Guest Blog by Rita: A Real Fish Story

How do you detect a real fish story?  And what does it have to do with mentoring?

I am so very fortunate to have many wonderful mentor matches share stories with me.  A few months ago, I heard a fish story.  Is a fish story an exaggeration, by definition?  Well this match caught 86 fish – yeah 86. And they caught them ice fishing.  And it was the mentee’s first time ice fishing.  Soooo I’m thinking, really?  Well, the integrity of both the volunteer mentor and the teen mentee is reliable – and I have known them for 13 and 9 years, respectively – I am going with it.

This match is a joy to be around.  When I speak with them individually it is really a challenge to determine who has learned more from whom.  I like that, a lot.  Mentors tell me they sign up to give a kid some fun and opportunity.  They end up learning so much about gratitude, choices, decision making, dealing with circumstances they cannot control and joy.  That is not a fish story; it is a mentor story I have heard from male and female mentors, numerous times.

-Rita Younger, Program Coordinator, Kids 'n Kinship

Spend time outdoors with Sean!

On this beautiful day after so many days of heavy deluge and humidity and heat, I am reminded of the joys of spending time outdoors this time of year.  I can't wait to head out myself this afternoon!  Time outside is so rejuvenating and refreshing, especially for children who so often are cooped up indoors.  Statistics are scary about how much screen time today's children have.  They need more time in nature!  If you value this too, please consider sharing your time outdoors (whether it's a walk in a park, throwing a frisbee/baseball/football, or going boating or any other sport or hobby) with a child waiting for a mentor, like Sean here: 

 

Name: Sean  

Age:  13

Interests:  Sean enjoys being out in nature, biking, skateboarding and football.

Personality/Characteristics:  Sean is talkative, polite, intelligent and inquisitive.  He is a wonderful young man who is a big helper at home with his single parent mom and young sister ; he has also helped a teacher and neighbors. He is alone a lot and does not have the opportunity to do activities.  

Goals: Sean says he would like to get to know a mentor and learn from him.  Sean will be in 8^th grade this fall.

For More Information: Sean is one of almost 50 children waiting for a mentor through Kids ‘n Kinship, a private nonprofit serving Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville and Rosemount in Dakota County for 40 years. If you're interested in becoming a mentor, you're invited to attend an information session from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. Wednesday July 11th at the Burnhaven Library in Burnsville. Mentors can volunteer as individuals, couples, or families for weekly fun and enriching activities at home or in the community on their own schedules. Contact us at 952-892-6368 or go to our website www.kidsnkinship.org.

Thoughts on Father's Day

With Father's Day coming up and Mother's Day just recently passed, I've been thinking about how it takes a village to raise a child.  I believe Father's Day and Mother's Day are opportunities for all of us to contribute to the raising of children in our community.  Adult mentors of all kinds (uncles and grandfathers, teachers and coaches, as well as neighbors and mentors connected to a program like Kids 'n Kinship) can step in and spend time with children to encourage and have fun with them.  As a caring adult who doesn't have to spend extra time with a kid, a mentor is able to develop a friendship with a child.  Through that bond, mentors have a unique opportunity to teach social skills, help with schoolwork, and talk with the child about their behavior, choices, and goals. 

Take Cory, for example.  Before being matched with his mentor Bob, Cory was getting in trouble in school for fighting with other kids.  Cory has never known his dad, but in the last few months since being matched with Bob, he's been doing great at home and at school.  Cory enjoys having fun with Bob, but even more so he knows that Bob values him and believes the best of him and so Cory tries harder to get along with his peers at school, to focus on his schoolwork, and to help out at home with his little sister.  All it takes is an hour or two a week and caring about a kid, and you can make a difference.  Become a friend to a child today!

Join us for a Celebration on Saturday!

This Saturday, Kids 'n Kinship is celebrating the return of 6 bike riders from the Merchant's Bank CEM bike ride. CEM stands for Christian Elder Memorial bike ride, a 16 day 900 mile ride for Kids 'n Kinship done by John Elder and his team of riders in loving memory of his son Christian Elder who passed away in 2007.

This year the riders (including John Elder, Dennis Hill, Jay Saterbak, Kathy Kelly, Dennis Danielson "Denny" and Bob Porter) are touring the trails in Wisconsin with the help of their road crew Gordy Clough and Jim Elder. To read about their adventure, go to their road diary: http://cem900.com/diary.html

Help us welcome home the CEM riders!

We'll have hot dogs, root beer floats, and live music!

11 A.M. - 12 NOON
Sat. June 9th
Merchants Bank parking lot
7300 147th St W,
Apple Valley, MN 55124

This is a FREE event and open to all community members! So please join us!