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Read About What Members Did Last Year: 2007 Events
Duluth Area
Staff and people served from Trillium Services, Duluth Regional Care Center, At Home Living Facilities and Residential Services of NE
MN participated in a clean up of Chester Bowl (a park in Duluth) on October 7th from 1-4p. Our plan was to clean the park and have a
picnic afterwards with grilled hot dogs, salads and deserts; as well as a DJ (an RSI client). The planning agencies were going to divide
up the basics: hot dogs, buns, drinks, paper goods and ask the other agencies attending to bring either a salad or a dessert.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast was for a day of thunderstorms and so we decided to cancel. A few of us went, just in case people
showed. A provider did attend, the weather held off, and a TV reporter as well as the Duluth News Tribune did a story on the event.
Lutheran Social Service Events Across the State
Staff and consumers at LSS initiated dozens of activities across Minnesota for CEW. Although the specific activities are too numerous to list,
we have provided a sampling of some of their labor-intensive and inspiring projects.
- Participated in helping their neighbors clean up their yards, raking, and throwing items away;
- Baked dog treats to be donated to HART, an animal shelter in Baxter. Consumers also made baked goods for an area bake sale with proceeds
going to area families in need;
- Cleaned the State Park in Bemidji. Baked cookies to deliver to neighbors and a nursing home Bemidji;
- Cleaned Hanna Park;
- Conducted a coat drive for Kinship Partners, an agency that matches kids with adult mentors;
- Volunteered at the local food shelf to help sort food and bags for people to put food in;
- Picked prairie seeds at Frontenac State Park;
- Made a pumpkin craft project and delivered them to the Seminary Home. Consumers played games with the residents at the nursing home and
entertained them with songs;
- Cleaned 2 miles of ditches. Donated 20 pounds of groceries for a local food shelf.
Martin/Faribault County
Down in Martin/Faribault Counties in Southern MN, REM-Heartland gave away coats and winter weather wear for the 5th year in a
row. It is sponsored by our local Interagency Provider's Group and local people with disabilities. We gave
away a couple hundred coats plus gloves, hats, boots etc. The event took place at our local mall and was
very well attended.
Mankato
Harry Meyering Center collected approximately $300 for Kids Against Hunger, a non-profit organization at which over 30 HMC consumers
volunteer on a regular basis. HMC staff and people served also participated in our 4th annual Minneopa State Park Prairie Restoration event.
Due to all of the rain days before the event, we were only able to sort seeds this year. We had over 60 participants at this event.
To celebrate the volunteer efforts of HMC consumers, we will be having a thank you event this week. The event includes a meal, recognition
program, and DJ. Over 70 staff and consumers will be attending the event.
Metro Area
Besides attending the Como Park wrap-up event, Wingspan Life Resources staff and consumers participated in the following activities: we
cleaned up litter and trash the neighborhood, baked cookies and painted pots for the neighbors, volunteered at Friends of Orphans, planted
new flowers in front of program sites and and did various yard work.
Rochester
On October 7th, the REM River Bluffs bunch volunteered at "Returning Dignity and Respect" as our annual community enrichment project. The goal
of community enrichment is to provide people with disabilities an opportunity to give back to their community. This event was a ceremony to
commemorate the celebration and dedication honoring the placement of names on 500 graves in the state hospital cemetery at Quarry Hill Park. This
event was put on by The Rochester State Hospital Cemetery Recognition Group and Remembering with Dignity. The group plans on eventually
marking each grave at the cemetery. We helped pick up trash and debris, cleaned off the gravestones, and helped set up the chairs and benches for
the ceremony. The day may have been cloudy and a little rainy, but the level of enthusiasm made the weather seem obsolete. Thank you to everyone
who helped prepare for the ceremony and a special thank you to everyone that made the ceremony, as well as the gravestone markers, possible.
Sauk Center to Fergus Falls
For REM Central Lakes we did a "Diaper Drive". We contacted a local women's shelter and were told the greatest need they had was diapers. We
collected about 15 packs of diapers, wipes and other baby items. The items were delivered by staff and clients. These amounts were for the
West region of Central Lakes which includes Sauk Centre to Fergus Falls. The reception for this CEW week activity was lower than we had
anticipated but the diapers we donated were greatly appreciated. There was about 15 people involved that donated.
Slayton
On July 11, 2007 Prairie View and Developmental Services hosted an open house picnic in Slayton, MN. It was advertised in the local paper
inviting the community to attend. Invitations were sent to the county commissioners, local representatives, and families. The theme was a
luau. Guests were greeted with leis and treated to a picnic supper and entertainment.
Attendance was great with about 250 people. The newspaper printed an article with a picture. Our board asked if we planned to do it again
since they heard great comments from the community. Fun and camaraderie went into the planning for the day. We look forward to hosting an event
again next year. The theme is yet to be determined.
St. Paul - Como Park Wrap-Up Event
On Saturday, October 13th, about 110 staff and people with disabilities converged at Como Regional Park in St. Paul. After a week of
constant rain and drizzle, we were lucky to have a cloudless, sunny day for our wrap-up event on October 13th.
When they first arrived at the picnic pavilion, participants enjoyed complimentary Caribou coffee and bagels. ARRM staff and volunteers
from Great River Greening organized people into small groups, then led them to the planting sites for a brief primer on how to plant acorns.
After an hour of enthusiastically "communing with nature" (i.e., planting acorns), everyone returned to the picnic shelter to enjoy lunch and
dance to the music of the WCCO Blues Band. All participants received a "Park Steward Volunteer" patch from the city of St. Paul, who partnered
with ARRM on this event. Click here to view photos of this event.
Thanks again to the agencies who sponsored this event: The Lutheran Home Association, Cooperating Community Programs, Mains'l Services, Inc.,
Lutheran Social Service, Wingspan Life Resources, Fraser, Hammer, Homeward Bound, Inc., Simon Delivers and Caribou Coffee.
Wabasha
Great River Homes, Inc. participated in the following events/activities: employee and board member recognition, a pie and ice cream
social with entertainment for 75 people, Good Neighbor recognition, Adopt-a-Highway litter pick-up, a Disability Awareness presentation
to 40 members of the Wabasha Rotary Club. Our events were publicized in newspaper articles and radio public service announcements.
Wayzata - ArtAbilities
On October 7th, a showcase of original art by area artists representing over 2,100 Minnesotans with disabilities took place at the Ridgedale
Library. This event was made possible by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County in collaboration with ARRM, Homeward Bound, Inc., Hammer
and Star Services. Approximately 75 people attended the reception and opening on October 7th. One piece of art in the display from a REM-Hennepin client sold to an anonymous art collector, with 100% of the significant proceeds going directly to the client/artist.
Click here to view all of the artwork.
Willmar
REM South Central Services' Community Enrichment Activity involved the cleaning up of Robbins Island, which is a park in the Willmar, MN area. It
is quite large and utilized by many. Afterwards we had a pizza party at one of the shelters in the park. We had approximately 120 people. Click here to view photos of this event.
Woodbury
MDM Rubicon staff and consumers went to pick up litter at a local park in Woodbury.
For more information or to tell us about your CEW event, contact ARRM's PR Director, Barb Brynstad, at 651-291-1086, extension 4, or email her at bbrynstad@arrm.org. |
