June 2010
Dakota Woodlands is the only facility specifically for homeless families in our county.
Dakota Woodlands wins 2009 Minnesota Nonprofit Excellence Award
Links:
From Our Executive Director
Reyne Branchaud-Linsk
We have so much to share this June. We just celebrated the end of another school year, with a delightful party on a rainy Thursday evening.
Our garden is producing great vegetables and flowers. The residents are enjoying this and summer fun.
We will be recipients of two great benefit events and invite you to join in the excitement Enclosed is information regarding the Eagan Fun Fest and The Eagan 150 Golf Tournament. Thank you so much for supporting our work.
Thank you for reading our Digest.
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Volunteer of the Month
Rosanne Eastling and the Community of Joy Group
This month we are recognizing a generous group of women from Community of Joy Church for their outstanding service all year. This Tuesday morning Bible Study Group led by Rosanne Eastling, comes one Friday each month to cook lunch for our residents. Their food is so delicious that their Hungarian Mushroom Soup recipe is now a favorite on our Dakota Woodlands menus!
The bible study friends had donated clothing to our shelter and were searching for volunteer service where they could make a personal connection with women in their community. They like to cook, so they offered to come here to cook lunch for our families. Rosanne says it warms her heart to get to know the women here, who are so appreciative of the meals.
Rosanne lives in Eagan, and was born and raised in Minneapolis. She has 4 gorgeous sons and 2 grand babies. She is a talented “crafter” who knits, quilts and takes pottery classes at the Eagan Art House. Rosanne says she and her friends “have had a very fun time” volunteering here and wants to thank all of the members of her bible study group for their help.
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Celebrating the End of a School Year
June 10, 2010 marked our 10th annual End of the School Year Party. We invite families who lived here during the school year. So often children who are homelessness have had school challenges. We help them to get to school, tutor them with homework and projects. They improve their attendance and performance and celebrate school successes.
This year's event was unique since Nash Finch Company employees helped us with this party. Current and former residents enjoyed carnival games, cotton candy, picnic food and a book giveaway by Lewis the Bookworm.
A highlight is always a visit from the Eagan Fire Dept and learning about the truck.
This year there was singing and dancing with Mr. Jim.
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Two Events Benefiting Dakota Woodlands
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July 4th Playhouse Raffle at the Eagan Funfest
Lennar building the Playhouse. It is going to be a fabulous 9X12 house.
Dakota Woodlands has an opportunity to raise funds this summer during the 4th of July weekend at the Eagan Fun Fest.
Lennar, a builder of new homes and our new neighbor, is generously donating a beautiful playhouse for us to raffle. All of the proceeds will go towards our supportive and educational services.
Visit the Eagan Fun Fest (July 2-4th) to see the playhouse and purchase raffle tickets. Or, if you'll be out of town, call us today to get your tickets. We still need volunteers to help us sell raffle tickets at the Fun Fest.
Please contact Patty, at Dakota Woodlands 651-456-9110 or email her at
volunteer@dakotawoodlands.org.
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Call us to register your foursome to golf at Valleywood.
This event also f eatures a silent auction and raffle to benefit Dakota Woodlands.
Contact Abby to learn more.
(651) 456-9110 or email her at resource@dakotawoodlands.org
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Current Needs*Toddler Car Seats (regular car seats not boosters) up to 40 pounds
* Baby monitors (new and gently used is great)
* Diapers especially large sizes
* If you are visiting or hosting a garage sale this summer be on the look-out for cereal bowls, silverware, dinnerware and sets of pots and pans, kitchen towels or bathroom hand towels (in great shape).
* We need gift cards for summer outings Gas Stations, Movie Theatres, ice cream, fast food and other fun places.
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3430 Wescott Woodlands, Eagan, MN 55123
Phone: 651-456-9110 www.dakotawoodlands.org.