Top photo: Emmanuelle (Anne) Latwin, Richard Helgeson, Rita Helgeson and Jaden Gaines (August 7, 2024)

Recognition Program Honors the Memory of Beloved Counselor, Andrew Helgeson

Each year, Lessans Camp JCC recognizes its outstanding staff through the R. Andrew Helgeson Heart of Gold Recognition Program. Andrew was an exemplary young man who passed away in 2005, just prior to his high school graduation, from sudden cardiac arrest. His kindness, warmth, joy for life, and love for the campers at Lessans Camp JCC were remarkable.

To honor Andrew’s memory, his family established the R. Andrew Helgeson Heart of Gold Recognition Program which recognizes those counselors who exhibit outstanding effort and mirror his character.

The Helgeson family has worked diligently to keep Andrew’s memory alive by creating the Richard Andrew Helgeson Memorial Foundation (see below) to educate the public about sudden cardiac arrest and by supporting the Center’s effort to encourage excellence in counselors.

If you would like to recognize your child’s counselors, please consider making a gift in their honor to the R. Andrew Helgeson Heart of Gold Memorial Endowment Fund. This fund supports and perpetuates the R. Andrew Helgeson Heart of Gold Recognition Program for outstanding Camp JCC counselors. Each honored staff member receives a personal notification of your tribute. Donated funds are used to publicly recognize those staffers selected as most outstanding. Gifts can be made online or by contacting Rachel Ossman, Chief Development Officer at 301-348-3727or rossman@benderjccgw.org. If made through our online donation please pick “Endowment Fund” in the drop-down menu and put Heart of Gold in the comments section with the counselor’s name.

Richard Andrew Helgeson Memorial Foundation

Andrew passed away unexpectedly from Sudden Cardiac Arrest on May 25, 2005, at only 18 years old, just prior to his high school graduation. Andrew’s family established the Richard Andrew Helgeson Memorial Foundation to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in young people. SCA has been recognized since 1954 and continues to pose a threat to our young people; still, the medical profession knows little about the causes.

The Foundation was successful in promoting and lobbying passage of a bill dubbed “Andrew’s Law” that was signed by then-Governor Robert Ehrlich on April 25, 2006. Andrew’s Law mandates the placement of AEDs (automated external defibrillator) in all Maryland high schools and at all school-sponsored sporting events to protect children, staff, and visitors.

In May of 2008, Governor Martin O’Malley signed a bill that he said was inspired by Andrew that was an amendment to the Good Samaritan Law which clarifies that individuals shall not be held liable for using Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to save victims. Governor O’Malley also declared May 25 as Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day in Maryland in honor of Andrew.

Give to the R. Andrew Helgeson Heart of Gold Memorial Endowment Fund

Message from Andrew’s Father, Richard Helgeson:

“The R. Andrew Helgeson Camp JCC Heart of Gold Counselor Awards are a source of great pride for us. It is a wonderful tribute that the counselors emulate Andrew’s exceptional qualities in a summer-long program. The fact that such a well-received and highly-sought award program is named in honor of Andrew is evidence to the fact that others saw in Andrew the special outstanding qualities that we, his family, always knew existed. Rita, Jennifer, and I are privileged and honored to be able to present the awards and provide financial support through an endowment fund so that they always continue. We want to thank the parents who contribute to the fund, the counselors and staff of Camp JCC, and the campers themselves who make it all worthwhile. Like Andrew said, ‘I can’t believe I get paid to have this much fun being a counselor.’ He loved Camp JCC.”

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R. Andrew Helgeson “Heart of Gold” Memorial Endowment Fund for Camp JCC Counselor Awards
July – August 2023 tribute gifts

In memory of our son, Andrew by Rita and Richard Helgeson

In honor of Jennifer Helgeson by Rita and Richard Helgeson

In honor of Rita Helgeson by Jennifer and Richard Helgeson

In honor of Richard Helgeson by Jennifer and Rita Helgeson

In honor of Emmanuelle “Anne” Myriam Helgeson Latwin by Rita and Richard Helgeson

In honor of Raphaelle “Rae” Irys Helgeson Latwin by Rita and Richard Helgeson

Congratulations to Dr. Jennifer Helgeson for all her accomplishments by Rita and Richard Helgeson

Congratulations to LCDR Stewart Latwin for all of his accomplishments by Rita and Rita Helgeson

In remembrance of Ida Weiss, maternal great grandmother of Andrew, by Rita and Richard & Family

In remembrance of the yahrzeit on Aug 9th of Bernard Samuel Feinstein, maternal grandfather of Andrew by Rita, Richard and Jennifer Helgeson

In honor of Jan and Roland Peer and Family by Rita and Richard Helgeson and Jennifer Helgeson and Stewart Latwin

In honor of Judy Beardsley’s birthday by Rita and Richard Helgeson and Jennifer Helgeson and Stewart Latwin

Happy 93rd birthday to Marguerite Danowski, August 1^st by Rita, Richard and Jennifer Helgeson & family

In honor of Susan Reider by Rita and Richard Helgeson and

In honor of camp counselors Joey, Sofie, Mikey and Scott by Rene and Charl Marais

In honor of Joey Sandberg and Ben Landesman by Karen Litsinger

In honor of Kesef counselors by Francine Hernandez

In honor of Challahs counselors by Seth and Andrea Glinski

In honor of Neely Shimoni, Samantha Haas and the entire Adom team by Joanna Lieberman

In honor of Habimah counselors by Rebecca Gerr

In honor of counselors Ashley and Gitel by Rachel Baxtresser

In honor of Julia Evans by Rajani Shrestha

In honor of Casey Gaines by Sarah Gurfein-Amron

In honor of counselor Hadar by Sara Goldband

In honor of Leinayah, Avi, Morgan, Alex and all the inclusion staff by Michelle & Yehudah Hampel

In honor of Lessans Camp JCC counselors and staff by David and Susan Pugach

In honor of Remi Jungreis by Lisa Price

In honor of Tel Aviv/Kahol counselors by Deborah Rosenberg

In honor of Samantha Haas, Nicole and Chloe by Ben and Amelia Gold

In honor of Lessans Camp JCC counselors by Alida Soboroff

In honor of Avi Soboroff by Amy Freedland

In honor of Jaden Gaines and Danny Fitzgerald by Susan Fitzgerald

In honor of counselor Marina by Michelle Ertischek

In honor of counselors Ava, Noam and Josef by Dele Olaniran

In honor of Tel Aviv counselors Ryan and Casey by Molly Shapiro

In honor of Lessans Camp JCC counselors by Allison Buchman

In honor of counselors Jenny and Remy by Rebecca Droller

In honor of counselors Abigal, Sara and Gwen by Emma Chanlett-Avery

In honor of Micah Pickus and Amber T. by Olivia Ivey Household

In honor of Habimah counselors by Marcia Marx

In honor of Mia, Nate, Tzvi, Taya and Samantha by Sarah Goodwin

In honor of Chagall counselors by Michael Lyubinsky

In honor of session 1 Omanut staff by Francine Hernandez

In honor of counselor Felix by Emily DeCoster

In honor of Noam Klein by Xiaoni Zhang

In honor of Daniel from Kachol by Samantha Wapnick

In honor of Tzvi from Blintzes by Svitlana Shpilman

In honor of counselors Ilana and Nicole from Yads by Talita Kiper

In honor of counselors Mia, Nate, Tzvi, Taya and Samantha by Jonathan Sauerbrun