FEDERATION NEWS - The Jewish Georgian

July-August 2012 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN Page 15
MJCCA News
From page 8
creative writing, role-playing, and small
group discussion.
The program is $225 for non-members
and $180 for members. For information,
visit atlantajcc.org/teens, or call Amy
Helman-Darley, Rosh Hodesh lead facilitator,
at 678-812-3978.
“Rosh Hodesh: Itʼs a Girl Thing!” is a
new MJCCA program for adolescent
girls.
BERNIE MARCUS HONORED AT
HARRY MAZIAR CLASSIC. On June 4,
the MJCCA presented the Harry Maziar
Classic, an annual golf tournament, which
took place this year at Hawks Ridge Golf
Club, an 18-hole private course designed by
Bob Cupp. Each year, the tournament honors
an outstanding member of the community.
This year’s tournament honored
Bernie Marcus, chairman of the board of
The Marcus Foundation, in appreciation of
his dedication and leadership in shaping our
vibrant Atlanta Jewish community.
HMC proceeds help the MJCCA
enhance vital programs, such as preschools,
sports leagues, summer camps, Alzheimer’s
daycare services, programming for people
with developmental disabilities, and much
more.
This year, a record amount was raised
through generous sponsors and donations,
to support MJCCA programs; 120 golfers
participated.
Tournament winners were Jeff
Greenbaum (putting contest); Brandon
Downs and Caryl Paller (longest drive);
Stephen McDonnold, Matthew Prater, Dick
Sullivan, and Ron Whited (first place team,
net score); Jeff Greenbaum, Tre
Hiltzheimer, and Austin Ort (second place,
net score); Larry Isaacson, Gavin Meyers,
and Bradley Young (third place, net score);
and David Abes, Jeff Edelman, George
Nozick, and Paul Nozick (fourth place, net
score).
The 2012 HMC was chaired by Ron
Brill, former executive VP and chief administrative
officer of The Home Depot, Inc.,
and Howard Halpern, chairman of
Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak & Seafood.
The Host Committee included Lisa Brill,
Michael Coles, Michael Dinerman, Jim
Grien, Jack Halpern, Douglas Kuniansky,
Lynne M. Halpern, Mike Leven, Mark
Lichtenstein, Harry Maziar, Bob Paller, and
Judy Zaban.
Marcus foursome: Billi and Bernie
Marcus (standing) and Nancy and
Peter Brown (seated) (Photos: Heidi
Morton)
Harry Maziar, past MJCCA president
and former co-chair of the MJCCA
Governance Board
First-place team: PGA TOUR
Superstore Associates (from left)
Stephen McDonnold, chief information
officer; Dick Sullivan, president
and CEO; Ron Whited, VP
Operations; and Matthew Prater,
controller; all are also former Home
Depot Associates.
GRANTS FOR GARDENS. The MJCCA’s
award-winning East Cobb preschool, The
Sunshine School, recently received two
grants for its Organic Learning Gardens,
created to help preschoolers identify, understand,
and demonstrate the life cycles of
plants and animals. The school received
$2,000, from Whole Kids Foundation (a
Whole Foods Market foundation), and
$1,000, from Keep Cobb Beautiful. They
will enhance the activities that teach chil-
dren how to take care of the environment,
while recognizing that people create food
from natural resources. The Sunshine
School is located at Temple Kol Emeth, in
Marietta.
The Sunshine School garden beds were
installed by Farmer D Organics. There is
one large bed on the toddler playground and
four smaller beds on the preschool playground.
This spring, the students’ science
lessons included such topics as planting
seeds, learning about the parts of a plant,
what a plant needs to grow, and healthy
foods. The school purchased a rain barrel to
collect water for the crops.
The garden education is continuing the
summer, as children from the Sunshine
School’s summer camp, Camp Billi
Marcus, have science once a week with garden-themed
lessons, along with hands-on
experience weeding, watering, harvesting,
and tasting the crops. Future plans include
purchasing a compost bin and teaching the
children about composting/recycling.
See how our radishes grew at The
Sunshine School
J-SERVE. More than 500 Atlanta Jewish
teens, in grades 6-12, recently joined with
thousands of teens around the world, as
they participated in J-Serve, a national day
of community service and improvement
projects during the month of April. Teens
across the metropolitan Atlanta community
worked together towards the Jewish ideal of
“Tikun Olam” (repairing the world).
J-Serve is the annual community service
program for Jewish youth throughout
the world. Since 2005, J-Serve has been
part of Youth Service America’s Global
Youth Service Initiative. Participating in
these community service projects allows
teens to see firsthand how their actions have
a direct impact on our city’s future.
This year’s projects included the
Daffodil Dash at Georgia Perimeter
College; working on the AIDS Memorial
Quilt; preparing brunch at Ronald
McDonald House; volunteering at The
Gateway Center, which helps individuals
move out of homelessness; volunteering
with Chastain Park Conservancy; preparing
and packing food at Project Open Hand;
and volunteering at Morgan Falls Recycling
Center.
In an effort to invite all Jewish teens
and tweens to participate in Atlanta J-Serve
2012, the MJCCA partnered with Am
Yisrael Chai, Amy’s Holiday Party, BBYO,
BBYO Connect, Club 678, Congregation
Or Hadash, JCC Maccabi Team Atlanta,
Jewish Student Union, MJCCA’s Teen
Community Service, Temple Emanu-El,
The Davis Academy, Israeli Scouts, Young
Israel of Toco Hills, The Weber School, and
Congregation Etz Chaim.
After the service projects were completed,
participants from all of the various
sites came together at the MJCCA’s Zaban
Park for a closing ceremony to reflect on
the day’s physical and spiritual components
and how they tied together. Community
service certificates were given to conclude
the meaningful day.
J-Serve 2009 is a collaboration of
PANIM: The Institute for Jewish
Leadership and Values and the Jewish
Coalition for Service, with additional support
from partner agencies and foundations.
J-Serve teens help beautify the park
and learn about conservation efforts