Religious School students from Port’s Temple Beth Israel did a Mitzvah, or good deed, for Sunrise on Wheels, a program run by Sunrise Day Camp, where children with cancer and their healthy siblings share a regular camp experience.
As part of the services provided by Sunrise, there is a year round program called “Sunrise on Wheels,” that brings the camp experience to many of the hospitals in the tri-state area. Sunrise volunteers go to these hospitals and bring trunks filled with toys, puzzles, games, arts and crafts, and other things that the children can do while they are receiving their treatments or waiting to receive treatments (often in isolation) at the hospital.
The Mitzvah project entailed teaming together to purchase the much needed art supplies for the children at the various hospitals, which Religious School students used to put together in individual bags.
With the generosity of the Temple Beth Israel families, the students were able to purchase enough supplies to put together 200 fun-filled bags, which included coloring books, crayons, stickers, play dough, paint books, journals, cards and magic capsules.
“It was amazing to watch our students come together and make these craft kits and create personalized cards for the Sunrise children, who need help and a well needed distraction during difficult times,” said Laura Landau, a congregant who organized the program. “When advised of the nature of our Mitzvah project, our students were immediately eager to help. Most asked if they could make additional bags and cards and it was truly incredible to watch each child pick the items he or she felt would make that bag extra special. Hopefully the students felt like they were really making a difference to another child…and they were.”
