The DREAM Program, The Blue Wagon, June, 2013

The Blue Wagon Alumni Newsletter – June 2013

Inside This Issue Amuse Bouche & Announcements Paul Espina Wins Myra Kraft Community MVP Award Alumni Run 120 Miles & Raises $2,000 in a Day Camp DREAM Summer Kick-off Motherly Connections – Poem by Meghan Kerrigan

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AMUSE BOUCHE

By Adam Goldfarb, Alumni Council President Hey there, DREAMers!

If there's one thing that can be said about DREAMers, it's that we're a fanatically (fantastically!) committed bunch-and Board member Paul Espina is proof (http://bit.ly/159S560). Not to brag, but I had the great pleasure of hanging out with him in DREAM as an undergrad, and apparently the Kraft family and Patriots Charitable Foundation were as gratified and impressed as I was with his staunch support of all things DREAM: they made a donation of $5,000 to go toward DREAM mentoring and summer activities!

So when you're taking a dip in your local body of water (and please do), know that DREAMers like you and Paul have directly helped mentees at Camp do the same. Congratulations to Paul and to DREAM for some well deserved recognition!

Summertime, and the DREAMin's easy...

Adam Goldfarb DREAM AC Prez adam.k.goldfarb@gmail.com

ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. Camp DREAM’s summer sessions have begun! A quick calendar highlight below. If you happen to be in town, Alumni are always encouraged to stop by and say hi.

Session 2: 8-12 year old boys - Tues, July 2nd to Friday, July 5th.

Session 3: 8-12 year old girls - Tues, July 9th to Friday, July 12th.

Session 4: 8-12 year old girls - Tues, July 23rd to Friday, July 26th.

Session 5: 8-12 year old girls - Tues, July 30th to Friday, Aug 2nd.

2. The DREAM Program is excited to announce the success of the 2013 Clothes Exchange, presented by the South End Arts and Business Association (SEABA). As the 2013 beneficiary, DREAM was awarded $8,000 from the two-day event that was held at the Burlington Town Center last month. The Burlington Clothes Exchange is a mission driven social enterprise dedicated to turning clothing into cash for community benefit. The Burlington Clothes Exchange partners with a local nonprofit to receive the event proceeds. In total, The Clothes Exchange has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for nonprofits in Chittenden County over the past several years. According to Adam Brooks, SEABA’s Executive Director, "We're very excited to be able to give back to our community non-profits in this way. DREAM provides excellent services, camps, and programs to help children in affordable neighborhoods realize their dreams."

Paul Espina recognized wins Myra Kraft Community MVP Award

By Sandy Mervak, Development Director

Each year since 1998, the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation have honored volunteers of the New England community for their service to nonprofit organizations around the region through the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards.

In 2011, the Kraft family and Patriots Charitable Foundation announced the renaming of the award to the Myra Kraft Community MVP Award, in honor of Myra's life-long commitment to giving to others through volunteerism. Each year, Myra Kraft Community MVP winners are recognized for their leadership, dedication and a commitment to bettering their communities during a luncheon at the Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon at Gillette Stadium with a donation made in their name to the nonprofit organization for which they volunteer.

On June 12, DREAM staff members traveled to Foxborough, Mass. to celebrate with Paul Espina, DREAM Alumnus and Board member, as he was recognized as one of 26 Myra Kraft Community MVP Award winners. Paul, along with the 25 other honorees, was joined by Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft and his son Josh Kraft, the President of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. Helping to hand out awards and congratulate honorees were Pro Football Hall of Famer and Executive Director of Community Affairs Andre Tippet as well as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, kicker Stephen Gostkowski and punter Zoltan Mesko.

In recognition of Paul’s service to DREAM, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation made a donation of $5,000 to go toward DREAM mentoring and summer activities. To check out more photos and a watch a short video of Paul running through the tunnel of Gillette Stadium like a true MVP, please visit

Alumni Run 120 Miles & Raise $2,000+ in a Day!

By Mike Foote, Director of Strategy and Growth They did it! From 3:00PM on Friday to 3:00PM on Saturday, eight teammates ran over 120 miles through the trails (read: MUD AND ROCKS) of West Virginia to help launch DREAM in Washington, DC. They ran through the night equipped with headlamps (until Joe’s went out within 1 mile of his leg...), weaving through the ferns and trudging through the swamp. Collectively they slept approximately 9.23 hours, soaked through at least 9 pairs of socks, and an unknown number of PB&J sandwiches.

At times (read: rain downpours), they wondered why they signed up for this crazy race, but found inspiration and motivation from knowing they had the support of friends, families, and colleagues (including many DREAM alumni!) and were running for a good cause.

One blog from the race summed up the experience with a quote from a runner: "It's been cold, it has been raining almost the entire time. It has been no sleep, terrain that unbelievable. The trails are a mess. It's twisted ankles, it's climbing up rocks, it's wading through ferns that are up to here. It's amazing." Collectively, they raised over $2,000 to help get DREAM started in DC. Amazing! Jane Williams, a Middlebury DREAM alumna, was the lead organizer of the race, “Having worked with this organization for some time now, I couldn’t be more excited to help get DREAM started locally, so THANK YOU so much for your support!”

Some stories from the racers: • Joe’s headlamp died barely 1 mile into his night run. He had to run alongside an ultra-marathoner to share the guy’s headlamp!

• Liza ran in the pitch black with about 0.00001 visibility (due to fog, rain and time of night) on the most treacherous trail through mud swamps and over boulders. In her words: “I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I might die in the woods and be eaten by bears…”

• Jane got passed by a bunch of guys at the beginning of the race (first leg of the whole relay), then passed a number of them towards the end. One super nice guy came up to her at the end and said how stupid he felt to have passed me!

• We had a “DREAM flagstaff” with a yellow DREAM t-shirt duct-taped to a huge stick, stuck in their sandy/muddy campsite • We tied balloons with clouds (DREAMs!) on them to the antennae of the cars (they popped in the middle of the night because of the wind! It sounded like a gunshot!)

• One tent got completely drenched. We all kind of tried to sleep wherever/whenever we could (warm cars!)

• Only one member of our team took a shower (!)

We DREAM staff are immensely grateful to the DREAM alumni and friends who are so passionately helping DREAM reach new kids in new cities. Thank you!

DREAM Welcomes New Camp Staff & Community Interns as Camp & Summer Programming Begins!

By Mike Ewan, Programs Director Summer has begun for DREAM, and our first couple weeks were highlighted with an exciting three-day orientation at Camp DREAM. Interns from Boston, Vermont, and staff from Camp DREAM descended en masse on Metcalf Pond on June 17th. Highlights from the retreat included spending time on the beautiful property that makes up Camp DREAM, bonding with fellow summer staff, and an amphitheater show that included the Camp Legend and a surprise raid from former DREAM staff to ceremoniously hand out the traditional yellow t-shirt to our new staff members.

DREAM has this privilege this year of welcoming 4 incredible new Boston staffers for the summer as well as 5 new counselors at Camp.

Boston Summer Community Staff • Brian Doyle (Mentor – Madison Park/Northeastern University) • Sarah Khalifa • Patrick Mathon • Molly Pratt Camp DREAM Counselors and Coordinators • Laura Alger (Mentee—Elm Street) • Amelia deNagy • Matt Karkut (Mentor – Birchwood/Champlain College and VYDC member) • Zak Killian (Mentor – Poultney/Green Mountain College and VYDC member) • Erin Knight (VYDC member) Each Local Program also has at least one Summer Community Enrichment intern, and this week interns have focused on planning ahead with their programming and getting to know their communities. Interns in Vermont have held various Community Kick-Off events, such as an ice cream or popsicle social, open to all DREAM youth and families. Our interns in Boston have been going door-to-door to get to know the youth they will be working with this summer and hosting afterschool activities while waiting for all of the youth to finish their school year.

In addition, interns have begun other activities and fundraising in the communities, including beach trips, t-shirt tiedying, kickball, baking, gardening, charades, teen movie nights, and so much more! If you would like to join in on the fun as a volunteer in either Boston or Vermont, contact Sarah Caliendo by email at scaliendo@dreamprogram.org. If you just want to join in the fun by reading about the exciting happening throughout the summer, check the ‘Announcements' section of the DREAM homepage (dreamprogram.org) or the ‘Events’ section to see what is coming up.

Alumni Reflection – “Motherly Connections”

By Meghan Kerrigan, St. Michael’s Class of 2010 Clusters calmly conversing as the vibrant fabric patterns overtake my intention of going.

I lost why I drove this street not another home He attacks my car and asks for a piece unaware of Mom’s hard line this day Cavities or connections? Calm or chaotic?

“Sister!”

More enthusiasm than I’ve had all week yet scrubbing the floor and reprimanding her growing number of 9 The touch of her hand squeeze leaves me pondering connection.

We don’t share much They tell me who’s up to what They wonder if I still live in town Screeching, cries, playfulness.

One added another Samosa site at the markets She’s taken up Education and home from college He’s still climbing through windows She has to stay home to watch He just wants a piggy back ride like we used to She always throws compliments He always sits not paying mind to the 3 babies She has another craft she wants to learn He always says everything’s fine.

SO tall!

Walking now?

Teeth?

8th grade graduation?

Another brewing...

45 minutes.

15 of them Refreshed, replenished, reminded.

Present.

Simply for our connection.

Sisterly and comforting.

As much to them as I, As much to him as her.