LOCAL ARTIST SHARES TALENT & ENABLES ALUMNI TO GIVE TO CAMPERSHIP

Hello Friendship alumni and current staff/volunteers,

This fall has been busy with lots of respite campers. We are looking forward to winter camp. Winter camp is Dec 26-31, 2009 and January 3-8, 2010 at Camp Friendship. At Camp Eden Wood we are having our very first winter day camp Dec 28-31, 2009, and we are pretty excited about it. In February we will being having our first winter Camp Adventure (for children with ADD and ADHD) at Camp New Hope. We have quite a few staff already signed up for winter camp, but need more so if you are interested give us a call or go to out website and apply on line. http://www.friendshipventures.org/ If you want to volunteer, you should call Sam at 952-852-0113 or volunteers@friendshipventures.org

We have some staff changes at Eden Wood happening in October. Program Manager Erik Chipman will be leaving us for the field of nursing and Kayla Anason has been promoted to Program Manager. Best of luck to both Erik and Kayla in their new positions.

I am including in this post an article that is going to be coming out soon in our Frantic Footnotes. I want you to hear about it right away. This is a project I am really excited about. I know the artist personally and really appreciate her volunteering her talent and time! This is the first Friendship Ventures project that the staff and volunteer alumni are being asked to contribute to that allows us to come together to not only make camp more beautiful, puts your name on the wall forever and raises money for the campers we love so dear. By giving just $25 you can get your name on the mural. It would be amazing to see the mural covered with names of the people who have spent their time with Friendship Ventures caring for and supporting the campers. I hope that you will consider giving to this project and making a pledge to give on a year round basis. I am writing my check today and hope you do too! Chet

Here is the Frantic Footnotes:

A project exclusive to Friendship Ventures Staff and Volunteer Alumni will help complete and customize the underpass to Uncle Fogy's Nature Center at Camp Friendship. In 2007, the concrete walls outside this tunnel underwent a make-over, beginning the transformation from plain concrete to a beautifully painted landscape of trees and blue skies.

We continue to update by adding more trees, and portraits of participants and staff to the mural. Also being added to the mural are names of alumni who donate scholarships for participants. Names will be painted beginning spring 2010, continuing as your donations come in.

The mural is the creation of realist artist Vigee Blue, who is volunteering her time to the project. Vigee has been making a living with her artwork for the past five years and loves it. Although she collects inspiration from all genres of art, she is focused on realism. Vigee also teaches art classes for Partnership Resources, Inc., who provide services to adults who have disabilities.

Some of the participants you can expect to see on the wall are Jackie Mills, Jim Law Jr., and Wayne Krippner, who have been coming to camp for many years. If you have a suggestion for other camp activities you would like to see on the wall, let us know.

Friendship Ventures does not receive any financial support from government agencies, so we rely on businesses, foundations and individuals such as you to support and improve our facilities and programs.

Anyone who works with Friendship Ventures knows the level of passion we have for the community our staff serve and gratefully, you share that same passion. Each contribution made represents a significant investment in the health and well being of children and adults with disabilities. Friendship Alumni who donate a minimum of $25 will have their names painted on the mural. Friendship Ventures asks those who would like to keep giving to pledge to give monthly. This project is exclusive to Staff and Volunteer Alumni, and we hope to fill the wall with names of alumni who still carry camp in their heart, so we can fill camp with participants who love to be here.

For more information about the mural, please contact Chet at 952-852-0108.

Please add your name to the mural by making a contribution today. Send your check or money order to:
Friendship Ventures
10509 108th St. NW
Annandale, MN 55302
In the Memo: Mural, your name as you want it on the mural and the year(s) you worked or volunteered at Friendship Ventures.


You can also give direct online by following this link: https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?Action=GC&CID=529

Check out more Vigee Blue art on the web: www.mnartist.org/Vigee_Blue