YouthCARE Awards and Recognition
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.
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).
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.
