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Find out how you can make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities
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True Friends Family of Services
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NEWS & NOTES
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Friday, November 20, 2015
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WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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HAVE A WINTER BLAST
Find the winter camp schedule online and
sign up today!
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Camper Stories
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Andrew has been attending camp for the past four years, once to Camp Eden Wood and three times to Camp Friendship. It's difficult for Andrew to choose which activity he likes best because, "there are so many activities at camp!" Some of his favorites include boating, archery and rock climbing.
Andrew enjoys making new friends at camp and hanging out with counselors and other campers. One of his favorite memories from camp is when he conquered the climbing wall up to the zip line, and then rode the zip line down. Staff member, Sierra Hietala said "Andrew's a great camper, he's always fun to be with, always has a great attitude and a smile on his face."
Andrew is from Redwood Falls and works at Jackpot Junction. His hobbies include playing video games, drawing and making model cars. Andrew loves coming to camp and thinks others would enjoy it as well. "It's a fun experience!"
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Save the Date
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December 1 - Giving Tuesday - We have a day for giving thanks, two for getting deals and now we have Giving Tuesday - a global day dedicated to giving back. Organizations across the world will come together on this day to celebrate generosity and donate to their favorite charity. Keep True Friends in mind and use the hashtag #GivingTuesday to join in on social media.
December 11 -
Auxiliary Holiday Party -
Join us at 6 p.m. in the Camp
Friendship dining hall for wine and beer tasting, appetizers and treats, silent auction gift baskets, door prizes and 50/50 raffles. Tickets are $20 and proceeds will be donated to True Friends. Contact our development officer to purchase your tickets!
December 27-31 & January 3-7 - Winter Camp - Join us at Camp Courage or Camp Friendship for Winter Camp! Campers will have the option of awesome outdoor activities like sledding or building snow forts or choose to relax inside with crafts, games and gym activities. Find more details and register online today!
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Volunteer
Be the difference.
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 Her children's volunteer experience at camp inspired a mom to come see for herself. Ann Wilson and her husband volunteered at Camp Friendship this summer as chaperones with the First Unitarian Society of Madison, Wisconsin youth group. After hearing about the trip her kids and other volunteers had taken in 2014, Ann was overwhelmed by the responses from the group when they returned. "The feedback from my kids and the others who went on the trip was really what made me want to come this year," she said.
Some of most meaningful experiences happen when things don't go smoothly. "I had a more difficult cabin, but the challenge of getting to know the campers and how they interact made it that much more fun." After reflecting on the experience, Ann said, "It really makes you realize the importance of volunteers and how being here can make it easier for the full-time staff."
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Giving is Good
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THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this year's
Give to the Max Day! With your support, we raised $4.7K to send children and adults with disabilities to camp, therapeutic horseback riding and on dream vacations.
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Our Eden Wood team showing off the new equipment on GTMD 2015
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2014 GTMD Project Update:
Sensory Playground at Eden Wood
Funds raised from Give to the Max Day in 2014 were used to complete a custom, fully-accessible, multi-sensory playground at Camp Eden Wood. The new set will be utilized by respite campers each weekend and will make a great addition to summer programming at camp. This new equipment greatly enhances our service to the growing population of children and adults with autism and other sensory processing disorders.
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True Friends Can...
see how corn drives make an impact
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In the mid 1950's, an FFA chapter from Freeborn, MN took to local corn fields to ask farmers if they could pick up corn after a damaging storm. These FFA students walked the fields picking up corn; they sold this corn and donated the proceeds to Camp Courage. This very first corn drive raised $87 for camp. Since that first chapter and first corn drive, over 80 chapters have joined the "Corn Drive for Camp Courage," and turned that $86 into a 60-year tradition and more than $5.5 million donated to our camps, where children and adults with disabilities make friends, learn new skills and have fun.
Read more ---->
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#CampTShirtDay was so much fun, thanks for showing your True Friends spirit!
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