranch Camp office or contact Wendy Aronson, B’nai Tzedek Director, at (303) 321-3191 x224.