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The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota is reaching out to you every way we can! Join our Facebook page and receive updates on current Association events as well as volunteer opportunities and progress on current projects.
Our Twitter feed offers daily updates about brain injury in the news as well as information on educational opportunities and public policy ventures.
Help us connect with you and build a statewide brain injury community!

Upcoming Workshops:

Wednesday Workshop - Understanding Neuroplasticity
Date: Wednesday, February 23
Time: 1:30 to 3 p.m. Cost: $40 for Professionals

Brain Injury Basics: Adjustment to Brain Injury
Date: February 24
Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Cost: $25 for Professionals; $5 donation appreciated from Consumers.

Location: All classes are held in the Education Center at the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota

To register for a class, please click here or call 612-378-2742 or 800-669-6442.

Train your Body, Train your Spirit
You will laugh, move and be inspired at an event featuring Jodi Hills, local author and motivational speaker and Snap Fitness Trainer, Nael Banat along with our 2011 Profile of Hope recipient, Joe Kopp with his wife, Marcia. We will explore how to overcome some of life's difficulties and find hope and motivation to transform what could be challenging circumstances into opportunity and possibility.

After Joe was severely injured in a snowmobile crash leaving him with a traumatic brain injury, he and his family have faced this life altering event through their belief in hope and possibility, a strong will and determination to overcome despite the odds.

For Jodi, words have always been a comfort. And then when she learned to mix them with color and form - a whole new world opened. Through her books, she explores the days we thrive, and the ones we survive, finding the beauty of both the tears and laughter along the way.

We all have a passion for something whether it is music, cooking, exercising or reading. For fitness trainer Nael Banat his passion is helping people live a better life. "When I was approached to work with Joe in his amazing journey to achieve his goal, I didn't hesitate. Joe's story inspires me and makes me work harder everyday. My family and I personally have experienced what a head trauma and a brain injury can be on an individual and a family. Without my wife's constant love, care and support, I would have never been where I am today. With the love, care, and support of our family members, friends, and community, we are able to believe, inspire and get inspired, and achieve the once thought impossible. Joe is a great example, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to work and learn from him."

Join us on Saturday, February 26 at 2 p.m. at the Rosedale Center East Court. A book signing and drawing will be held during this event.

For more information about Jodi, please click here. For more information about this year's Believe. Inspire. Achieve., please visit www.fuzzysideout.com.

Snowshoe for a Cause
Strap on snowshoes for Vinland National Center's Second Annual Winter Walkabout. Participate on Saturday, February 19 and raise funds for Vinland National Center's Expanding the Promise capital campaign.

The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota is supporting this event with a Cranestorm folding station. Everyone is welcome. Find out more by clicking here.

Make Your Voice Heard in 2011!
Make a difference in the lives of the over 100,000 individuals and families affected by brain injury and get involved in the public policy and state budget decisions being made at the Capitol this coming session:

Tuesdays at the Capitol
Minnesota State Office Building
10 a.m. in the Basement Cafeteria

Click here for more information and to register for Tuesdays at the Capitol!

Get Your Office Involved with Cranestorm!
Currently 100,000 Minnesotans live with a disability due to brain injury and the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota wants to bring awareness to brain injury throughout the community by folding 100,000 cranes. The crane has a long history of bringing hope (or recovery from illness or injury) to those in need. Click here to learn more about Cranestorm.

Cranestorm – Wishes in Flight is a year long community awareness project through art started by the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota in 2010. This has become a major volunteer project with many corporations such as Target and 3M, schools, civic groups and individuals not only in Minnesota but across the United States. As of February 15 we have received 57,638 cranes but we still need your help to reach our goal of 100,000 cranes (one for each individual living with a brain injury) by April, 2011. Our collection of cranes is meant to convey the spirit of well-wishing while visually quantifying the number of individuals affected by brain injury.

Brain injury can happen to anyone at anytime and is always unexpected and life changing. March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and a great time to have your organization learn about brain injury by arranging a date in March and devoting your volunteer project to Cranestorm. For more information or to schedule a Cranestorm at your location or ours contact Anna by calling 612-378-2742, 800-669-6442, or by e-mail.

If you would like to make a donation as an expression of your well wishes, please contact Lori at 612-378-2742, 800-669-6442 or by e-mail.

Cranestorm Event at Midtown Global Market!
Doing Good Together is partnering with the Midtown Global Market to host Better Together, a free, community-wide family service event. Families are invited to come together to do fun, hands-on service projects; reflect on the importance of giving back; and learn about opportunities to get involved in their community. The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota will have a Cranestorm table at this event in Minneapolis's Midtown Global Market. So, bring your friends and family members and enjoy an evening of good friends, good food and community building. For more information about Better Together at the Midtown Global Market, please visit their Web site.

We are still working to reach our 100,000 crane goal, so join us for crane folding or bring cranes you wish to give to Cranestorm. We would love to see you.

Event Date: Friday, February 25 from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Midtown Global Market is located at Lake Street and 10th Avenue South in Minneapolis.

Cranestorm Open House
The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota will be holding Cranestorm Open House folding sessions at our offices where you can bring your kids, spouse, friends, or anyone you may know who is interested in helping us meet our goal of 100,000 cranes. Also, if you know of any groups who are looking for something to do this winter/spring, please let them know about these dates.

• Thursday, February 24 from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Saturday, February 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For more information, contact Anna by calling 612-378-2742, 800-669-6442, or by e-mail.

Classified Ad Opportunities
We are pleased to provide an online opportunity for organizations to broadcast their message about job openings, services and more through affordable, convenient advertising. This bi-weekly electronic publication is sent to more than 5,500 professionals, paraprofessionals and persons with brain injury and their families.

The cost to run a classified ad of up to 250 words is $20 for one edition or $30 for two editions. Ads must be submitted in electronic form to receive this rate. Ads submitted in hard copy will be charged an additional $15 administrative fee. To learn more about this affordable, convenient advertising opportunity, please e-mail Andi at andib@braininjurymn.org or call 612-378-2742 or 800-669-6442. Advertising is posted at the end of the publication under the heading "Classified Ads.