Mentoring is a great fun way to make a difference in the life of a child.
Please explore our website to find out how YOU can get involved!
Kids ‘n Kinship
Connects volunteers with children who need a positive adult role model
Supports the volunteer and child relationship as they have fun together
Provides for safe and successful mentoring
Serves children in the following communities: Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville and Rosemount.
click on the right for upcoming event information!
Click on mentor and child profiles (above) to learn about some of the children waiting for a mentor.
2009 Christian Elder Memorial 900
Fourth Annual Charity Ride for Kids – benefiting Kids ‘n Kinship
Plans are underway for the Christian Elder Memorial 900. The Welcome Home celebration for all Kids 'n Kinship participants is June 13, 10:00 - 11:00 a. m. at Merchants Bank in Apple Valley. click on the link at right for details. For information on supporting the ride, inspirational stories and fun photos, check out the website at www.cem900.com .
Merchants Bank www.merchantsbank.com/twincities , Apple Valley sponsors the ride with many other community groups and business in support. Kids ‘n Kinship is grateful to be the recipient of the inspiration they give to all and the awareness of mentoring they create –$26,000 was raised for Kids ’n Kinship last year, to recruit, screen and match volunteer mentors, with children in need of support.
John Elder, president of Elder-Jones, Inc., a Minneapolis-based retail and restaurant construction company and long time Kids 'n Kinship mentor, says “It’s amazing what a mentor can do in a young person’s life and, in turn, what the young person can do for you.”Our 4th annual “Welcome Home” reception will feature entertainment, refreshments, photos of the trip and a fun time with friends, supporters, family, senators, commissioners and Kids ‘n Kinship participants.
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A special thanks to our partner, Media Relations who succesfully secured great media coverage of the CEM 900!
Lanny and Jonathan have been matched for 4 years, since Jonathan was 13 years old.Jonathan lives with his grandmother and sister in Lakeville.Lanny is retired from 3M and lives in Apple Valley with his wife.When asked what makes their relationship a success they cite mutual interests in auto mechanics, billiards, cooking and the importance of family.Jonathan says Lanny is friendly, easy-going, cool, and that he knows how to have fun and that Jonathan appreciates Lanny a lot.Lanny speaks of Jonathan’s resilience and respect for family commitment and involvement.They also enjoy a mutual sense of humor and the ability to laugh at themselves.“Neither of us takes ourselves too seriously,” says Lanny, which played an important role in developing their relationship.Noting that it can take some time to establish the bond they now have, Lanny understands it’s easy to get discouraged, but he believes that being able to laugh at one’s own mistakes goes a long way toward building a mentoring relationship.
Jonathan and Lanny have done a lot of activities together these past 4 years.Some of their favorites are doing the annual turtle trot triathlon for the last 2 years, driving around in Lanny’s sports car, and just hanging out together. Jonathan also now has a “few recipes under my belt” since Lanny has shared his knowledge of cooking with him.In addition, Lanny helped Jonathan with learning how to drive, which Jonathan appreciates since it enables him to work part time this year, his last in high school.
Although at first Lanny felt “gee, I don’t know if I can do this or even if I want to,” he now sees that mentoring Jonathan has provided a sense of purpose and structure to his retired life.It has helped to give him confidence that he can do different things he might not have thought he could do.In the beginning mentors may feel that there’s a lot of responsibility in planning activities or that they need to spend lots of money and go to major events, however sometimes the simplest things are the most meaningful.Just showing up when you say you’re going to be there makes such a difference to a kid. As you can see, sometimes a little can go a long way.
the grill masters at work!