Several dozen directors and administrators of New Jersey summer day camps gathered on Tuesday evening in Lakewood for a nearly three hour workshop covering the gamut of best practices in safety and legal/professional compliance. The workshop is the latest in the “Community Conversations” series that was launched this summer, as a joint project of The Lakewood Vaad; Agudath Israel of New Jersey; the Lakewood Resource and Referral Center (LRRC); and the Lakewood Community Services Corporation (LCSC).

There were several detailed presentations, each one delivered by a recognized professional in the field.

Rabbi Avi Schnall, Director of Agudath Israel, New Jersey office, delivered welcoming remarks and reviewed some of the healthcare regulations related to running a summer camp. Ari Hutman, CPA, of the Hutman and Hutman LLP accounting firm, explained the laws and guidelines related to bookkeeping and taxation. Asher Perlow of Fidella Insurance Agency discussed the insurance policies necessary to insure for liability in regards to both children and employees of a day camp program. The final presenter was Rabbi Dovid Becker LCSW, who advised of the optimal employee training and oversight protocols to ensure the safety of children.

The attendees listened intently, took notes and peppered the presenters with questions.

Sarah Gelbwachs, Executive Director of the LCSC Family Success Center, relates that many attendees have already requested follow up contact with the presenters. “The presentations were exceptionally informative and relevant,” Mrs. Gelbwachs relates. “There was a distinct determination amongst attendees to ensure that every aspect of their program lives up to the highest standards of the law, ethics and the protection of children.”