Friends-Together sponsored
educational ads on morning TV production, announcements at 10 public high
schools reaching nearly 15,000 students. We did 6, one hour presentations at
Bartow High School reaching over 200 students. Also on the school front, we
presented 4 ninety minute classes at Gulf Coast High School, in Naples, Florida
to nearly 500 students. Lastly on the school front while in Naples we presented
to the first high school, Gay Straight Alliance in Collier County.
We cosponsored with Florida Southern College, World AIDS Week activities held on their campus December 2, with the theme 'World AIDS Day was Yesterday, What Are You Doing About it Now.....' Events included an educational program in the afternoon and a service of celebration and remembrance that evening.
Friends-Together was also asked to participate in World AIDS Day activities held in Winter Haven on December 1. We began the day by conducting an observance during the morning worship hour at Trinity Congregational and ended the day at a candle light vigil in Central park, in downtown.
The weeks activities also included a fund raiser at the Alternative Bar, in Auburndale. We were represented at the first ever Southeastern AIDS Conference and National CAER coalition meetings held in Tampa that week as well. You might say......we had a busy 8 days!
The Christmas Camp Went Amazingly Well
We had 163 people, almost 80 were kids. We started the day at 9 am with crafts, free massages with a great Mom and Daughter team, cocoa and coffee and outside game for the kids who didn't seem to feel the cold. Many of our volunteers started at 7 and our transportation volunteers were on the road bringing people from as far away as Frost Proof. We had lunch at 11:30 all of the food was prepared by fantastic volunteers, they were led by Randy who cooked all 5 turkeys, 2 hams 5 huge pans of dressing and all the gravy.......Good food was followed by Christmas carols and a great little group featuring Deborah Boyers kids....Jeremy is definitely going places.
We had a mini empowerment workshop and provided educational materials and local resources for each family then along came a visitor from the North Pole, oddly enough he arrived in a limo!!!!! What fun, he handed out stockings, stuffed animals and lots of books, meanwhile his elves delivered wrapped gifts to all of the families and participants. All of the adults also got healing rice packs and home made bath soak and Steve made home made chex mix for everyone.
When Santa arrived we cut into the deserts and what a production they were. Deli Delicacies donated a cake ant breakfast cookies and Thelma Best made a variety of cakes, cup cakes and brownies she created a master piece for sure.
None of the days activities could have happened without so much help from community businesses and organizations as well as countless volunteers who collected gifts, wrapped gifts and worked so hard Saturday. We will be sending out a newsletter and posting all of the days events and sponsors of the website shortly. However we would be amidst not to recognize Trinity UCC for donating the space, as well as a significant financial contribution, Florida Southern College ADFED, students and faculty who donated over $2,500 worth of gifts and the Alternative Bar who hosted a fund raiser and collected over 60 pounds worth of food and donated over 100 gifts. We would also like to thank other sponsors who collected gifts, donated food and money, they include Target, Rainbow Promise MCC, PFLAG of Polk County, Dornell Robinson and Friends, Marion Robinson, Richard Bassett, FSC Wellness Center Staff and countless individuals. Without all of the support this event could have never happened.