Jeff biberdorf son rise powerpoint

SonRise

Lutheran Disability Ministry

Background

SonRise, as it is now called today, was started in the late

1990s under the name Handycamp. It was set up as a

camp for individuals with exceptionalities, such as

intellectual or developmental disabilities. Each summer

the camp would move from location to location, as they did

not have a place to call their home. By 2010, the camp

raised enough money to buy its own land in Anderson,

Indiana, and began building the camp it is today. In 2011 it

was acquired by Bethesda, a Lutheran community with a

goal to help the developmentally challenged, and was

renamed SonRise. Since then they have been expanding

and building their camp to its fullest potential.

Bethesda’s Mission

“To enhance the lives of people with intellectual and

developmental disabilities through services that share

the good news of Jesus Christ.”

SonRise’s Mission

“To equip Christian leaders to create an authentic

Christian community that reaches out and draws

everyone closer to Christ.”

Bethesda’s Vision

“Bethesda strives to become the central point of

connection that unites people who have intellectual and

developmental disabilities with communities and

essential resources to help them live their lives to the

fullest extent possible.”

About SonRise

• SonRise Summer and Weekend retreats are a transformative

experience, offering adults with intellectual and developmental

disabilities and volunteers of all ages the opportunity to build

Christian community

• All aspects of each retreat session, including woodcrafts, Bible

study, recreation, praying, and singing, reinforce Bible-based

lessons and lead to spiritual growth.

• Youth and adult volunteers, beginning with high school-aged

youth, receive training that covers important issues such as

communication, etiquette, personal care and sensitivity to

people who have developmental disabilities

• Companions are paired, one-on-one, with people with

developmental disabilities, sharing cabins, participating in

activities and assisting with daily living needs.

• Adult volunteers may also serve as cabin and woodcraft

leaders, nurses and kitchen crew

About SonRise

SonRise Weekend Retreats:

• SonRise Retreats are held over weekends, from Friday

through Sunday

• Volunteer companions and adults with intellectual and

developmental disabilities are paired and empowered to build

one-on-one relationships

• Activities include Bible study, arts and crafts, karaoke,

dancing, hiking and campfires

• Retreat participants with developmental disabilities may attend

up to three weekend sessions during each summer

About SonRise

SonRise Summer Retreats:

• SonRise summer retreat is a five-day, four-night Bible

program for youth and adult volunteers and adults with

intellectual and developmental disabilities

• Volunteer orientation begins on Monday morning

• Retreat participants with intellectual and developmental

disabilities arrive Tuesday morning. Retreats conclude at 11

a.m. on Saturday

• Annually, eight summer sessions provide an experience for up

to 240 participants with developmental disabilities and more

than 500 volunteers who serve as one-on-one companions

and in other support roles

Who this helps

SonRise retreats and camps help many different people.

• Friends: This is what we call the adults who attend the retreats. These retreats help them to interact with others like themselves, and to put them in a loving, caring, and God-filled environment. Throughout the weekend/week they are treated like they are the most important person in the world, by being given one-on-one time by their companion (the volunteer). These retreats can help those who may be more homebound or less sociable to get out and about. They get to sing, watch easy to understand Bible stories, eat meals with all their friends, and have a fun weekend learning about Jesus.

• Caretakers and families: For most people, caring for their loved one who suffers from a disability or mental illness can almost be another full time job. These weekend retreats, and in the summer week long retreats, help to lighten their load for a bit and to give them so much needed time off

My weekend: Wesley

Myself and another volunteer were paired with my newly founded

friend Wesley, or Wes for short. To understand my

weekend a bit more you should know a

bit about him. Wesley was completely

nonverbal. This meant that he did not

communicate through speech, but

through hand gestures. His favorite

n hand gestures were those for horseback riding,

trains, hungry, and Opa (his

grandpa). For meals we had to cut his

food up for him, and for

bathroom/shower time he was unable to do it

himself. He also was prone to small

temper tantrums, so we had to watch out for those, because he

had a mean swing.

Picture: Kooper, Wesley, Me

This was our schedule for the weekend. Our friends showed up Friday night and then the fun began. Once everyone was settled

in, we had karaoke night. This wasgreat bonding experience for our cabin, as well as for the other friends and volunteers to get to know each other. The next morning consisted of breakfast, morning

pleasures (cleaning!), Bible Study

and Woodcrafts! Then there was

lunch, rest time, and free time. After that we had a dance, extreme

bingo, and a bonfire. And to wrapeverything up we had a worshipservice centered around prayer.

That bible story was about prayer (the theme for the weekend). Theon Sunday breakfast again, and a

Sunday worship service before

everyone headed home.

Random Pictures:M

Kooper

Wesley

Me

Random Pictures:Stacia

Me & Marty

Picture Stacia

made for me

Random Pictures:

Bonfire!

Pictures: Karaoke

Pictures: Bible StoryShadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Friends getting to act

out the Bible story

Pictures: Bible StoryShadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Pictures: WoodcraftsPrayer Boxes!

Marty and his companion Andrew

Wes with his prayer box!

Pictures: WoodcraftsPrayer Boxes!

Pictures: Free time

Pictures: Free time

Pictures: Dance

Pictures: Dance

Pictures: Companion/Friend Pictures

Pictures: Companion/Friend Pictures

Pictures: Companion/Friend Pictures

How to VolunteerSonRise is constantly in need of volunteers. Each summer they have over 250 friends who want to come to camp, yet they still have to turn people away. With your help and a week of your time, you can make a difference in someone’s life. If you have a busy summer, you can always donate towards a friend who may not have the funds to get to camp. Every little bit helps.

Here is their website:

http://bethesdalutherancommunities.org/page.aspx?pid=734

Here is where you can sign up for a summer retreat:

http://bethesdalutherancommunities.org/document.doc?id=591

Here is where you can sign up for a weekend retreat:

http://bethesdalutherancommunities.org/document.doc?id=591

2013 Weekend Retreats: 2013 Summer sessions:

Sept. 27 to 29 June 10 to 15 Oct. 18 to 20 June 17 to 22 Nov. 8 to 10 July 8 to 13

July 15 to 20 July 22 to 27 July 29 to Aug. 3 Aug. 5 to 10

I’m already signed up for June 10-15 and July 8-13, how will you be helping out?

Contact me if you would love to learn more about volunteering and having the experience of a lifetime! Jeff Biberdorf 317-417-6679