The Highland Friendship Club
(HFC) was created early in the summer of 2002 by two mothers of teenagers
with disabilities. They sought to expand their sons’ social
opportunities by starting a club for kids with disabilities. The
club’s beginnings were as simple
as making calls to the parents of their sons’ fellow classmates at
Highland Park Senior and Junior High School to try to get them interested
in the idea.
HFC started out small, by making a list of community and service projects
to do around the city, as well as doing age-appropriate group activities.
In 2004 HFC became an official nonprofit organization. This move allowed
the club to expand its fundraising efforts to include contributions
from local businesses, individuals, foundations and various grants,
ensuring that no member would be excluded from participating due to
money issues. A board of directors was established, along with the
hiring of an executive director.
In recent years the club has partnered with Cretin-Derham Hall and
the Jewish Community Center of St. Paul to provide facilities for various
activities, as well as having students volunteer with part-time staff
members in club activities.
The club sponsors many
activities involving the arts. Early in its history, HFC put on
a sock-puppet play entitled, “Sockarella.” This
production involved making the sock puppets, props and sets. Another
original activity that continues to this day is regular music -therapy
sessions resulting in one or two shows per year. These shows take
approximately twelve weeks to put together. Another annual activity
is art nights that culminate in an art show in the spring to help
raise money for various programs.
Many club activities take place in the summer. These include trips
to museums, zoos, sporting events and outdoor picnics. In addition,
for the past two years the club has organized a bell ringing day at
the Mall of America during the holidays for the Salvation Army, and
this past November the HFC had their first bowling fundraiser, featuring
Joe Mauer along with other sports personalities.
From its small start in 2002, the club has expanded to approximately
150 members throughout the metropolitan area, with a goal of having
over 200 members in the near future. As mentioned earlier, no member
is excluded from participating in any club activity simply because
they cannot afford it.
I have been involved with the Friendship Club since it started. My
favorite aspect of HFC is the ability to choose my own activities.
A list is regularly provided to the members who choose what they want
to do. Their decisions are based on whether they are physically able
to do the activity, what they enjoy doing the most and whether their
schedule permits participation, not on financial or administrative
factors.
I particularly enjoy the art activities and the music program. I am
very fond of the music instructors and love picking my own songs and
singing on my own. I have one of the loudest voices in the group.
I like interacting with
people that are facing the same challenges as I am because then
it makes me aware that I am not the only one going through it.
I also love to laugh and that’s
one thing the Friendship Club is all about. ![]()
For more information, contact
HFC at www.highlandfrienshipclub.org
