ERA Justin Realty Celebrates a Successful 2013 Muscular Dystrophy Summer Camp Fundraiser

 

Each year for 15 years, ERA Justin Realty teammates proudly raise donations  for the MDA Summer Camp program. Attending VIP day for the company were also friends and family including Fara Espandi, Cathy Vick, Michelle Korosy, Julia Dagistanli, Jennifer Darby Metzger, Cate Metzger, Carlie Metzger, Marina Cespedes, Carol D. Calamari and Glenn Elliot.

ERA Justin Realty Celebrates a Successful 2013 Muscular Dystrophy Summer Camp Fundraiser

ERA Justin Realty continuing its fifteen year tradition of fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy, had a banner year for the kids summer camp program with the coordination of other ERA New Jersey offices, now approaching $30,000.00 for the program. Ron Darby, ERA's MDA chairman for New Jersey coordinated the successful fundraising for New Jersey kids attending the camp.  Attending VIP day for the company were also friends and family, Fara Espandi, Cathy Vick, Michelle Korosy, Julia Dagistanli, Jennifer Darby Metzger, Cate Metzger, Carlie Metzger, Marina Cespedes, Carol D. Calamari and Glenn Elliot.

At MDA camp, kids with neuromuscular disease discover a world created specifically for them, and meet many other kids sharing the same needs and experiences. MDA campers dream about summer camp all year and often say it’s better than Christmas; some even say it’s changed their lives. Almost all campers agree that it’s "the best week of the year."

MDA camp offers a fun and safe outdoor experience, along with opportunities to engage in a variety of activities such as horseback riding, swimming, adaptive sports, arts and crafts, camp dances and much more. In addition to all of the fun and friendship it offers, MDA camp enables campers to stretch their comfort zones and grow in independence as they spend a week away from home; permit someone other than their parents to provide personal care; and make new friends. Sure, there’s an abundance of fun and games at MDA camp, but if you talk to MDA campers, they’ll tell you the real benefits come in a much subtler form — the lifelong friendships, the increased self-esteem and confidence, and the chance to spend at least one week of the year in a place where physical disabilities are the norm rather than the exception.

For parents and guardians, MDA camp provides a brief break from their roles of caregiver for a child with neuromuscular disease. It's a place where parents know they can send their children for a week of summer fun and, at the same time, be assured that their child’s medical and physical needs will be met by a team of dedicated health professionals and trained camp volunteers. MDA staff and volunteers assume all camper care, including physical and emotional support, allowing parents much-needed time to attend to their own needs and, in some cases, spend some special time with the camper’s siblings.

Jennifer Darby Metzger, broker co-owner said, “It has been the focus of our entire staff of agents to raise tax deductible donations to send as many children to MDA summer camp as possible and it all came again this year for all. We reached out to all of the business firms and individuals we transact business with throughout the year to send in their donations large and small.  Donations were pooled in an effort to send children to MDA summer camp for a week.  In the past we had focused on raising funds for MDA research, but we now focus to give these children an immediate positive experience.  Due to the untiring efforts of our staff and those who donated, the MDA youngsters are enjoyed a week in the country in a structured environment to fit their abilities.

Each year MDA supports summer camps across the country. Whether in Alaska or Hawaii, in California or New Jersey, at MDA camp barriers simply don’t exist. A child with a disability can just be a child among friends. MDA camp is a magical place offering a wide range of activities specially designed for young people who have limited mobility or use wheelchairs. MDA camp programs, although structured, are conducted in a relaxed atmosphere that gives campers an unmatched opportunity to develop lifelong friendships, share interests and build self-confidence. Activities range from outdoor sports such as swimming, boating, baseball and horseback riding to less physically demanding programs like arts and crafts and talent shows. Thousands of youngsters attend MDA camp each year at no cost to their families.

Be a volunteer or a sponsor by sending your tax deductible check made payable to MDA and mail it to MDA c/o ERA Justin Realty Co., 118 Jackson Avenue, Rutherford, New Jersey 07070.  The firm is now continuing their MDA Summer Camp fundraising activities, preparing for next year.  If you have questions on this great program for the kids, call us at (201) 939-7500.

To reach the ERA Justin Realty team with questions about being part of the MDA team or with real estate questions, they can be reached at their Rutherford office at 118 Jackson Avenue, Rutherford, NJ. By phone at (201) 939-7500, (201) 438-0588 or (201) 438-SOLD.  Additional real estate information is also available at the firms 1000's of homes websites at www.ERAJustin.com and www.ERAJustinRealty.com.