JANUARY

Usdan dance students in one of 2023's daily Festival performances. 

Dear friends,

As we enter the new year, we want to take a moment to reflect and express gratitude to our community for making Usdan the beautiful place it is. We're proud to be a safe haven where young people can be themselves, where the Long Island wilderness is protected, and where artistic expression flourishes. 

2023 by the numbers: 

💫 1,585 students 💫

💡 150,000 learning hours 💡

🎤 75 Festival performances 🎤

🎶 3 world premieres 🎶 

🌈 43% students received need-based scholarships 🌈

Thank you for a wonderful year. Please enjoy the newsletter below, full of news and announcements. Wishing you a joyful and creative 2024!

Tribute to Ruth Starr Schaeffler

by Bobbie Altman, her friend and colleague

It is with heavy hearts and deep sorrow we share that on December 10, 2023, we lost a beloved member of our Usdan family, who had been a part of the fabric of our community for over 30 years. Ruth Starr Schaeffler meant so much to all of us and to all those that knew her. She was the Director of Long Island Admissions and started her career at Usdan in 1980. She registered thousands of students from her home until 1994, when Usdan opened its’ campus office all year. During the off-season there were a handful of employees who worked with her. Everyday, we were greeted with a bright smile and a cheery “Good Morning.” It was a joy to come to work. We considered ourselves so blessed to be in the company of a woman who was so warm, elegant, gracious, and nurturing.

Ruth wore many hats at Usdan and did whatever it took to make sure the campers' needs were foremost, whether it was making a bagel for a child who left their lunch at home or visiting the nurses’ office to see
if she could help. She gave so much of herself to all who surrounded her. Families that had the opportunity to meet her left confident that their children were in good hands.

Ruth was a woman with a loving, kind, and welcoming heart. She loved Usdan passionately and was a part of many of the changes that made Usdan the most prestigious camp on Long Island. For Ruth, Usdan
was literally a family affair. Her husband Art Schaeffler was the Assistant Director of Administration, and her children and her grandchildren attended over many years. They began as campers and many of them became part of the faculty and staff.

Ruth touched all our lives at Usdan and will stay in our hearts always. She was greatly loved and is deeply missed. Her life was a blessing and she has left us with beautiful memories. She had a wish for all of us
“Make someone smile everyday.” We here at Usdan will fulfill this wish forever!

Ruth, right, with her good friend Bobbie, left, during their 2023 visit to Usdan.

Ongoing support from our Usdan community is vital. Make a tax-deductible gift today.