On the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco’s Web site for the upcoming JCC Maccabi Games, a countdown clock ticks away the days, hours, minutes and even seconds until the opening ceremonies Aug. 2.
No one is watching that clock closer than games director Jackie Lewis.
She’s got the athletes — more than 1,200 between the ages of 12 and 16 will be traveling to San Francisco to compete.
She’s got the venues — including the venerable Cow Palace for the opening ceremonies, and the University of San Francisco for most of the competition.
She’s even got the social calendar — including a night on the town in San Francisco.
What she’s missing are enough host families to house the participants during the competition the first week in August.
So far, she has secured 500 beds. She needs 1,200. And while we’re talking numbers, Lewis also has to fill 3,000 hours in volunteer shifts.
“Without housing and volunteers, the games can’t happen,” Lewis said last week, stressing that she is positive that everything will fall into place. “Those are our biggest issues right now. Plans are moving along well, but now is the time for the individuals of San Francisco to commit to helping out during the week.”
As if getting people to commit more than 14 weeks ahead of time isn’t hard enough, Lewis is working tirelessly to erase some of what she’s finding to be popular misconceptions about hosting athletes from outside of the Bay Area.
For one, families don’t have to have a teenager in the games or at home — or at all. What they do need are beds or air mattresses for each athlete (at least two will stay in one household), breakfast daily and loads of snacks, and laundry facilities.
Because the Maccabi Games are a Jewish experience, hosts do need to be Jewish — but being religious or keeping a kosher kitchen is not required.
“This experience really touches the lives of the family and teenagers being hosted,” Lewis said. Athletes will be coming from cities around the United States, and there will also be delegations from Mexico, Israel and the United Kingdom. This is the first time San Francisco has been a host city in the 27-year history of the games.
“In cities that host every four years, there are people who sign up again and again because they have such an enriching and fun time,” Lewis added.
Host families are expected to drop off (in the morning) and pick up their teens (in the evening) at USF or a designated venue. However, the JCCSF will take care of transportation throughout the day, along with food, drinks and other necessities.
“This is definitely for somebody who thinks having teenagers around for a week will be fun,” Lewis said. Or, she joked, “someone who likes to buy junk food.”
Lewis and members of the 43 subcommittees she oversees are reaching out to local synagogues, Jewish agencies and friends, placing blurbs in newsletters and connecting with Jewish schools to get the message across that they need volunteers — quickly.
Lewis said she’s also doing some “inreaching,” asking already registered host families also to serve as volunteers, and vice versa.
She stressed the need for medical volunteers — nurses and physical and occupational therapists, for example — who can offer a professional opinion and prescribe on-the-spot treatment, usually ice or advising an athlete to sit out of competition.
“It’s like going to camp for a week,” Lewis said. “Kids are away. Who knows if they’ll get sick, and we want to be prepared to take care of them.”
Other open volunteer positions include welcoming out-of-state families at their hotels, providing information at venues, keeping score, refilling water buckets, chaperoning evening events and plenty more.
While registration for being a host family or volunteer is ongoing, Lewis said ideally she’d like to have everyone signed up by June 1. That way, she can implement orientation.
“We’re opening up San Francisco to people who normally might not volunteer or do something sporty,” Lewis said. “The games bring a lot of pride to the community, and when you see that, it’s incredible.”
Information on being a volunteer or host family for the JCC Maccabi Games in San Francisco: Katie Wallenberg, [email protected] or (415) 292-1270.