Guest Blog: Annual Kinship Conference report from Rita

What's new?  Well ideas for making the best mentor matches for one thing.  Last week I enjoyed learning, sharing best practices and hearing new ideas from some of the best mentoring programs in Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin.  The annual Kinship Conference was in Brainerd and featured two days of interactive learning.  Want to know more about fundraising events, building a strong volunteer board of directors, insurance issues, etc?  Tune in to national and local practices resulting in long term meaningful mentor matches.  While there is a wealth of information offered on Mentoring websites (see below for a few), it was great to personally interact with professionals putting the information into practice.  I left the conference with lots of notes and a refreshed approach to matching great kids with great mentor volunteers. To find a Kinship mentor program near you, visit kinshipinc.org.

mpmn.org - The Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota

mentoring.org - MENTOR, National Mentoring Partnership 

nwrel.org/mentoring - Education Northwest National Mentoring Center

- Rita Younger, Program Coordinator

Best Buy & Kids 'n Kinship team up to teach teens in the Tech Mentor program

On April 3^rd, 13 of our Kids ‘n Kinship teens each with their own coach, attended the first of three sessions for our new Tech Mentor Program.   Funded by Best Buy, these teens will attend classes that will teach them how to use a digital camera with video, how to upload, edit, post photos to social media, and how to make a slideshow or video.   Teens who complete the classes will be able to keep the cameras.  The skills they learn will assist them in their middle school and high school classes as well as in their social life and into future jobs.  The class is taught by a past mentee of the program who loves technology and is now a college graduate and a Best Buy employee.  The kids, volunteers and staff are all excited about this new project!

Can't wait to spend more time enjoying the outdoors? Neither can Eddie!

Eddie is 8 years old and he enjoys being outdoors fishing, swimming, bike riding & playing football and soccer.  He also likes movies, video games, board games & playing the drums.

Eddie is friendly and talkative and eager to have fun with a mentor. His lives with his mom whose medical issues prevent her from doing as much as she’d like to with him.

He would like a mentor who loves animals, the outdoors & sports.  His wish is that world would have no more bullying!
 

Could you be the mentor for him?  To learn more, go to www.kidsnkinship.org or attend an information session.  Our next one is Tuesday April 9th, 6-6:45 pm at the Burnhaven Library in Burnsville.  RSVP to ihkinship@aol.com or 952-891-3885.  More dates listed on our website. Training & support provided.

Celebrating Easter with Twins!

These twins have an annual celebration of Easter together with their mentor in which they decorate Easter eggs!  They've been matched for over 8 years and still very much enjoy their time together.  Here's a recent article about their match.

Guest Blog by Rita: Fun at Shamrock Skate!

Have you ever seen a teen teaching their adult mentor how to ice skate?  Watching kids and adults fall on the ice and get right back up to try again. We experienced these and more as well as delicious treats and great company at the Shamrock Skate provided by Thrivent Financial, on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th. Kids ages 5-16 joined their mentors, families, friends  and community members at the Burnsville Ice Center.  The skating  arena was full of laughter and trials as experienced and novice skaters hit the ice. A great time was had by all! We often hear potential volunteers saying they want to share their experiences, knowledge & interests with mentees.  When they become mentors, they discover that  they often learn from their mentees as much or more! The personal growth and fun experiences are both wonderful benefits, among many, of mentoring a child. Connect with Kids ‘n Kinship to learn more about mentoring in your own community.  www.kidsnkinship.org

A Smile This Big Says It All

 
















In the middle of the blizzard today, I realize that most of us in Minnesota are about ready to be done with winter, especially since the first official day of spring occurs on Wednesday.  But I had to share these photos & quotes about a mentor taking her mentee ice fishing for the first time! (Names have been changed or left out to protect our participants' identities).

"Debbie" recently went out ice fishing with her mentor on Cedar Lake near New Prague, MN. Her mentor reports: "She caught 2 of the 5 crappies on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. [At first,] she was worried about driving a half mile on the lake, but got over the fear quickly as she cleaned out the ice from fish holes and caught some fish. After the outing, the fish were cleaned, fried, and eaten. She enjoyed the experience, [as you can see from these photos!]"

Mother of "Debbie": “[My daughter] had a wonderful time with [her mentor] on Saturday – they took her ice fishing!  They have totally awesome pictures!...It was like the first time I’d seen [her] smiling naturally happily in a long time…she was very happy!  It almost made me cry.”

Want to make a child this happy?  Share your hobbies & interests with a kid!  For more information, go to www.kidsnkinship.org or attend an information session in the community.  Our next one is Tuesday March 26th, 6:00-6:45 pm at the Wescott Library in Eagan.  RSVP to rykinship@aol.com or 651-686-0990. 

Join us for a Family Friendly Fundraiser Ice Skating Event!

Like ice skating?  Want to support a great organization which provides mentors to youth in Dakota County? Join Kids 'n Kinship for this fun event in the community on St. Patrick's Day!  We will also have free massages!  Everyone is welcome - adults, kids, families, teens!  

Kids 'n Kinship has been serving children living in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville & Rosemount for over 40 years. We match them with caring individuals, couples & families for fun and enriching weekly activities in the community and in the home. Kids 'n Kinship provides pre-match training, ongoing support for each match, and many free and reduced cost tickets to area attractions including the MN Zoo, sports events & plays & musicals. For more information or to sign up as a mentor or to receive a mentor for your child, go to www.kidsnkinship.org.