Be A Friend

One is the loneliest number, make a new friend—provide friendship, companionship, opportunities for socialization and community integration by developing and maintaining a relationship with an individual with special needs. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, unless working with a family group. Contact Ramsey County Community Human Services-Volunteer Services at 651-266-4090 for additional information or e-mail to volunteerservices@co.ramsey.mn.us.

Work Out And Stay Healthy

Courage Center, a national rehabilitation and resource center for people with disabilities, announced today that it will open an accessible, state-of-the art fitness center on Monday, Feb. 2 at its corporate headquarters located at 3915 Golden Valley Road, Minneapolis. Membership at the fitness center is open to adults and children as young as 11 with physical disabilities. There is a one-time $55 fee for new members, which includes an initial fitness assessment and orientation. After the initial assessment, new members receive recommendations for customized fitness programming. The fitness center offers a variety of fees for service based on the fitness program selected. The center’s hours of operation range from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m on Fridays, 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, and is closed on Sundays. For more information about Courage Center’s newest fitness center in Minneapolis, please call Judy Giergielwicz, Wellness Fitness coordinator, at 763-520-0416 or visit http://www.courage.org.

Research on Mental Illness

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Minnesota (NAMI-MN) is partnering with the University of Minnesota to hold its second annual research dinner on 2/24/04 at the Radisson hotel in Roseville.  This is an opportunity to learn about the new research being done in the field of mental illness.  The cost per person is $35 and dinner is included.  To find out more, or to register for the dinner, contact NAMI-MN by phone at 651-645-2948, or visit them on the web at www.nami.org/namimn.

Care To Learn? Learn To Care

Minnesota College of Direct Support, www.collegeofdirectsupport.com/minnesota - Your Link to Learning. Find 56 on-line lessons to train direct support workers at www.collegeofdirectsupport.com/minnesota. Sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the site combines direct support worker trainings with links to State of Minnesota agencies and information. People with disabilities, their families and elders can purchase one year of access to 56 different lessons for only $25 per worker. Workers can access all 56 on-line lessons at the same cost to improve their professional skills. This Internet site is part of the DHS effort to support quality as we build community-based, long-term care infrastructure statewide.

Better Off With Success

Better Off With Success to meet March 9 at MCIL. This month's topic, “Disability and the Impact of Working: A Presentation and Discussion of SSDI and 1619B.” Better Off With Success is job networking and support group for people with disabilities that meets monthly at the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living - 1600 University Ave. - Suite 16 - St. Paul. March meeting: Tuesday, March 9, 2004, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Space limited. To reserve seat, call Jaime at 651-222-6783 or Alice at 651-483-1994.