A Snapshot of 2008 Events!

   

In May, high school students from Volunteers of America–Minnesota’s Action Team sorted, boxed and delivered Scholastic Books to Minneapolis homeless shelters. The student driven initiative was led by Benilde-St. Margaret’s Action Team Captains Bo Selleck, Mary Cashman and David Tranvik (pictured at right).
	“Voices of the Elders II” was a ten-week project aimed at challenging common perceptions of aging and revealing elders as viable, creative, contributing members of the community. Twenty seniors, who participate in our North DayElders and Hmong DayElders programs, took part in the project and each created a personal mural and poetic piece to accompany their artwork. The project helped participants rediscover the value of their backgrounds, as well as share their experiences, hopes and dreams. The project concluded with a June 2 opening reception and exhibition at Homewood Studios in Minneapolis.
		Minnesota Twins players Joe Mauer and Nick Punto teamed with seniors at Volunteers of America’s Southwest Center in Minneapolis on July 1 for the first ever “Virtual Baseball Challenge.” This fun, intergenerational competition featured Nintendo Wii gaming technology and engaged both the minds and bodies of older adults to promote overall health and wellness. Also joining the ballplayers were local high school students from the Minnesota Action Team, part of a national youth volunteer program administered by Volunteers of America and the Major League Baseball Players Trust.
Approximately 50 youth from Volunteers of America–Minnesota programs attended a Minnesota Twins game at the Metrodome on August 12 courtesy of the Major League Baseball Players Trust’s Buses for Baseball program. The program provides at-risk youth the chance to attend a Major League game and meet the players which included Justin Morneau, Carolos Gomez, Joe Nathan and Scott Baker, as well as veteran Twins great, Tony Oliva.
	In September, Volunteers of America–Minnesota asked participants of our programs for children to participate in a contest to design the artwork for a magnet which will be given away at special events. The winning drawing was created by Tiffany (pictured), a fourth grader at Metro Deaf School, in St. Paul, which is a Volunteers of America–Minnesota sponsored charter school.