Dear Friends,
We are very excited to announce to you that we have just received a mini-grant from the Wyoming Governor's Developmental Disability Council to do a speaking tour of K-12 schools beginning this August 2013 on the subject of disabilities and 'bullying'. Thanks to the 10/10 Team supporters Break Through is able to help with costs because the above grant does not fully pay for this program. We need your continued financial help for Break Through to continue the mission that we have here in Rapid City and around the country. Your donations helped with our South Dakota Tours of K-12 schools last April and October 2012 where the SD DD council grant did not cover the costs of those programs.
We are also pleased to announce that since February 4th 2013 we have been working with Black Hills Works in Rapid City, South Dakota. It is a workshop that helps persons with disabilities to obtain work, home and independence. We were hired by Black Hills Works on a part time contract to be liaisons between their persons served and the religious community. We have helped 8 plus clients in a few months time to be involved in a church of their choice.
Let us tell you about an older lady that we placed in a church that had a worship service followed by a Native American "Pow Wow" as their fellowship gathering. She was so excited to being there and while there one of the leaders took her prayer shawl and started to dance with it with the other young ladies who were doing a Native American dance. What a wonderful way for her to be a part of the service and with the congregation in her community.
There are other stories like this that we could tell you but the important thing is that the clients can be involved with faith communities outside of their own environment.
The gifts that you have given in the past to Break Through Inc.'s 10/10 team have been greatly appreciated as this grant that we have from Black Hills Works depends on other donations to make up Break Through's relocation to Rapid City. We are receiving invites to come and speak and teach in South Dakota and Wyoming for 2013 -2014.
Here in Rapid City we were invited to be a part of an Open House for Goodwill industries. It was good way to meet other people in the disability communities and businesses. They have an new "Connection Center" where people can come and use computers and obtain help in finding employment. This is a free service for everyone.
We have found a church community here in Rapid City. It is one of the congregations that I spoke at last April 2012 while we were touring South Dakota speaking at K-12 schools on the subject of disabilities and bullying. That tour was sponsored by the South Dakota Developmental Disability Council.
The other day we were out and about and ran into one of the people that hosted me during the South Dakota Tour. She told us that because of my presentation at her school there was a young lady that wrote a paper on persons with disabilities. This may not have happened if she was not given the opportunity to be present at one of my presentations at her school. Awareness is a very important subject for these young students as they carry through in life.
We have a busy summer ahead of us. I will be doing some staff training at Outlaw Ranch which is a part of Lutheran Outdoors of South Dakota at the end of May. We have also been invited to be at the South Dakota Conference of the United Church of Christ the beginning of June besides daily meetings with people about Break Through Inc.'s mission and our Black Hills Works liaison work.
We will be at the Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible camp "Boat-In" on June 16th for their 9:20 am worship service on Hickory Point Lane. (Amery, WI) I will be one of the speakers during the service. It is not only Father's Day but it is my 60th birthday! How time flies. We are inviting you to come and we do hope you can come. We would love to see you.
We sincerely hope that you can financially help Break Through Inc.'s mission with a donation in any amount. It will be appreciated very much. Go to our 10/10 Team website link at http://www.bendanderson.com/10-10%20Team%20donations.htm
Thank you all and have a great day!
Ben and Dee Anderson
Break Through Inc.
