Summer Stretch in Minnesota

Bloomington, Minnesota is next doot to Minneapolis

Many of the young people at St. Bonaventure Church – a Conventual Franciscan parish - in Bloomington, Minnesota are spending their summer serving others. As participants in the Summer Stretch experience, young men and women from grades 7 through to 9 wake up early in the morning and travel to various missions in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, where they help people in need. Some of these missions include Mary’s Place, St. Vincent de Paul Free Store, and Second Harvest. At each mission, the volunteers adjust themselves to what needs to be done. In their acts of service they briefly glimpse the fact that life is often not very easy.

Young people cleaning up a park

Afternoons, the young volunteers from St. Bonaventure Parish spend time playing games with Summer Stretch volunteers from other parishes in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The games not only provide physical exercise, but also create camaraderie among the young people.

Valleyfair Amusement Park and Soak City in Shakopee, Minnesota

This year’s Summer Stretch experience will end on August 6 at Valleyfair, an amusement park in Shakopee, Minnesota. The purpose of the already prepared day is to celebrate the volunteers’ hard work and to have fun. It is true that one must understand the complexities of one’s community and help to affect positive change; yet to go through life without having fun is not a good idea either. Happiness allows us to take joy in creation, something that Franciscans, amongst others, try to do all the time.