Dear JSRF Friends,
We often wonder what our sons’ lives would look like had they lived longer. What type of summer would this have been for Jeremy & Jean… we can only use our magical thinking and yearn for something that could have been filled with hope as we do for all the teens we help because when there is life there is hope.
As the summer months quickly come to an end we are pleased to share with you that JSRF sponsored 11 teens to “experienced hope” at resident camps this summer. Most of these teens had never left the towns they live in and all traveled out of state for their very first time! They each had an opportunity not only to escape for a few weeks and learn team-building skills and life survival skills, but they also experienced the pure joy of just being a kid and having fun in a safe environment. This awesome experience would not be possible without your continued support. Not only do you help us sponsor the teens, but together we also provide the transportation needed to get these teens to and from camps! So on behalf of the 41 teens JSRF has sponsored since 2011, we can never thank you enough!
This year we had the opportunity to partner with Lawndale Christian Legal Center (LCLC) to sponsor five teens to attend Kids Across America Camp in Branson, MO. The LCLC vision is: “To raise up justly treated youth who are embraced by their families and community, restored from trauma, empowered to lead, and free from the criminal justice system”.
We also worked with a local school district and gave a homeless teen an opportunity to visit Washington D.C. on a school field trip! We’d like to share an excerpt from her testimonial: “My experience of traveling to D.C was very exciting. Because, I have never been out of the state before, so I was very ecstatic when I was allowed to go on the Washington D.C trip. The experience that I had was absolutely breath taking. From the moment I walked in to the airport, to the moment when the plane took off. To me it was the most memorable moment of my life, and I will never forget the feeling of my ears popping. My favorite part of this trip was well…..? Honestly the whole trip was just so amazing, exciting, and a once in a life time experience for me. I am very grateful that I was allowed to be apart of the trip.”
Finally, a huge thanks to Susan Fackler, our dedicated Ela township social worker, this year Susan identified five teens for JSRF and they all attended two fun filled weeks at YMCA Camp Pinewood in Michigan!
We hope you are all enjoying the summer months with your loved ones and look forward to seeing you at our next JSRF event!
Peace, Love & Gratitude
Ciri, Scott & Sayra Stom
Friends of Wilton Motorcycle Ride
The Friends of Wilton Motorcycle ride took place on July 11, 2015 at the Broken Oar in Port Barrington, and JSRF was their charity of choice this year. By far this year’s ride was their most successful, raising just over $1,500 for JSRF! A big thank you goes out to Tom & Mary Gibadlo for organizing this event and to all you Harley folks who came out on your shiny bikes! Like us on Facebook and check out all the cool bikes!