2010 Get Away Church Packet Now Available Online
New for 2010! Find your entire Special touch Summer Get Away Church Packet in one convenient location, now online at specialtouch.org/getaways/churchpacket.
2010 Summer Get Away Applications
Applications are now available for the 2010 Special Touch Ministry Summer Get Aways. For more details and to download an application and other promotional materials, visit specialtouch.org/getaways
2010 Sonshine Festival
Don’t think you can "camp out" with a disability?
Special Touch Ministry partners with Sonshine Music Festival to provide Disability Camping & Support Services July 14-17, 2010 in Willmar, Minnesota.
Free tickets for people with permanent disabilities
- If you have a Physical Disability: A free ticket to the entire 3 days of the festival is available to you and one attendant ONLY if necessary for your care.
- If you have a mild cognitive disability, and require no supportive care: You may be eligible to receive a free ticket.
- To receive this free offer, you MUST register through Special Touch Ministry.
- Person with disability and attendant receiving free ticket MUST check in together.
- Tickets are non-transferrable
Disability Camping Suggested Donation: $20 per reservation
These monies will help offset expenses incurred by Special Touch Ministry to provide Disability Camping Support Services at Sonshine Festival. Click here to make suggested donation online.
Disability Camping Includes:
- A reserved prime location and parking for one vehicle
- Adjacent accessible toilet
- Reservable on-site accessible shower
- Equipment support (ie: wheelchairs, hoyer lifts, bedside commodes, shower chairs)
- Limited wheelchair recharging
- On-site 24 hour Special Touch staff
Disability Camping Details
- Bring your own tent, van, or motor home for sleeping.
- Maximum 6 people per site, must include one person with a permanent disability.
- Each site will fit one camping unit (tent, camper, and motor home) and a vehicle. Limit 1 vehicle per site.
- Your reservation for camping will only be held for 24 hours past your requested date of arrival.
- No campfires permitted. Temporary campsites do not have electricity, running water, or picnic tables. Bring what you need.
- No tobacco, no drugs, no alcohol, no torches or fireworks, no glass bottles, no pets (service animals only).
Alternative Accommodations
If this doesn’t work for you, there are permanent campgrounds and hotels nearby. Communicate with them directly to reserve a room. They are filling up fast! See the Sonshine website at www.sonshinefestival.com.
Reservation Deadline
To reserve your place in the disability camping area or to obtain free tickets, reservations must be placed online no later than July 2. No reservations will be taken at the Special Touch Ministry office after this date.
Call the Special Touch Ministry, Inc. Sonshine Festival Representative at 218-839-3330 if you have to cancel your reservation.
Cancellation Policy
As space is limited, if you need to cancel your reservation, please do so before July 2, so we don’t turn others away.
Disability Parking
Disability parking will be available. Disability sticker/tag must be visible from outside vehicle. There is a limit of one vehicle per site. NO EXCEPTIONS. Other vehicles are to be parked in the adjoining non-reserved public parking area.
- From Hwy 12 east or west: county road 9 north about four miles. Run right into it!
- From Hwy 71 north or south: Hwy 71/23 bypass to civic center exit. Right there!
- Best option for directions: stop at any gas station in the area, you are only five minutes away!
- The address is 2707 Arena Dr. in Willmar, MN 56201. Click here for an enlarged map.
Additional Information
For more information on festival events, nearby hotels, food, bands, or to purchase tickets for other people, check out the Sonshine Festival website at www.sonshinefestival.com or call 1-800-965-9324.
People With Disabilities and Giving
Luke 6:38 (Contemporary English Version)
If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.
Chuck Champeau is a man in his sixties with high functioning mental disabilities. He lives in a group home in Green Bay, WI. He has no family. Chuck works in a sheltered workshop and earns a meager amount from his work. Chuck could choose to spend that money on most anything that would please him. But Chuck made a decision, years ago, to ask one of his caregivers in his group home to call Christian Children’s Fund. They chose a young boy in the Philippines named Ryan. Chuck has been sending money to support Ryan each month. Periodically, Chuck receives a letter from Ryan. He received a letter yesterday telling him that Ryan is ready to graduate from high school. Because of Chuck’s support, Ryan’s schooling, food, and medicine was paid for and the boy is doing very well.
A few years ago, Chuck was privileged to record a CD of him playing hymns on a grand piano. It was the dream of his life. He was so grateful to the Lord for this dream come true. One of the things he wanted us to know was that if he ever made any money from selling copies of this CD, he wanted to send more money to help Ryan in the Philippines.
Chuck belongs to the culture of disabilities and the culture of the poor, among others. He is not expected to pay for too many things. The government provides SSI that covers most all of his living needs. So why should Chuck be giving money to other poor people? Chuck serves the Lord with all of his heart. He reads his Bible, prays and plays the piano for the glory of God.
Chuck has found the joy of giving. God’s promises apply to everyone who gives with the right attitude and motive. The amount given doesn’t matter.
Why should we deprive people with disabilities of the blessings of giving? We can find ways for those who want to give to be blessed. Who will help?
Online Shopping
More people are turning to online shopping during the holiday season. Did you know that you can shop some of your favorite stores online AND give to Special Touch without it costing you more? In fact, shopping through iGive.com will often save you money through exclusive coupon codes and deals gathered just for members.
Just a few of the over 700 brand name online stores participating, include Aeropostale, Amazon, American Eagle Outfitters, Ann Taylor, Avon, Barnes N’ Noble, Chadwick’s, Circuit City, Best Buy, Bass Pro Shop, ebay, Family Christian Stores, Expedia, Lands End, Dell, Footlocker, JCPenny, Cabella’s, Gap, Old Navy, Office Depot, Staples, Overstock, Victoria’s Secret, Vitamin Shoppe, Zales, Tigerdirect, Toys R Us, Sears, Miles Kimball, Oriental Trading, and many more. Shop at these stores, using iGive.com, and up to 26% of your purchase will be donated to Special Touch. It´s all free & private!
Still wondering how it works? Well, I’ll give you an example. Let’s say you want to buy grandma that extra special gift for Christmas, this year. Go to www.igive.com/specialtouchministry. Fill in all the fields and click on “register.”
A page will come up, listing all the new ways you can donate to Special Touch using iGive. Click the link at the bottom to start using the iGive mall.
Enter the item you want for grandma into the search box (she could use a new set of oven mitts). Press search and you have a number of types to choose from (everything available from over 700 vendors).
If you want to search at a specific store instead, such as JCPenny, select from the A-Z merchant list on the left side of the page. When you click on the JCPenny link, the website pops up in a new window. Place your order and your work is done.
Just remember, the only way for Special Touch to receive these donations is to go through iGive.com, first. If you go back to shop again later, just go to iGive.com and enter the login information you used when you registered.
Don’t forget, New Shoppers get a $5 bonus donation! Tell all your friends to use iGive.com for all their online holiday shopping! Those who purchase anything within 45 days of signing up with www.igive.com/specialtouchministry, get an extra $5 bonus donated to Special Touch!
