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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, June 24, 2016
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CAMP IS IN FULL SWING: The best time of the year is here! Campers are on site and having a blast. Check out photos from the first two weeks here.
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Campers at Camp Eden Wood enjoy
theme weeks throughout the summer, last week was Art Week!
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Meet Our Campers
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For many 13-year-olds, camp is the highlight of summer, and Vanessa is no different. She says camp is where she feels comfortable. As a returning camper, she knows her way around and looks forward to swimming and the high ropes course. Her favorite camp memory is the weekly camp out on the island in the middle of the lake!
Vanessa says she loves camp because "it's fun, I like the counselors, and I get to meet new people." Each time is a different experience than the last. One of the unique experiences True Friends offers is playing in the sensory room, She says her favorite part is the ball pit. Vanessa is simply a teenage girl who loves music, swimming and camels, and she happens to have a disability.
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Volunteers
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Mitch Sorensen (in blue, climbing) started volunteering with True Friends at age 14 as a part of our successful ongoing partnership with St. Thomas Academy in St. Paul. Throughout his high school years he earned 395 service hours within our programs, continually growing and developing into an incredible young man. He is now working his second summer as a staff member, this year in a new role as an Activities Counselor after serving last summer as a Cabin Counselor. Along with Mitch, another young man, Renner Thomas (pulling him up in the picture) came from St. Thomas Academy volunteering 553 hours from age 14 on. Now in college and pursuing a career in healthcare, Renner has returned as a staff member this summer as a Counseling and Health Aid (CHA). These two outstanding young men exemplify the mission of True Friends and the ongoing success of our volunteer programs.
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Save the Date
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TOMORROW: June 25 - Tasting for True Friends - 6-9 p.m. at Cobb Creek Vineyard in Wells, MN. Tickets are $30 and include a wine glass, wine and beer tasting, hors d'oeuvres, entertainment and door prizes. Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling Sue Boeck at 507.383.3451 or Jim Beach at 507.391.3773
July 9 - Tee It Up For Campers -
A 4-person best shot - starting at 11 a.m. at Oakview Golf Course in Freeborn, MN. A $55 entry fee will include golf registration, lunch and a beverage. For more information, contact Jim Beach at 507.391.3773
July 18 - Circle of Friends Golf Classic -
8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Medina Golf and Country Club. There is a $200 entry fee. The event features a morning and afternoon shotgun start, lunch and dinner, prizes, silent and live auction and a wonderful evening of activities and dinner for non-golfers ($40)
July 25 - Paul's Pals Golf Classic - 12:30 p.m. tee-off at the Oak Ridge Country Club in Hopkins, MN. There is a $350 entry fee, which includes lunch and heavy evening hors d'oeuvres, prizes, a silent and live auction. Non-golfers are welcome to attend an evening of activities and dinner ($100)
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Giving is Good
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We'd like to say a big
THANK YOU to employees from
Hanover Insurance Group for spending time at Camp Eden Wood spreading mulch and planting gorgeous flowers!
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Another shout out goes to
VAA for their amazing donation of supplies, blankets and money to camp! They were a hit and the group is planning on donating or volunteering more in the future.
THANK YOU!
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True Friends Can...
use their talents for campers!
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 Here are a few of the Busy Needles members at the Camp Friendship Auxiliary and Busy Needles Appreciation Luncheon from this past May. True Friends is so thankful for the many years of support from the Busy Needles. Each year they make camp many high quality quilts and lots of shirt savers that many campers need while eating.
Thank you Busy Needles!
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We are having a blast at camp! Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see the latest.
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Follow us on Twitter for fun camp updates, 140 characters at a time.
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