Albert Appel Receives October 2020 New Jersey’s Heartland Hero Award
Albert Appel was the epitome of what it meant to be a New Jersey Heartlander. New Jersey’s Heartland is honored to posthumously name Albert as our Heartland Hero for October 2020. One of his grand achievements in life was the creation of Appel Farm Arts and Music Campus in Elmer, NJ. For over 60 years, the campus has had a lasting impact on artists.
An artist himself, he lived life to the fullest. As a child, he studied the violin, and later, the viola and cello. The son of Harry C. Appel, Romanian-born chief cook in WW1, inventor and writer, and Bessie Kivnik, Russian-born seamstress, Albert grew up in Philadelphia, PA. During high school, he had a part-time job at a record store, where he took his pay in classical records. After graduating Central High School in Philadelphia, he attended the National Farm School in Doylestown, PA. His budding education blossomed from hands-on experience at Desge Ungar’s farm in Corfu, NY to Walter Davis farm in Mullica Hill, NJ to finally his own land in Elmer, NJ.
It was in 1960 when Albert and his wife Clare decided to transition their 176-acre farm and its 20,000 chickens into a thriving summer camp focused on children aged 7 to 17. He famously said, “We want to change the world and do it through children.”
Appel Farm has delivered transformative arts and learning with Al and Clare’s vision as a guide, for 60 years. A fixture of the camp he started, Al has served as Director Emeritus on the Board of Trustees, over the past 40 years. He charmed and challenged thousands of children to become their best selves.
The world is a kinder, more creative place thanks to the legacy of Albert and Clare Appel. In Lieu of flowers, the Appel Family encourages donations in Albert’s honor to the Albert & Clare Appel Camp Scholarship Fund at appelfarm.org/donate-now, or PO Box 888, Elmer, NJ 08318. While New Jersey’s Heartland is filled with hidden gems, its biggest treasures are the people who make the region a great place to live, work, play, and raise a family. All Heartland Heroes receive a Heartland Heroes Certificate in recognition of their award. To nominate your Heartland Hero, visit http://njheartland.org/live/heartland-heroes-nomination-form/.
