Jacob Cytryn, reflecting on Annie’s impact:
In the years since Annie moved to Chicago and joined the Ramah team, she has helped to propel the organization forward in key areas including, but not limited to, camper recruitment and engagement, organizational marketing, and year-round and summer programming.
Some of Annie’s most notable accomplishments include:
- Spearheading key foundation grants – Annie was the lead professional for our #Partnership grant (strengthening relationships between Ramah, NSS Beth El and Am Yisrael) and the Amitei Ramah Teen Fellowship (Machon-age camper teen leadership training).
- Enhancing our year-round engagement – ‘Saturday Night Live’ programming activities were developed by Annie as an outgrowth of the Partnership grant, as well as a variety of in-person and virtual programming to maintain our camp community engagement throughout the off-season.
- Running our virtual pandemic summer activities – During the canceled 2020 season, Annie played a key role in leading our virtual summer offerings and planning a series of socially distant in-person events that kept our community connected at a time of great uncertainty. In recognition of her accomplishments, her name adorns the Summer 2020 ‘Zoom Play Plaque’ in the Beit Am as the Rosh Eidah of virtual camp.
- Driving programmatic innovation – Most recently Annie led the planning for our new activities at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin – biking, challenge course, and tubing. At Ramah Day Camp she enhanced our program offerings with a series of summer specialists, enhanced field trip offerings and a refreshed educational approach called “H2Whoa!”. At both camps she helped overhaul the daily and summer schedule design for the 2022 season.
I know that the Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and Ramah Day Camp community joins me in thanking Annie for her dedication and leadership during her time on our year-round staff. We know she will remain a lifelong member of our Ramah family and we will miss her greatly.
