Friends General Conference

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News & Announcements

The last day of camp was all about the power of working together. Especially when the problem is as huge as climate change.
Instead of hearing a book about a young person who's made a difference, Katie Schroeer came and told her own story about becoming an environmental activist here in Northfield and Minnesota.
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Thursday's camp focused on how education is a basic human right that is not equally available to all children.
Kate Stuart read Beatrice's Goat. This started us thinking about how learning is created when we have a plan. First we must provide and place and materials and then people to support it.  Borrowing from earlier days' themes, we touched on how including everyone is so important. 
The kids drew their own ideas of a good place for learning...
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Each morning Emily Walser-Kuntz helped the early-birds create a collage inspired by that day's topic.

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Participants were introduced to five young inventors on the second day of Peace Camp. Many of these ideas were inspired as ways to help other children facing special challenges (image 1). 

Louis Braille was just a boy when an eye injury made it difficult to continue reading.  Ricky shared the story of how he developed the system of raised dots that is still used by blind people. He was only 12 when he started to develop his system. She also had some familiar children's books with braille. Then each camper made a braille name tag for themselves (image 2).

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Starting the first day of Peace Camp 2019, Pat Johnson led a discussion with the twelve participants (ages 6-9) about what makes each of them feel safe.

The camp's theme is about how children have been effective in working for change. This first day focused on Human Rights and Peace.   Pat read a book about Sadako Sasaki who worked for peace following WWII by trying to fold a thousand origami cranes.  We all folded cranes together.

After outdoor games and snacks, the children created a storyboard about the things we talked about.

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When: AUG 25, 2-5 pm

Where: 3241 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407 (second and third floors)

What: Quaker Volunteer Services Twin Cities is beginning its second year with six new fellows placed in local nonprofit organization working for peace and justice and living in a  cooperative household.  The Open House is an opportunity for Friends from the local meetings to see the QVS house and give it a final blessing before the fellows arrive. 

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