KAREN CALFAS POLAREK
Knock Around Campership Fund
Karen Calfas Polarek, Executive Director of Student Health and Wellbeing, was a longtime mentor and friend of the Knock Around Camp. Her two children, Jonathan and Jordan, attended camp for years. Karen was a huge supporter of Knock Around and oversaw its growth and evolution while serving as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Wellness. Karen was passionate about helping students, Staff, and Faculty become the best version of themselves. Her kindness, generosity, and inspiring nature will be greatly missed by all of us here at Knock Around Camp.
Karen Calfas Polarek
February 28, 1962 – March 7, 2019
We, the Knock Around Camp Directors, felt that the best way to honor Karen would be to provide a family in financial need the opportunity to attend summer camp. With the support of Karen’s family, we have created the “Karen Calfas Polarek Knock Around Campership Fund” in her memory. The fund will provide financial support to one or more families interested in sending their children to Knock Around Camp for the summer. Our hope is to grow this into an endowment fund so we can continue to offer camperships in perpetuity.*
The total amount we have to give will start at $1,500 and may increase as the corpus of the fund builds.
Those interested in applying should write a letter describing financial need and email to Ben Brickley (bbrickley@ucsd.edu) by February 12th. Note that priority will be given to UCSD affiliates (current students, staff, and faculty). The letter should include:
- Applicant name and on-campus department the parent(s) work for
- How many weeks/sessions of camp they plan to attend over the summer
- Why their family is deserving of a campership
To learn more about the Karen Calfas Polarek Knock Around Campership Fund, click here. If you are interested in contributing or have any questions, contact Ben Brickley at bbrickley@ucsd.edu or (858) 822-0532. All donations are tax deductible.
