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YouthCARE's Recent Awards and
Recognition
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YouthCARE
Receives Best Practices Award
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| (L to R) Craig Luedemann,
Lee Buckley, Gleason Glover
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The
Governor's Council on Faith and Community Service Initiatives
presented YouthCARE with the 2009 Best Practices Award on Wednesday,
May 20, 2009. The awards were presented by Lee Buckley, Special
Advisor to Governor Tim Pawlenty, Windell Clint Calvert, Acting
Chair of the Governor's Council and Joan Fabin, Commissioner
of the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Accepting the award
on YouthCARE's behalf were Craig Luedemann, Executive Director
and Gleason Glover, Vice Chair- Board of Directors.
The
Governor's Faith and Community Service Initiatives Best Practices
Awards program was established by the Council in 2006 to recognize
grassroots faith and community organizations with best practices
models for collaborating with a variety of resources and that
have positively impacted a social condition and changed the
lives of individuals.
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YouthCARE
accepts the Minnesota MILE "Community Ignition" Award
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YouthCARE is honored to be nominated
by Minnesota MILE (Motivating and Inspiring Leadership &
Excellence) to receive the "Community Ignition Award."
Each year, Minnesota MILE chooses one non-profit organization
that has made a unique contribution to the youth of Minnesota
to honor with the "Community Ignition Award." Jeff
Xiong, alumni YouthCARE program participant and current Camp
Sunrise Program Director, accepted the award on behalf of YouthCARE
at the 2008 Xtra Mile Awards Ceremony on Friday, October 24,
2008. All proceeds from the Xtra Mile Awards Ceremony support
the Minnesota MILE in its mission of identifying and developing
youth leadership in Minnesota through the promotion of personal
responsibility, volunteerism and social awareness.
In accepting the award, Jeff described YouthCARE's work in the
Twin Cities community by telling a story about Aaron. "YouthCARE
ignites communities in the Metro area and brings all walks of
life together. I am reminded of this when I work with a youth
named Aaron. Aaron is 16 years old and an African American teenager
who recently moved to Minnesota from Tennessee. On his fourth
week in Minnesota, he participated in YouthCARE's 2008 Camp
Sunrise summer program. At Camp Sunrise, he was instantly included
as a part of its positive community. It was so important for
him to feel included, because he didn't know anyone here. In
Tennessee, Aaron had been involved with gangs and seen violence
and drugs in his community. YouthCARE has offered him something
different, a positive group of youth and adults to work with,
learn from, and feel connected to, and that's why Aaron is still
involved today. Now, Aaron comes to YouthCARE's after-school
events, he trusts YouthCARE staff and knows he can call them
and ask for help if he needs it, and he enjoys knowing he is
part of the YouthCARE family."
To view YouthCARE's press release
Click
Here.
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David Sletten,
Corporate Board Vice-President for Minnesota MILE (left)
and Jeff Xiong, Camp Sunrise Program Director (right).
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| From left, Dorian Grilley, Executive
Director of the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota, Kao
Thao, naturalist at Fort Snelling State Park and other recipient
of the Access to the Outdoors Award, Senator David Durenberger,
Honorary Chair of the Ball of the Wild, Craig Luedemann,
Executive Director of YouthCARE and recipient of the Access to
the Outdoors Award, Tim Farrell, President of the Parks
& Trails Council of Minnesota. |
On April 24, 2008, YouthCARE's Camp Sunrise program and Executive
Director, Craig Luedemann, were selected by the Parks & Trails
Council of Minnesota to receive the "Access to the Outdoors"
Award as one of 10 organizations and individuals honored for significant
contributions to Minnesota's great outdoor legacy. YouthCARE's
Executive Director, Craig Luedemann, and the Camp Sunrise program
were chosen because of the significant impact they have had on
the excellence of our state's thriving system of public parkland
and trails.
The
"Access to the Outdoors" Award was presented to YouthCARE/Camp
Sunrise at the Parks & Trails Council's first Annual Ball
of the Wild Awards Dinner. All proceeds from the Ball of the
Wild will support the Parks & Trails Council in its mission
of acquiring, protecting and enhancing critical lands in Minnesota.
YouthCARE
operates three successful multicultural programs, Camp Sunrise,
YouthLEAD, and the Young Women's Mentoring Program. YouthCARE
programs focus on bringing together youth from diverse ethnic,
cultural and racial backgrounds and providing engaging activities
and leadership development opportunities. The Camp Sunrise program
also provides youth with a unique opportunity to live, work
and learn in Minnesota's great outdoor environments. We are
delighted to accept this award from the Parks & Trails Council
of Minnesota.
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Minneapolis Community
& Technical College "Celebrate the Dream" Nonprofit
Humanitarian Award
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From left, Andre Walker, YouthCARE Alumni; Craig Luedemann,
Executive Director; Eve Vang, YouthCARE Alumni; and Martin Luther
King, III, Keynote Speaker at the Celebrate the Dream
Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 2003 in
Minneapolis, MN).
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Presented by Minneapolis Community & Technical College, YouthCARE
received the 2003 Celebrate the Dream Nonprofit Humanitarian
Award for outstanding contributions to the community reflective
of the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Over the last
30 years, YouthCARE has maintained a strong emphasis on bringing
together youth from diverse ethnic, cultural and racial backgrounds.
YouthCARE believes very strongly in the importance of helping
youth learn how to live and work together cooperatively, the need
to appreciate cultural differences, and the richness gained in
making multicultural friendships. |
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