Source: The San Francisco Chronicle
On August 12, 1999, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Bay Area Jewish day camps increased security after the shootings at the North Valley Jewish Community Center. More security guards and heightened police surveillance were just some of the measures taken by the area Jewish centers. Jewish Community Services of Oakland covered their agency's name on three youth vans, so that those vans carrying children would not be targeted. At the Contra Costa center in Walnut Creek, CA, staff members were posted at each entrance, along with increased police patrols. The measures have come in response to a "steady stream of calls from parents who expressed concern about the safety of their children." Elaine Morinelli, executive director of Jewish Community Services in Oakland, stated: "When people call and say, 'I'm not going to send my kids to camp,' I say we have to. We can't hide." Most of the Bay Area centers brought in therapists to talk to parents and none of the camp officials noted a significant drop in attendance. On the night of August 11th, 350 people attended a candlelight vigil at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco for victims of the shootings in Granada Hills. A1