On Sunday, October 29th, Jewish Federation Los Angeles will proudly hold our 5th annual Tour de Summer Camps, the community-wide cycling and hiking fundraiser that helps provide scholarships to send more of our kids to Jewish summer camp and help them build a lifelong connection to Jewish identity and values. This is the first year a hike has been added, bringing even more fun to this family and community-filled day!
This year, we are profiling a few of our riders and hikers to find out why they participate in Tour de Summer Camps and what Jewish summer camp means to them. Check out our interview with Carolyn Kangavari, who is riding 18 miles this year with Team Out’Spoken!
Why did you decide to participate in Tour de Summer Camps this year?
Last year was the first time I participated and I loved it! It felt amazing to help kids attend Jewish summer camps while doing what I love — biking!
What are you most excited about for the upcoming ride?
Biking with hundreds of other people who care about the same important cause that I do! I also love being outdoors, so it is perfect.
How are you preparing/training?
Being active, working out, and of course, bike riding.
What impact did your Jewish summer camp experiences have on your life?
I made lasting friendships with individuals who, like me, became very connected to Judaism.
Why is it important for you to support Tour de Summer Camps?
To give others the opportunity I had, which has been so special to me.
What would you say to people who are nervous about the distance of the ride?
Don’t be! I didn’t even train my first year and finished it easily. It is so much fun that you forget how many miles you’re riding.
Each year, hundreds of community members fundraise and train for months. Join us to either bike 18, 36, 62, or 100 miles or hike 1, 3, or 6 miles on a day filled with activity, community, and fun!
For more information, please visit tourdesummercamps.org. Looking forward to October 29th and sending more kids to Jewish summer camp!
