Laura Koppes, a summer camp staff member, has fond memories of the indoor climbing wall at Camp Friendship. The wall was installed last winter and has proven to be valuable both for participants with disabilities and other groups who use the Team Quest Challenge Course.

Laura observed the value of the climbing wall: “The rock wall is one of my favorite activities at camp. Each week, I wonder whether the campers will like it or if they will even be able to do it. Yet each week, I am so amazed at what they can do. Some campers who have been quiet all week suddenly cheer on their peers and look so determined and proud when they climb. Whether they got three feet off the ground or touched the ceiling, they were so proud and excited. I will never forget their exclamations of ‘I did it’ and ‘look at me!’ I love watching them push the stereotypical limits of their disabilities.”

Beyond the benefits of the wall for participants, it has increased potential for school, church, youth and other groups who come to Camp Friendship for team building experiences. “This gives us great possibilities for winter programming. Now we have an indoor option if it rains on a group’s scheduled day,” notes Amanda Daniels, director of adventure programs for Friendship Ventures.

Another new Team Quest element with great potential is the levitation platform, which will be built at Eden Wood Center this winter. A person stands or sits in a wheelchair on the platform while two groups of people raise the platform, working together to ensure that it raises evenly.

The levitation platform will replace the climbing wall. “We will gain five activities in one by using the space of the old climbing wall,” Amanda noted. “Another popular activity we will add is a pamper pole. For this activity, two teams hold an extension ladder using ropes. They work to maintain the ladder upright while someone climbs to the platform and then jumps, freefall. It’s a seven to eight-foot fall until the ropes catch them. It requires having trust in those holding the ropes. It’s a huge challenge – you’re 24 feet in the air and then you step off into nothing.

“This element will be great for corporate groups, older students and college groups,” Amanda explained. Many of those groups are using Team Quest this fall, with multiple groups scheduled up to seven days a week into November. Throughout the fall and winter, church groups use Team Quest programs, and school groups, scouts, other camp staffs, corporate and nonprofit groups use the course year-round. Friendship Ventures respite care groups also use the elements year-round.

Program improvements have been made possible, in large part, to the generosity of donors Bob and Carol Muller. They have been great supporters of the Team Quest program, donating funds to build the indoor climbing wall at Camp Friendship. By arranging for in-kind gifts of labor and material, Friendship Ventures accomplished even more with their donation, including the new platform at the Eden Wood Center course.

As Laura Koppes observed this summer, the new elements have been very beneficial to participants with disabilities. To similarly inspire more individuals with developmental disabilities, we are offering programming to special education class groups. These groups too can benefit from pushing past their disabilities to test the limits of their abilities.

A Unique Brand of Radio

George Babb and Kristin Olson in Annandale, where he entertained Camp Friendship folks and others waiting for the Fourth of July Parade to start.

George Babb is more than the music program leader for summer camp. At 47, he’s been the Pied Piper of Camp Friendship for 10 years, where his talent and personality have always provided great fun and memories for campers and staff alike. This year, he found a way to make the experience even more special.

He created WCFV, a radio station format that allows him to expand the typical camp song fare with more contemporary hits. Throughout the day, people “tune in” to shows by visiting George and his guitar at locales such as the music room, on boat rides, around the camp fire, in the dining hall and on “the green” at Camp Friendship. He’s even taken WCFV into cabins for those reluctant to move about camp.

WCFV features an array of musical hosts—Ron Phillips, Stew Dumpkin, Joe Davis and others—all portrayed by George. The station format also serves as a tool for getting at tough subjects with “Point Counter Point,” a talk show from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Sunday. George and his guests have addressed such topics as job opportunities for people with disabilities, cancer research and love. There are even weather and traffic reports on WCFV.

George, who taught himself guitar as a teenager and can play almost any song by ear, brings more to the job than his considerable musical skills. His personal experience with occasional seizures and mild disability may be why he is so devoted to the participants he serves. “He cares so much about what he does. He is an excellent role model,” said Mick Wendland, fellow program leader and recent guest on “Point Counter Point.”

According to program manager Kristin Olson, George has become a very important member of the camp community. “Campers absolutely love him! They all know his name by the end of camp,” she said.

Reactions to WCFV have been overwhelmingly positive. “They [the campers] love WCFV…They dance to the music...A lot of them know the songs, and they can really get into it,” lifeguard Sasha Reanier said. The summer’s No. 1 choice was George’s cover of the Commodores’ hit “Easy (Like Sunday Mornings).”

Not planning to rest on his laurels, George already has more ideas for next summer. “I hope to be expanding and playing some Goo Goo dolls,” he said. He’s also planning to add some Matchbox Twenty and Creed songs to the WCFV playlist.

With new additions every year, live music by request, a variety of radio personalities and no commercials, WCFV is bound to top the charts for many summers to come.

A Daughter's Joy Leads to "Major" Support

Imagine long-time Friendship Foundation board member Bob Harnett’s surprise when he stopped by the Majors Sports Café in Golden Valley for lunch one day and saw a poster advertising a charity golf tournament to benefit Friendship Ventures!

From the restaurant, he called Ed Stracke, president of Friendship Foundation, who in turn called the restaurant to inquire about the event. Ed eventually met Bob Carlson, whose restaurant management firm, Premier Companies, owns 13 Twin Cities area restaurants, including eight Majors Sports Cafés, Stella’s Fish Café, Throwback’s Grill and Bar, Buffalo Bar and Grill, McDivots and Spectators.

“My daughter Maggie first attended camp at Eden Wood Center in 2004 and just loved it,” Bob explained. “So when we decided to do a charity golf tournament in 2005, there was no question which organization would receive the proceeds.” He went on to say that the tournament was planned in just three weeks, leaving much to be done in a very short time. In a rush to promote the tournament, Bob’s staff simply downloaded Friendship Ventures’ logo from the Web site and used it on tournament materials. A wonderful friendship was off and running.

That first tournament, which raised $1,000, proved to be just a taste of what was to come. With six months to plan the 2006 event, the tournament raised $10,000. “We gave vendors a chance to be involved this year, and they loved having an opportunity to support a group so near and dear to my heart,” Bob said. The tournament quickly became established as an annual event, sponsored and organized entirely by Premier Companies. Bob will continue to encourage his vendors and others to support it in years to come.

But his enthusiasm for supporting Friendship Ventures didn’t end there. Several of Premier’s restaurants have pull-tab operations that are run by local chapters of service organizations such as the Lions, Kiwanis and American Legion. Bob has already convinced many of them to consider donating proceeds to Friendship Ventures. And the results are amazing: clubs are donating up to 50 percent of their pull-tab receipts to Friendship Ventures. That amounts to between $50,000 and $100,000 per year.

As if all that isn’t enough, Bob also makes personal contributions to Friendship Ventures. What drives this enthusiastic ambassador and generous friend? “I believe very strongly in Friendship Ventures and what you are doing. It’s what Maggie looks forward to most each summer. I just wanted to help,” he said.

Many thanks to a friend, indeed.

Grandy Nine Golf Tournament Benefits Camp New Hope

For many years, Lions Clubs have supported Camp New Hope with the Grandy Nine Golf Tournament. The tournament is held at the Grandy Nine Golf Course in Grandy, Minn., located in Isanti County. This 18-hole tournament and steak dinner was held Sept. 15, netting $7,500 for Camp New Hope programs.

The 34 golfers hail from the Clear Lake, Clearwater, Moundsview, Spring Lake Park and St. Francis Lions Clubs, along with Clearwater American Legion Post 323. Another 12 members of those clubs volunteered, preparing the steak dinner, serving or working on the holes.

These Lions Clubs, from Lions district 5M6 and 5M7 (covering the St. Paul area, the Northwest metro area and communities to the west of the Twin Cities) have been involved with Camp New Hope for many years. Many members of these clubs own cabins in the Aitkin County area and have chosen Camp New Hope as a Northern Minnesota nonprofit to support.

Special thanks to Keith Beckman of the Clear Lake Lions Club, primary event supporters Spring Lake Park Lions Club and the Moundsview Lions, who provided the steak dinner, for the success of this event. Mark your calendar; the Grandy Nine will return in September 2007.

Thanks to Donors

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

Honorable Order of Blue Goose, proceeds from their golf tournament
Premier Restaurant Management Group, operators of Majors Sports Café, for proceeds from their golf classic
Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation, Bayport
Margaret Rivers Fund, Stillwater
Deluxe Corporation Foundation
J & B Wholesale, St. Michael
Princeton Lions Club
Cutler-Magner Company, Duluth
Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Richfield
St. Croix Valley Community Foundation, Hudson

Thanks also to:

ADC Foundation, Eden Prairie, for a donation to help upgrade technology
Clearwater Lions Club, for a donation to pay for concrete for the arts and crafts building at Camp Friendship
Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation, Bayport, for a second grant to support the Eden Wood renovation project
Margaret Rivers Fund, Stillwater, for a second grant to support the Eden Wood renovation project
Lyon Lincoln Electric Trust, Tyler, to help fund handicap accessible automatic door opener
Lake Country, Grand Rapids, for funds to purchase a lawnmower
Clear Lake Lions Club for support of Camp New Hope

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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