​On Sunday, December 29, our Lucille and Jay Chazanoff Sunrise Day Camp families celebrated the holidays together at a special Sunrise Sunday event.

Sunrise families were led in a series of fun games and challenges such as a tug of war, a dance contest, and a tough round of Simon Says. Everyone loved playing the “Brain Challenge” trivia game show, which pitted kids, parents, and counselors against each other in the ultimate test of wits. The kids really wowed everyone with their knowledge!

Later, the campers headed off to the gym for other fun activities. Some played gaga, one of their favorite camp games, while others played ball and played with a parachute. Our CEO David Sorkin even got in on all the fun—check out the video below!

The highlight of the afternoon was when all of our campers received holiday gifts. Parents and staffers loved seeing the kids’ faces light up as they unwrapped their presents. We are thankful for all of our generous donors who make Sunrise Day Camp and year-round events like this possible. We are especially grateful to IAmEmpowering and the David Harris Collection for donating the gifts that brought so much joy to our campers and their families.
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To conclude the event, Sunrise Day Camp Director Sandy Haft announced this year’s camp dates—July 6-August 13. We can’t wait to see all of our campers again, but, until then, we’re gearing up for walk season to raise the funds needed to give these kids the best summer ever!

We've got several great upcoming events in January and February!

First is Sunshine Sunday, our annual event benefitting Lucille and Jay Chazanoff Sunrise Day Camp! This year, we are proud to recognize Marie DiTommaso; Rosemarie Stazzone, RN, MS, CNE; and our Sunrise Walk Basket & Event Committee: Dawn Petermann, Debbie Monello, Andria O’Leary, and Joanne Vitale.  The event will take place on Sunday, January 26th at the Old Bermuda Inn from 1-5pm.
Learn more and buy tickets here

We will also host the #RememberMe Brunch on Sunday, February 23rd from 10am-1pm at the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC. At the event, which benefits the JCC’s Family Solutions to Memory Loss, we will honor Cherine Hanna, Adele McMahon, LCSW-R, Jackie Reiter, LMSW, and Rabbi Stephen Stern, PhD.
Learn more and buy tickets here

We hope to see you at our events this winter!

​Two very special events took place this month to raise much needed funds for the Lucille & Jay Chazanoff Sunrise Day Camp-Staten Island. The first, Sunrise Freestyle Dance Party, gave fans of freestyle music a chance to dance while raising money for a good cause. The party took place at Angelina’s Ristorante on Thursday, July 11th. At the event, we honored two Sunrise nurses, Jennifer Deddo and Nicole DePaulo, for their incredible work. The evening was capped off with a performance by special guest Cynthia, a freestyle artist. 

The second event, Sunrise Night in White, took place at the Stone House on Thursday, July 18th. The elegant evening on the water honored restauranteurs Peter Botros and Phil Farinacci. Those who attended were treated to a performance by opera singer Evangelos Giamouris. The event was presented by the United Federation of Teachers.
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Click here for more pictures of Sunrise Freestyle Dance party.  
Click here for pictures from Sunrise Night in White. 

​Day camp is a JCC tradition that dates back to the 1930s, and in 2019, it’s still going strong! In addition to our traditional day camp, we also have Marvin’s Camp for Children with Special Needs, also located at Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds. Sports camps based out of our Bernikow and Avis Buildings instruct children in soccer, basketball, aquatics, and gymnastics. Sunrise Day Camp, which runs out of Mount Loretto, is a camp for children with cancer and their siblings that is completely free of charge to families. The JCC also operates camps at our Beacon sites and Cornerstone Community Centers.
Check out photos of our happy campers from several of our locations!

SunriseWALKS raises over $320,000 to send kids with cancer and their siblings to camp.
On Sunday, June 2nd, the 4th Annual SunriseWALKS Staten Island was held at Mount Loretto to benefit Lucille & Jay Chazanoff Sunrise Day Camp-Staten Island. Following the walk, children participated in a family carnival.