Manitowoc Lutheran High School New Friends To Host First Ever Walk for Friendship
BELLE PLAINE, MINN., August 1, 2014 – On Saturday, August 9, 2014, the Jesus Cares Ministries’ New Friends program from Manitowoc Lutheran High School will host the first ever Walk for Friendship in Cleveland, Wis. The focus of the event is to join all New Friends program participants, community members and families to come together to share Christ’s love and friendship.
The walk will start at 10 a.m. at the VFW Hall, 1221 Park Lane, in Cleveland. Following the race, there will be games, food, local emergency response vehicles and more!
“The Walk for Friendship came about because I wanted to do something to get everyone together for a day of friendship. I’m so excited to have a day with food, friendship and fun,” said Caitlin Doro, senior at Manitowoc Lutheran High School and a three-year New Friends program participant.
New Friends programs are a Christian-based friendship network connecting young adults in high school and college with families of children with special needs. This program is part of The Lutheran Home Associations’ Jesus Cares Ministries (JCM) which is a national outreach ministry to people with developmental disabilities, their families and communities. The purpose of New Friends is to build relationships by focusing on abilities, not disabilities, while creating a fun-filled atmosphere where the entire family feels safe, relaxed and happy!
“For an individual living with an intellectual and developmental disability it can be difficult to make new friends in an environment that is not accepting, understanding and patient,” said Jackie Mayer, national New Friends director with The Lutheran Home Association. “New Friends programs provide a safe place for families and adults with special needs to come together along with teens in the community to develop friendships and have fun.”
Other New Friends program participants are invited and encouraged to attend.
“We are gathering for a day to hear messages of hope, to be inspired and to be encouraged by each other to continue to reach out within the community and make new friends,” said Mayer.
For more information about the Walk for Friendship or to register for the event, visit http://mlhsnewfriends.webs.com/.
About The Lutheran Home Association
The Lutheran Home Association is a not-for-profit ministry dedicated to providing for the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of people in our care. We offer a wide variety of health care, housing and spiritual outreach services with campuses in several states and congregational programs serving seniors and individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities nationwide. Services and programs include senior living, skilled nursing care, memory care, disability services, rehabilitative therapies, chaplaincy, Bible classes, worship services and property management services. Learn more at www.tlha.org, follow @TLHAword on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook.
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