PARSIPPANY — Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany presented a check to “Camp Nejeda Foundation” in the amount of $10,000 on Thursday, December 10, at its weekly breakfast meeting.
The money was donated to Camp Nejeda utilizing funds raised at a recent fundraising event, “The 19th Annual Grand Tasting” held in October at Hanover Manor.
“Type I diabetes can be a very difficult disease to deal with, especially if you’re just a child trying to do the things that kids do. Camp Najeda has recognized that its summer camp programs help children learn how to cope so they, too, can become everything that is possible. That fits right in with the goal of Kiwanis to change the world one child and one community at a time. It is a joy to be able to support them with this donation,” commented Kiwanis President Connie L. Keller.
“It just don’t get any better than this working with a great Camp Nejeda and supporting children and teens with type 1 diabetes,” said Committee Chairman Michael A. Mulhaul.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation.
Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Our members, Kiwanians, are service-minded men and women who are united in their commitment and compassion for others.
Any community need can become a Kiwanis service project, especially the needs of children. Kiwanis service projects range from efforts that help local communities to Kiwanis International’s Worldwide Service Project for the elimination of iodine deficiency disorders.
Camp Nejeda has been in continuous operation since 1958 and at their present location, 910 Saddleback Road, Stillwater since 1960. We are funded by the Camp Nejeda Foundation, Inc, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization.
At Camp Nejeda youth with diabetes are given the opportunity to live, if only for one or two weeks, in a world where having diabetes is the norm and where there is no need to explain blood sugar testing, finger pricks, insulin injections, ketones, ‘lows’ (insulin reactions), boluses or ‘carb’ counting because everyone here already understands.
This past summer, more than 450 campers enrolled. There were two one-week sessions and three-two week sessions for campers 7 to 16. There were also three Family Camps accommodating 20 families each; these sessions allow families to meet others who share their unique challenges. Camp Nejeda also holds events throughout the school year.
Camp fees are $1,000 per week, but the actual cost to operate one week is $1,800 per child. Charitable giving subsidizes the difference.
At Camp Nejeda children with diabetes are free to be just children. This normalizing of their condition combines with both formal and informal educational moments to promote good diabetes management and healthy, active living.
As the only facility of our kind in New Jersey and its neighboring states, Camp Nejeda hosts children, teens and families from across the region. While most are from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, they have regular campers from Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and elsewhere. Diabetes does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, geography, or class and neither does the Camp Nejeda Foundation. We welcome our campers from all walks of life and all backgrounds.
For more information on Camp Nejeda, visit campnejeda.org.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets at the Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46, each Thursday at 7:15 a.m. for breakfast.
For more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, click here.
Some of the past and present programs and projects of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany are:
- Sponsor the Parsippany Hills High School, Parsippany High School and Whippany Park High School Key Clubs.
- Sponsor the Brooklawn Middle School and Central Middle School Builders Clubs.
- Sponsor nine K-Kids Clubs in the Grammar Schools in Parsippany.
- Cook for Homeless Solutions once a month.
- Co-sponsor a Division Aktion Club.
- Donate to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Parsippany.
- Donate to Project Graduation.
- Donate to Family Promise of Morris County to help homeless families.
- Donate to Prevent Child Abuse NJ and help raise awareness for their two campaigns:
- Pinwheel Campaign in April – Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect
- Purple Hat Campaign in October – Prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) & Abuse
- Donate to Jersey Battered Women’s Service of Morris County (JBWS).
- Donate to the Parsippany Library Programs.
- Donate to the Parsippany Food Bank.
- Donate to Programs through grants to our Foundation, such as Craftsman Farms.
- Donate to the Parsippany Day Care Center.
- Donate to Autism, Eliminate and Children’s Specialized Hospital.
- Donate to Camp Nejeda.
- Sponsor the Parsippany Street Fair.
- Sponsor Scholarships for Kiwanis Youth Leadership Training, Key leader Training, Hugh O’Brien Camp and Scholarships for further education.
- Support Little League in Parsippany.
- Support our local churches through an Ecumenical Breakfast for friendship, fellowship and exchange of ideas.
