Bridge for Youth with Disabilities

Falcon BRIDGE Initiative (FBI):
BRIDGE is a nonprofit organization based out of Hudson, Wis. that provides opportunities for youth and adults with developmental disabilities. 

BRIDGE provides a variety of activities including Adult Day Services and employment opportunities for individuals who are 18 years or older. Most likely, these individuals will not be able to attend college once they have aged out of special education. With the BRIDGE – UWRF partnership, UWRF students will get the chance to work with the BRIDGE clients and provide them with 10 different visit days. On the visit days, group members will design activities to showcase our campus, eat lunch with the BRIDGE clients, and create lasting relationships. The visit days will be held one Friday per month with biweekly meetings for planning for the first semester, and two Fridays a month with biweekly meetings the second semester. Group members will be asked to co-plan at least 2 visit days throughout the year.

Local Destination Partnership Commitment:

• Educational, planning, and reflection with your service team, Monday, October 10 at BRIDGE in Hudson (time TBD)
• Visit day, Friday, October 28 from 11:30am-1:30pm in the University Center
• Visit day, Friday, November 18 from 11:30am-1:30pm in the University Center
• Visit day, Friday, December 9 from 11:30am-1:30pm in the University Center
• Visit day, Friday, February 10 from 11:30am-1:30pm in the University Center
• Visit day, Friday, March 2 from 11:30am-1:30pm in the University Center
• Visit day, Friday, April 20 from 11:30am-1:30pm in the University Center
• Graduation, Friday, May 4 at BRIDGE I Hudson (time TBD)
• Destination Celebration/Post-Reflection, Sunday, March 25 6-10pm in the University Center
• Destination Fundraiser, Saturday, April 7 at 8am

Falcon BRIDGE Initiative (FBI) Leader

Justina Deering
Hometown: Champlin, MN

Favorite Quote: To thine self be true. –Shakespeare
(My 8th grade English teacher wrote it in my yearbook, and I haven't forgotten it since!)

Favorite place in River Falls: My favorite place in River Falls is the University Center. I can always find my friends there, and I work there so often during the week that it feels like my second home. I have become so familiar with the professional staff that they all feel like weird aunts and uncles now.

Thank you for your interest, but applications for the 2011-2012 Local Destination have been filled.

Any questions, please email Courtney at fpcommunityservice@uwrf.edu.

Learn more about being a participant for Destination Domestic or an  advisor for Destination Domestic.

AZ Lost Boys Center                                                                         Phoenix, AZ

Journey to AZ Lost Boys Center to learn more about refugee issues

For more information visit: http://www.azlostboyscenter.org/

Orphaned as youngsters, they fled their villages in Sudan in the 1980s, afraid they would be slaughtered by government troops as many of their families were. The lost boys - so called because they had to fend for themselves without parents or elders - set out on an extraordinary journey across Africa that took them to Ethiopia, back to Sudan, and to refugee camps in Kenya. The United States government agreed to allow 3,600 of them to begin new lives in America. Work directly with the Lost Boys who have since come to America and learn their stories as well as struggles adjusting to the US culture. Some projects may include helping refugees in English as a Second Language classes as well as maintenance projects around the Center.

Cumberland Trail Conference                                                    Soddy Daisy, TN

Journey to Cumberland Trail Conference to learn more about the environment

For more information visit: http://www.cumberlandtrail.org/ 

The Cumberland Trail Conference is focused on rebuilding and maintaining the Cumberland Trail in Tennessee.  When completed, the Cumberland Trail will extend 300 miles from its origin in the Cumberland Gap National Park to its southern terminus at the Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park located on Signal Mountain just outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee.  The trail will meander through eleven Tennessee counties primarily on public lands as well as through two national parks and national scenic river areas. Some service opportunities that Destination Domestic participants might experience are constructing the Cumberland Trail, determining trail location, cutting into soil to create trail, relocating rocks and boulders as well as creating natural stairways and bridges.*Note: this trip involves extensive hands-on labor.

Freedom Foundation                                                                             Selma, AL

Journey to Freedom Foundation to learn more about community building

For more information visit: http://freedomfoundation.org/

The Civil Rights Movement may seem like a long time ago but the reality is that segregation is still happening in present day America. Get into the thick of it by working with an organization that attempts to bridge the divide. The Freedom Foundation is an organization that strives to spread equality through youth and community. Work in the local elementary school, preschool, and after-school theatre program, as well as help with painting or gardening projects.  In the words of the Freedom Foundation, "Learn. Serve. Inspire." 

St. Leonard's Ministries                                                                    Chicago, IL

Journey to St. Leonard's Ministries to learn more about the criminal justice system

For more information visit: http://slministries.org/ 

Nearly 650,000 people are released from state and federal prisons yearly.  St. Leonard's believes individuals want to lead productive and whole lives as they make the transition to successful, independent living.  During the residents' stay at St. Leonard's, they are helped to reassess value systems, to reorder priorities and to develop socially and legally acceptable patterns of behavior.   Some service opportunities that participants might experience on the service trip include cleaning and gardening around the facility while working with the staff and residents, having lunch with the residents each day and interacting with people coming from very different backgrounds.  There will also be a strong educational component to go along with the service at St. Leonard's Ministries. 

United Way                                                                             Mystery Destination

Journey to the United Way to learn more about disaster relief 

During this past year, there have been many natural disasters that have affected numerous cities around the U.S. and world. Participants on this trip will volunteer in a city that has been greatly affected by a natural disaster.  Some service opportunities that the participants might experience are cleaning up debris in the neighborhoods, helping clean police and fire buildings, volunteering to work at City Hall, assisting residents and businesses with completing the FEMA disaster assistance application, sorting debris once it has been collected, and sorting donations from local non-profits. 

*More information to come from Trip Leader.  This trip location will remain a mystery until spring 2012.

Jared Ley

Hometown: De Pere, Wisconsin
Favorite Quote: "We build our temples for the tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountains free within ourselves" -Langston Hughes
Favorite place in River Falls: The swinging bridge leading into Glen Park.

Elise Koop

Hometown: Hastings, MN
Favorite Quote: "Be the change you wish to see in the world."  -Gandhi
Favorite Place in River Falls: Dish and Spoon Cafe

Joe Russella

Hometown: Eagan, MN
Favorite Quote: Live and Let Live
Favorite Place in River Falls: Glenn Park, down by the Kinni

Shanna Thomsen

Hometown: Waukesha, Wi
Quote: It's kind of fun to do the impossible. -Walt Disney
Place in RF: River Falls Theater!

Jenn Vogel

Hometown: Jefferson, WI
Favorite Quote: "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass...it is about going out and dancing in the rain."
Favorite Place in River Falls: Anywhere near the Kinnickinnic River

Elise Koop and Cailin Turner
Destination Managers

Apply to be a participant

If you are interested in applying to be a participant for Destination Domestic, please apply now. Applications are due on Friday, October 28 at 4:30 p.m.

Any questions, please email Cailin and Elise at fpdestination@uwrf.edu.

Apply to be an advisor

If you are interested in applying to be an advisor for Destination Domestic, please apply now. Applications are due on Friday, October 28 at 4:30 p.m.

Any questions, please email Cailin and Elise at fpdestination@uwrf.edu.

Destination 2011 participants served as volunteers with organizations working with one of the follow service issues:

• Animal welfare (blog)
• Inner city youth (blog)
• Hurricane relief (blog)
• Rural poverty (blog)
• Sustainability (blog)
  

Video produced by UWRF Digital Film and Television and Professor Erik Johnson to promote the Destination Domestic program. 

The video highlights spring break 2010 to Cincinnati, Ohio to document the service work done in connection with the issue of homelessness and will serve to educate and inspire future UWRF students to be a part of this life-changing Destination experience.

World Wide Village: Discovering Haiti

World Wide Village Overview:
World Wide Village is a non-profit that was founded in 2001 by a group of U.S. entrepreneurs whose hearts were touched by what they saw when they visited Haiti. The objective from the beginning has been to transform impoverished communities by providing education, health care, nutrition, disaster response, and sustainable economic development opportunities. The WWV staff, volunteers and strategic partners intend to be a catalyst for the creation of vibrant communities while working to eliminate chronic dependency and restore dignity to the citizens of Haiti.

Alternative Break Volunteer Team Projects:
The focus of our trip is on service. There will be two days where we will conduct a TOMS shoe drop. Our volunteer team may also have the opportunity to assist in giving out hearing aids, building school desks, and setting up playgroup equipment. Note there may also be some physical projects in the community that we will be working on. Our volunteer team will have an opportunity to be immersed in the local culture in Port-au-Prince, and to enjoy swimming at a beautiful beach if our schedule allows it.

Outreach360: Dominican Republic

Outreach360 Overview:
Outreach360  is a non-profit organization headquartered in Glendale, Arizona. Since 1994, they have been working with orphaned, abandoned, and disadvantaged children in the Dominican Republic. During that time, over 7000 volunteers have joined them for short term volunteer trips to the Dominican Republic.
 
Alternative Break Volunteer Team Projects:
The focus of our trip is on service. During the day, volunteers will teach English in the local schools. There may be physical work projects to be completed in the community.  Our volunteer team will have an opportunity to be immersed in the local culture, and to enjoy some hiking and swimming at a beautiful Dominican National Park/Beach.

Destination International: Dominican Republic Trip Leader

Jenny Anderson
Hometown: Stanchfield, MN

Favorite Quote: A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up to make new trees.  - Lawrence G. Lovasik

Favorite place in River Falls: Lab Farm 1 in the spring with the foals.

Destination International: Haiti Trip Leader

Courtney Haas
Hometown: Coon Rapids, MN

Favorite Quote: There are many things in life that will catch your eye- but only a few things that will catch your heart. Pursue those!

Favorite place in River Falls: The Falls of River Falls and the Swinging Bridge

World Wide Village: Discovering Haiti

Thank you for your interest, but applications for the 2011-2012 International Destination have been filled.

Any questions, please email Courtney at fpcommunityservice@uwrf.edu.

Outreach360: Dominican Republic

Thank you for your interest, but applications for the 2011-2012 International Destination have been filled.

Any questions, please email Jennifer at fpcommunityservice@uwrf.edu.