Friendship Ventures! -- Snapshots of Friendship

Friendship Ventures renewed our mission of creating opportunities for people with developmental disabilities by creating a camp experience tailored especially for children with Asperger’s syndrome.

This summer, for the first time, Friendship Ventures offered week-long, Asperger’s camps, giving participants the chance to improve their social skills while meeting people similar to themselves. A total of 17 youth, ages 10 to 16, attended one of the sites.

Theresa Namie, executive director of ANSWER (Asperger’s Network Support for Well-being Education and Research) suggested the specialized camps after seeing how much her own son, a 17-year-old with Asperger’s, has benefited from attending and volunteering at Camp Friendship.

Namie and her team at ANSWER worked with Friendship Ventures program director Laurie “Chet” Tschetter to develop the camp curriculum. “Our biggest concern is helping the campers make friends and interact with others,” Namie said. “We put social skills into the curriculum, but focused on keeping it fun so they wouldn’t feel like they were sitting in a class.”

Every morning, campers met for a social skills lesson on topics such as cooperation, taking turns, personal space and appropriate conversation. Participants were asked to practice their social skills throughout the day, and then reflected on their achievements during scheduled feedback sessions.

In addition to the social skills sessions, the Asperger’s curriculum employed “The Incredible 5-Point Scale,” a book and strategy by Kari Dunn Buron and Mitzi Curtis, which gives people with Asperger’s and autism a practical means to measure and assess their volume level and emotions.

“It’s harder for me to control my volume,” explained Katie, 13, of St. Paul, who said the 5-point scale was one of the best things she learned during her week at Camp Friendship. “I liked how everyone was consistent about things.”

Consistency and structure were important factors in ensuring that everything went smoothly, Tschetter said. In the end, all the planning paid off. “Everything went great,” Tschetter said. And after a week of watching their campers grow, the counselors seem to agree. “Seeing them interact with everyone at camp on their own made me feel like a proud mom,” counselor Kelly Thomure said. “They really put a solid effort into it.”

Both Tschetter and Namie said they hope the Asperger’s camps will continue to grow and strengthen in years to come. “I’m excited for next year because I think it will be even better,” Namie said.

Volunteer making camp great for the campers

Chris Baker spent time making sure that camp was great for Raymond.

While many teenagers spend summers creating a good tan and earning some extra spending money, Chris Baker, 16, is gaining lifelong memories and life-changing lessons. Baker, of Buffalo, Minn., is spending his summer volunteering to put smiles on the faces of participants at Camp Friendship.

Baker has committed to living at the camp for nine weeks and making the campers his number one priority by attending to their needs and participating alongside them in activities such as swimming, fishing, boating, and music. He’s one of dozens of volunteers giving their time and energy to the organization this summer, and his tireless dedication is making him stand out as one of the best.

“What he does I’ve never seen a volunteer do before,” volunteer village leader Olivia Culbreth said. “Every time I see him, he’s trying to make his campers smile; trying to make them laugh.”

Baker began volunteering at Camp Friendship last summer and quickly developed a bond with the place and the people. But the campers are not the only ones who benefit from Baker’s unwavering dedication. In helping the campers feel at home, Baker said he has found his own home. As a teen with self-esteem issues of his own, he’s now boosting every camper’s self-esteem.

“My social worker asked if I wanted to try it, and I tried it and liked it,” Baker said. “They kept inviting me back because I was amazing. I usually don’t have self esteem. But I feel a lot better here (at Camp Friendship) because people are nicer and friendlier.”

Pat Zant, Friendship Ventures volunteer program specialist, said the growth in Baker’s confidence has been notable. “He really seems comfortable in this role,” he said. “He came in a really shy kid … now we can barely keep him quiet.”

“He’s just one of those kids – you ask him to do anything and he does it with a smile on his face and gets it done,” Zant said “He truly cares about the campers and has a genuine, sincere focus.”

Baker’s commitment makes him a role model for other volunteers. “Just having him here I feel like half my work is done because the other volunteers copy him,” Culbreth said. “‘Camp is for the campers’ – that’s his motto.”

Technology improves health care

Laura Marshall, healthcare assistant II, used the new laptop this summer.

A handful of technological improvements have wired their way into Camp Friendship’s Health Center and won an electrified welcome from the health care staff.

These improvements – two laptops, an all-in-one fax/printer/copier and an expanded phone network connecting the health center with those at Eden Wood Center and Camp New Hope – have slowly begun changing the way the camp’s nurses and health care assistants do their jobs. And the change is for the better.

“Not only does this technology offer a huge time savings, but it helps with accuracy in preventing medical errors,” Marlis Warner, director of health care, said. Timing and accuracy, Warner emphasized, are extremely important – especially at a camp where the health care staff distributes more than 900 medications a day to more than 100 campers.

The two laptops have allowed health care staff to type and save many of the medical and personal-care reports that they previously had to hand-write each time a camper visited. Now, they can easily file the information away electronically and retrieve when campers return.

Information Systems Manager Jerry Carter acquired and installed the technology. After purchasing the used laptops, Carter updated them and designed the templates now used for recording campers’ medical profiles.

The fax/printer/copier has improved efficiency by allowing the staff to quickly fax orders to local clinics and pharmacies, as well as to make copies of campers’ medical profiles for counselors. Additionally, the expanded phone network has reduced the distance between Camp Friendship and the health centers at Camp New Hope and Eden Wood Center to only one quick phone call away. Such an update marks an important and necessary improvement – especially in an urgent situation.
Despite the recent advancements, Warner says there is still plenty of room for improvement.

“Many of the reports we continue to hand write because we only have the three computers,” Warner said, noting that she would like to expand the amount of computer access at the Camp Friendship health center, as well as at the other two camps.

Both Warner and Carter hope the recent technological improvements have only begun to pave the way for future advances. “It’s been a huge advantage to have the computers,” Warner said.

Ultimately, that advantage benefits everyone, especially participants. After all, less time spent on paperwork gives staff more time for what’s important – working hands-on with participants.

Helping Friendship Ventures through the United Way

At this time of year, many companies host workplace campaigns to support the United Way. Although Friendship Ventures is not a United Way-designated organization in the large metropolitan areas, you can still earmark your United Way contribution to help us through their Donor Choice program.

David Ring, Savage, has done that for about two years. As the father of Kelsey, a 15-year old with developmental disabilities, he was introduced to Eden Wood Center by Kelsey’s social worker. After trying various other respite care options that Kelsey did not enjoy, he was in need of a weekend respite. “When I picked her up Sunday from Eden Wood Center, she was in VERY good spirits – and I was pleasantly surprised!” he said. “Things had gone pretty well, and she enjoyed it! Between the people, the activities, the bus and the food, it was and has continued to be a good experience.”

Kelsey continues to attend respite care weekends and summer camp at Eden Wood Center. Dave turned his gratitude for Friendship Ventures into cash for the organization. “I like to support causes and groups that are near and dear to my heart,” he said. “I like to put my money where my mouth is, even though I don’t have a lot (money, that is). Therefore, for our United Way drive at work, I’ve taken the single group designee option – and all my money goes towards Friendship Ventures. I wanted to give ALL of it to a worthy organization that means something to me.”

If you feel the same way, please consider designating your United Way donations to Friendship Ventures. On your United Way Pledge Card, list Friendship Ventures and our address (10509 108th St. N.W. Annandale MN 55302) on the line asking for "Designated Organization." This
allows Friendship Ventures to benefit directly from your United Way giving. Thanks to everyone who directs their United Way giving to Friendship Ventures to help people with developmental disabilities and their families!

Knights of Columbus generously supports Friendship Ventures

Every spring, members of Minnesota’s Knights of Columbus Councils conduct a fund raising drive in which they give away Tootsie Rolls in exchange for donations. All of the proceeds are given to organizations that benefit children with mental retardation.

Friendship Ventures has received donations from many KC councils throughout the state for many years. So far this year, more than 50 councils from all over Minnesota have contributed $25,174, an increase over donations last year.

In a letter to his fellow members of this Catholic fraternal benefits organization, Gabbi Harnett, the father of three Friendship Ventures participants, shared his faith story and the value of programs for his family. In his letter, Harnett said, “If you want your gift to be used wisely and efficiently in an organization that treats every person with dignity and respect, give a gift to Friendship Ventures.” We are grateful to all the councils of the Knights of Columbus who have generously donated.

Thanks to Donors

Special thanks to these donors for their recent contributions to fund scholarships:

Knights of Columbus Council, Buffalo
Clearwater Travel Plaza
Michael Adam Carroll Memorial Fund of the Duluth Superior Area
Community Foundation
Entegris Charitable Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation
Wooden Hearts, Inc., Cold Spring
Rosemount, Inc., Chanhassen
Richmond Lions Club

Thanks to donors who contributed for these special purposes:

Support for Camp New Hope

Veterans of Foreign Wars, St. Paul

Camp Friendship Lodge renovation

St. Cloud Metro Lions Club
Annandale State Bank
Wee Care We Share, Annandale, for in-kind donation of furniture
Acorn Tax and Financial Services & Jim Guddal, Plymouth, for in-kind donation of furnishings

We thank these and all contributors for your support.

Thanks to all donors!

You Can Help:

To give a gift to children and adults with disabilities, Click to access our secure, on-line giving site. Your support will make all the difference in the world.

Friendship Ventures is a non-profit agency that creates unique educational, recreational and social opportunities for people of all ages with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. We also offer conference and retreat services and professional team-building programs to the communities we serve. Friendship Ventures operates Camp Friendship near Annandale, MN, Eden Wood Center in Eden Prairie, MN and Camp New Hope near McGregor, MN.

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