Fall Frolic

12TH ANNUAL
fall frolic

professional chip timing
saturday, october 2, 2010

10K run
5K walk/run
2K fun run
kids obstacle course

TO benefit the montessori preschool classroom
at the south bend center for the homeless

to View 2009 RACE RESULTS.

to View Julie Morris' photos of the 2009 event.

The 11th annual Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Fall Frolic was held Saturday, September 26, 2009. Contributions from our generous sponsors directly funded the Center for the Homeless Montessori classroom. This classroom is the only one of its kind in the Nation that serves homeless children. As you budget for 2010, please keep Fall Frolic in mind. Your contribution can make a difference in the lives of children right here in our community.

To secure your sponsorship or to volunteer to help with Fall Frolic, please

to email Claire DeLano or phone her at 574/536-5585. Or

to email Suzette Hudak or phone her at 574-256-5313. Together we can help break the cycle of homelessness, one step at a time.

The mission of Fall Frolic is to create a family-friendly 10K, 5K Walk/Run, 2K Fun Run, and Kids Obstacle Course, while raising funds for the most vulnerable citizens in our community: homeless children receiving education through the Montessori classroom at the Center for the Homeless.

All proceeds from Fall Frolic will benefit the Center for the Homeless Montessori classroom, the only Montessori classroom in the nation to serve homeless children. For many children, the Center provides a first experience in their young lives of meeting their own needs with a measure of order in a secure, creative environment. Within the limits of self-discipline, they experience the respect and dignity of being a contributing member in this classroom community.

Fall Frolic proceeds ensure the ongoing ability to provide a certified Montessori teacher, classroom assistant and all classroom materials and expenses. Funds raised in excess of the classroom’s yearly expenses will be added to the Community Foundation endowment fund created for the Montessori classroom at the Center for the Homeless. Our goal is to build the endowment to where the classroom thrives independent of yearly fundraising!

You will enjoy the Helman-designed race course. Both the 5K and 10K courses are flat and fast. These beautiful, mostly shaded courses wind through two attractive neighborhoods, as well as Edison Lakes Corporate Park. Runners will pass over creeks, by bubbling brooks and past small fountains. The Kids Obstacle Course stays entirely on the grassy, tree-lined, seven-acre campus of The Montessori Academy at Edison Lakes. All children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Co-hosted by The Center for the Homeless and The Montessori Academy at Edison Lakes, Fall Frolic is an annual event that has generated momentum and formed beneficial partnerships among community-focused businesses, the Center for the Homeless, The Montessori Academy, and the extended community.

Together, we can break the cycle of homelessness, one step at a time.

In 1994, a unique partnership was formed between the Center for the Homeless and The Montessori Academy at Edison Lakes. This partnership began the only Montessori preschool serving homeless children in the nation. It provides a complete Montessori classroom for children ages 3-6 living at the Center for the Homeless. A certified Montessori Director and Assistant lead the classroom along with dedicated volunteers from the community. Children who come into the classroom have often been exposed to extremes of human existence: hunger, poverty, abuse, neglect and homelessness.

The classroom is open year-round to provide a consistent and structured environment for the children. This unique preschool offers a therapeutic environment where children are able to heal, grow and learn. Through the exceptional Montessori approach, children gain confidence, independence, respect for others and a joy for learning. The curriculum of the classroom is built on the Montessori philosophy of “following the child.” Each child has in them the potential for greatness. The goal of this important classroom is to nurture and guide the child’s innate desire for growth and learning.

Did you know?
• 85% of CFH funding comes from private donors
• 87% of CFH residents are from St. Joseph County
• 22 families are housed at CFH
• 54 children are housed at CFH
• 7 is the average age of a homeless individual
• $37 to house one person per day
• 27, 000 individuals served since 1988
• 550+ meals are served each day

The Center for the Homeless is so thankful for your support. By participating in the 11th annual Fall Frolic, you will offer hope and opportunity to those we serve! The funds generated from this event will provide the resources that afford guests of the Center the ability to transform their lives while living in a community-oriented environment.

Our on-site Montessori Center is the only one in the nation that serves homeless children. The Montessori method's child-centered focus allows the Center's children to experience control of their own learning in a safe, nurturing atmosphere. If you are interested in learning more about the Center for the Homeless, please contact us at (574) 282-8700 or

to visit our website. If you would like to contribute directly to the South Bend Center for the Homeless, please

.
Thank you for your support!

On September 26, 2009, the 11th Annual Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Fall Frolic kicked off!
The 10K race started at 9:00 a.m.; the 5K at 9:05 a.m.; the 2K Fun Run at 9:10 a.m.; the Kids Obstacle Course at 9:30 a.m., all at The Montessori Academy. Participants picked up their packets from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, September 25 or from 7:15-8:30 a.m. on race day at The Montessori Academy, 530 E. Day Road, Mishawaka. Prior to September 26, registration for the 10K was $25; 5K Walk/Run $20; 2K Fun Run and Kids Obstacle Course registration $15. On Race Day, registration increased $5: 10K $30; 5K Walk/Run $25; 2K Fun Run and Kids Obstacle Course $20.

Race day on site at The Montessori Academy bristles with excitement. Ragz, from 95.3 WAOR, broadcasts live, and local TV stations drop by to capture the festivities. Coffee and refreshments, provided by vendors, supply runners and supporters alike with energy for the day. A premier certified personal trainer leads our runners in an enthusiastic stretching session before the race begins.

Runners, walkers, and Kids Obstacle Course participants were encouraged to pre-register by Tuesday, September 1, to be guaranteed a free short-sleeved T-shirt. Later registrants received a free T-shirt as supplies last.

The Kids Obstacle Course began at 9:30 a.m. and was held behind the school for runners ages 5 and under. Parents and grand-parents were welcome to run alongside children while onlookers cheered. Each and every child received a medal as they crossed the finish line. Adults did not have to sign up to run in the 5K or 10K in order to have their children participate in the Obstacle Course. The course is on the school grounds. Your child received a race number, a short sleeve T-shirt (guaranteed to those who register by September 1) and a goodie bag. Refreshments were provided. The cost was $15.00 per child which benefits our classroom at the South Bend Center for the Homeless.

Recycle your gently used running shoes! We collected new and used shoes again this year to be donated to the guests of the Center for the Homeless.

Donations were made in the drop boxes at The Montessori Academy, 500 East Day Road, Mishawaka from August 26 through September 26. Shoes could be gently used or new athletic or street shoes in children's and adult sizes.