July 26-31, 2009

Participants and staff filled all 18 cabins at camp this week. The program staff chose, "A week at the movies," as a theme for the week. Sunday night they hosted a traditional Campfire Extravaganza, with goofy costumes, jokes and songs; Monday, participants enjoyed a night at the "Old wild west," where they dug for gold, learned to square dance, and took aim at the water gun shooting range. On Tuesday evening, we hunted mummies, drew hieroglyphics, and played games for our first Egyptian night. In my personal opinion, the best 'movies' are the "Who dun' it" programs, which will be held tonight. I am excited about being a part of the cast, as Madam Cuckoo.

Program staff who acted in the Murder Mystery show act their parts through a photo.

For the past three weeks Camp Friendship has been offering a new luxury for campers; massage therapy. Jaime Jost, massage therapist, has been offering 15-30 minute massages to campers, and they love it! Thank you Jaime for sharing your special talent with our campers.

A new camp site joined our community this summer. Our eighth camp site is located on Gilbert's Trail, but has not been named yet. Participants and staff who stay there say it is beautiful, and the seclusion from the rest of the world is extremely peaceful and relaxing.

Sonja and Laura cook s'mores at the new campsite.

The youth group from the First Plymouth Church of Lincoln, Nebraska has made its annual trip to camp this week. The group is lead by Youth Leader, Mitch, and consists of 21 volunteers. The young men and women. are outstanding. They truly know the meaning of serving others with an open and gleeful heart. This is about the 10th year we have seen this youth group joined camp with over 20 youth volunteers for one week.

Volunteer Program Manager, Sam, and Volunteer Village leader, Jessica, pose for a Cabin Photo.

Thanks!

Chet, Program Director

Laughter filled the Camp Friendship basketball courts Tuesday evening, thanks to a summertime carnival hosted by a local church group. Members of the United Methodist Church of Kimball came to camp to host a Summertime Carnival that campers and staff enjoyed immensley. among the members hosting the carnival, was Camp Friendship's very own Larry Blum (Thanks Larry!).

Members of The United Methodist Church pose for a photo after hosting the carnival at Camp Friendship.

Camp participants Tammy, Kim, Rachel, Kelly, and Megan watch the festivities with counselors Willeke and Sarah on the basketball courts.




Throughout the jamboree, there was excitement with bubbles, bean bag toss, mini golf, musical squares and other games. Campers walked away with great prizes, like slinkys, bubbles and toy snakes!

Camp participant Will, and camp counselor Danielle check out their prizes at the carnival hosted by United Methodist Church.

We always enjoy when visitors come to camp to entertain us. It gives our participants and staff who are here for more than one week a great deal of variety. This particular group comes to camp every summer to host a program, and hopefully they will keep spending their time with us for years to come. Over the next few weeks at Camp Friendship, you can look forward to hearing more about special events and programs. A few we are particularly excited about are Creature Encounters, and the St. Cloud River Bats coming to visit.

Counselor Tyler, participant Lyle, and counselor Adam pause for a quick photo

while enjoying the carnival.

Stay tuned,

Chet

Program Director

July 19-24, 2009

This has been a big week at Camp Friendship in terms of numbers of campers, about 115 and because we had our ACA (American Camp Association) standards visit. We did well with our visit and although we don't get the offical congratuations letter until October, I have no doubt that it will be coming. Thank you to all the staff who contributed to the sucess of the visit!

I have seen and heard many campers enjoy the pool this week. Splashing their counselors and cooling off have been the top responscs from campers. The water carnival took place on Wednesday and the water slide is still the most popular activity during the carnival. I don't know who squeal louder, the campers of the staff. The men from Wasie were not all able to climb the outdoor climbin wall on Tuesday because of a rain storm but tonight at dinner, David told me that both he and Nicholas climbed to the top. Pound Out Brothers!

The United Methodist Church of Kimball had members of all ages come to camp on Wednesday night and they had about 20 station in a carnival with fun games and prizes. It was fun seeing the kids from the church all dressed up in clown outfits getting involved with our campers.

The ladies at Sandpiper have a nightly routine of sitting on the deck of the cabin after summer, to discuss the days happenings, the cute guys and listen to music. Every night the group gets a little bigger I have noticed.

Our Director of Health Care had a camper as her to be his wife. When she declined, he said that was OK, as he had two wives at home already! I await tomorrow's talent show when our camper Mary does her talent which will be a song and dance from Sister Act II.

Until next week,
Chet
Program Director

Staff Appreciation Event

No one says it better than the parents of our campers, when they say thank you to the staff for the work they do with the campers.

Tonight we were blessed with parents, Dave Ring, Jay Wetch and Sharon and Charlie Morgenstein along with past staff members Allyson (Westrud) Dressel and Andrea Johnson speaking at the staff Appreciation Event.

My friend and co worker of 24 years, Margaret Schuster sang "Wonderful World" with Peter Davis on key board. Samantha Rauscher made us smile with photo and live video of the camper over the past 6 weeks. Verlyn and Jennie, thank you for helping fix the problems with technology wasn't on Samantha's side tonight.

We are thankful to Caitlin, Katie L, Linda K, Diane and all the support staff. A Special thanks to the folks from the Camp Friendship Ladies Auxilary and the United Methodist Church of Kimball for donating the decorations and decorating the dining hall in our staff colors of yellow and blue. The fresh flowers were so nice to have and your kind faces were fabulous!

It was great that tonight the staff could sit down and eat without having to help somene else eat first, pass medications or do the dishes. It was wonderful that many of you brought with you your friends and family tonight.

Jay Wetch quote a verse from Hillary Clinton tonight and whether you are a fan of the Clinton's or not, I believe Hillary had it right when she said, "it take a village to raise a child", it also take a village to coordinate a lovely event like tonights program. Thanks everyone.

In friendship,
Chet
Program Director

July 14th, 2009

Eighty campers are enjoying the shores of Clearwater lake this week. Fishing is ever popular with campers reporting that they are catching bass and sunnies, "as long as my arms can reach". Our campers practice "catch and release", so there is no hassle cleaning the fish. Swimming in the lake has been fun for everyone this summer. We manages to escape having anyone get "the itch", which is a big blessing.



Campers have been enjoying not only the animals at camp this summer but also the other nature activies that Sarah Jo has been pairing with a visit to the bunnies, chickens or sheep. The bunnies are very popular, especially Barnabus who is Sarah Jo's personal pet.



The week I am honored that my college friend, (Go Big Blue - SDSU) Karin has her daughter attending camp this week. Karin tells me that since April, Sonja has been asking several time a day "is it time to go to Camp Friendship today?" Sonja's other sibblings go to their own camps, and it is very important to her that she go to her own camp. Children of all ages like their independence.



Also this week, by pal Jim Jr. is at camp. He love the day trips and for some reason, her enjoys hanging out with me. He often makes me smile when he calls me he "beautiful queen"!



This year on the staff shirt is the slogan "Camp is for the Camper". I see our staff living this moto every day when they take the time to walk beside someone who takes 20 minutes to walk from the lodge to the dining hall, when they serve their campers food first, when they make sure the camper gets to buy what the camper wants from the canteen, when the program leader come up with creative ways to do an activity so that everyone can participate, and when they speak to the campers with kindness and understanding. Our staff this summer really get it, they get the campers and they get "Camp is for the Campers".



Respectfully,

Chet

Program Director

July 5-10, 2009 at Camp Friendship

116 participants joined us at Camp Friendship last week, July 5-10. Several campers extended their stay from the previous week. Other campers began their stay this week with one of my favorite times: Sunday Check-in. I enjoy seeing the smiling faces of returning campers, and meeting those who are coming to camp for the first time. I also enjoy seeing caregivers and parents of campers. I met some families 15 years ago, when I became the full time Program Director at Friendship Ventures. There are also many families I met before I became Program Director. I met one family in 1985, when I was a Camp Counselor at Camp Friendship. I was a counselor in a cabin still called Poplar; their son, Ira joined me, a few other counselors, and 15 other boys, for a week at Camp Friendship. His father and mother, Sol and Sybil along with their daughter, Joy, make the trip from North Dakota each year to bring Ira to camp for two weeks. Each summer, I look forward to finding out how the family is doing.

Mercy has been coming to camp since 1997. When her parents brought her to camp last Sunday, they said that they did not tell their daughter that she would be attending Camp Friendship this week; however their daughter knew in her soul that she would be attending camp soon. Her mom said that the previous week, Mercy took out her sleeping bag and sign language book in preparation for camp.

Other highlights this week:

• Camp participant, Todd, let his staff at the group home know that he has dreams of sleeping in the top bunk at Camp Friendship.
• David is spending his fourth week at Camp Friendship this summer. He loved the St. Cloud River Bat's game, and the rest of the time he spent with camp. We will be sad to see him go and we are anticipating his return next summer.
• Keenin is already talking about next year's camp out, and has requested that it be on Thursday night next year, because for him the camp out is the highlight of the week. He is also excited for the talent show, which we have every Friday before campers say, "goodbye for now!" to us.
• Four campers participated in the Horseback Riding program last week. Jim can tell you all of the facts about the horse he rode, Sonjay. He knows she is a 9-year-old Morgan, who's back nearly reached his neck when they stood together. Camp Friendship partners with Project Astride out of Avon.
• The guys from Blue Heron enjoyed Camp Friendship's indoor pool last week. They reported that the pool water is "nice and warm."

Respectfully,

Chet

Program Director

During this past week two campers and one counselor, in the same cabin group at Camp Friendship, were sent home on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 due to influenza like symptoms. On July 2, 2009, Robyn Erickson, our Director of Health Care Services, was informed that one of the individuals sent home had a confirmed case of H1N1 flu. Erickson consulted with the physician who made the diagnosis, Friendship Ventures Medical Director and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) who supported our actions to have all campers and staff in that cabin group isolated or sent home on July 2, 2009. Georgann Rumsey, our Vice President-Programs and Robyn Erickson our Director of Health Care at Friendship Ventures have been working closely with the MN Dept. of Health in reviewing procedures and policies to prevent and deal with any suspected cases of the flu. Our camp programs will continue as scheduled at all of our locations.

Friendship Ventures has been concerned with H1N1 flu since the beginning, and continues to take every precaution to ensure that campers and staff are healthy and safe, while still providing a positive camp experience.
· Friendship Ventures is providing to all parents and caregivers information for screening prior to arrival, best practices to reinforce universal precautions and additional updates as we receive them from the MN Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Association of Camp Nurses (ACN), and the American Camp Association (ACA) .
· We are staying informed. We are taking precautions outlined by the MN Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and reinforcing best practices such as hand washing, safe sneezing, and site and facility sanitation.
· Friendship Ventures camps are accredited by the ACA which requires accredited camps to have an established procedure in practice to carefully screen for illness, injury, and communicable diseases.

For more information on precautions and what to expect in the future:
Minnesota Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Association of Camp Nurses