Including all of us to help others

Weather-wise it was a perfect day and all around there were smiles at the annual Kulanu Fair in Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park on May 20.

The five-hour event featured rides, blow up obstacle courses, and classic carnival games such as “krazy kans” and the goldfish toss. Face painting, beading, and pony rides entertained the children, while several raffles with prizes such as tickets to a Mets game and two 45-minute golf lessons at a nearby range gained the adults attention. Musicians from Lawrence High

School and a Yom Yerushalaim music band performed, and Warren Levi Martial Arts provided a demonstration.

The Hebrew translation of the word kulanu is, “all of us,” and that is the organization’s message to the community. It is a center for special services that offers programs for special needs children and their families. However, Kulanu goes beyond that with its many inclusion programs, which is an approach to educating students with special education needs by having them spend a majority of their time with non-disabled students.

“We act as a resource center to connect families to services in the community after they find out their child’s diagnosis,” said Amy Eisenberg, the director of Advocacy & Family Support Services. “Think of us as a ‘funnel point.’”

Proceeds from the fair support Kulanu’s inclusion programs, including the summer program, Camp Discovery. Jonathan Cooper, the director of Inclusion and Community Services, started the summer program 12 years ago and has now expanded it to a full inclusion camp.

“I have seen Kulanu grow exponentially; every year we have more kids and more volunteers,” he said. “It is an opportunity for special needs children to interact with non-special needs children.”

Professionals run Kulanu but volunteers are needed to help guide the students through its programs. Becoming a volunteer is as easy as making a phone call to Cooper (516-569-3083x135). Volunteers are specially trained to work with special needs children. There are orientation sessions for every program, and all new volunteers will be with experienced counselors.

Chaim Krenger, an 11-year-old who attends South Shore Yeshiva, saw Kulanu’s signs around the community and decided to volunteer. He has been involved for two years and at the fair this year he was in charge of the Ring Toss booth. “I like helping people,” he said in response to why volunteering is important to him.

Lisa Septimus of North Woodmere attended the fair with her husband and four children. “Kulanu is an important, worthwhile organization that my family and I support. We have been involved with Kulanu for the past three years, and it is extremely important to the community. There are different people here for different reasons, but either way everyone becomes educated about the cause and more aware of it,” she said.