Northbrook Star – July 19, 2007 

"Z" Frank Apachi camp celebrates 2 decades

Nearly 550 people braved the heat July 8 for a reunion and celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the Jewish Community Center's "Z" Frank Apachi day camp in Northbrook.

Current and former campers and counselors, some dating from the camp's beginnings, gathered at the 10-acre facility off of Landwehr Road for the anniversary event.

"There were some families here who were my campers when I first started working in 1972, and their children are now campers here," said camp director Terri Esrig Blenner, who started work as a counselor when it the camp was known as Apache Camp under other owners. The JCC purchased it with a donation from late businessmen Zollie Frank, and the new spelling of "Apachi" is a nod to the Chicago Hebrew Institute, which is the JCC's forerunner organization.

"Z" Frank Apachi camp now serves 700 children ages 4 to 12. Blenner said about 45 of the camp's 200 staff members were once campers themselves. Frank's widow, Elaine, attended the anniversary event. She underwrote the purchase of 37 acres of land in Lake Zurich which will be the new site of the JCC Elaine Frank Apachi Day Camp, set to open next summer.