Heart Week
February 10-17, 2022
Come together with MHS students and staff to raise money for Minnetonka Family Friends, an organization that assists Minnetonka students and their families by paying for their heating bill, ACT application fee, graphing calculator, breakfasts, dental van, activity or athletic fees, or even coats.
*Dates and locations subject to change as we monitor the ever-changing status of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ways to Donate
Heart Week is a chance for students and staff of MHS to come together and raise money for Minnetonka Family Friends. Family Friends is an organization that assists Minnetonka students and their families that are in need of financial help by paying for their heating bill, ACT application fee, graphing calculator, breakfasts, dental van, activity or athletic fees or even coats.
- $10 provides money for snacks at school for a week
- $25 covers the cost of one field trip
- $50 covers an ACT fee
- $75 covers reduced lunch costs for one year
- $100 provides a grocery store gift card
Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction
About Family Friends
Family Friends is a Minnesota nonprofit corporation which is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 corporation and the State of Minnesota as a tax exempt organization. It is registered by the Minnesota Attorney General to solicit funds. It charges no fees for services but relies on contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations and community organizations.
Funding
- Family Friends’ largest source of funds is the Minnetonka High School student government which raises funds through “Heart Week” in February each year.
- More than 100 Mtka School District teachers and other staff designate funds for Family Friends through United Way donor-designated gifts.
- Ridgewood Church supports Family Friends through its missions budget and by providing office space and administrative support.
- Individual donors support Family Friends through direct contributions and United Way donations through employers.
- Several philanthropic foundations provide grants.
- More than 95% of Family Friends’ funds are used for outreach program and direct financial assistance.
Family Friends Program Activities
Food to Minnetonka High School:
Family Friends partners with Caribou to provide food to Minnetonka High School students who do not have resources for breakfast at home.
Dental Care:
Family Friends sponsors a dental van to at-risk MHS students who are identified, screened and treated including fillings.
Medical Care:
Family Friends assists with obtaining appointments, transportation and arranges medical exams and referrals for at-risk students without access to medical care. Family Friends also partners with Lions Club to obtain eye exams and glasses for at-risk students.
Good Samaritan Awards:
Family Friends partners with Minnetonka Police to provide rewards to students who go out of their way to help others.
Mentoring:
Family Friends outreach workers are present daily on the high school and middle school campuses to listen to and share with students. The outreach workers connect with students who need encouragement and support to be successful at home, school and in the community.
Direct Financial Assistance:
Family Friends assists at-risk students and families by paying for clothing, student lunches, class fees, athletic fees, and school activities fees in addition to transportation and housing expenses such as rent and utilities.
Crisis Intervention:
Family Friends is an integral part of Mtka High School’s crisis team dealing with student and staff crises
Ongoing support and encouragement:
Family Friends provides intensive and long-term personal support and financial help when there are major family and economic issues. This often extends beyond the scope of immediate crisis in terms of time and location.
Minnetonka High School summer programs:
Family Friends partners with Cub Foods and Caribou to provide snacks and beverages as well daily encouragement and support to the students (all of whom are behind in graduation requirements).
Community Summer Program:
Family Friends collaborates with community programs in low-income housing projects by providing support and snacks for youth and their families.
Other Partnerships:
Family Friends partners with Timber Bay, Tree House, and Bren Road Alternative School who have joint programs with us in the Ridgewood Church gym.
Heart Week Activities
View the HeartWeek Activities Slideshow to learn more about activities being held this week.
Heart Week dress-up days
- Monday, Feb. 14: Pajama Day
- Tuesday, Feb. 15: Olympics Day/Jersey Day
- Wednesday, Feb. 16: Groutfit Day
- Thursday, Feb. 17: HeartWeek Spirit Day (wear HeartWeek gear or red/pink)
On sale Feb. 11-17
The following will be available for purchase in the commons during lunches and on Vanco:
- Matchmakers
- musical telegrams
- Crush cans
- Donate to Participate tickets
- benefit dinner tickets
- Sweethearts Dance tickets
- HeartWeek merchandise
Trivia Night
- Thursday, Feb. 10, 6:30 pm
- Original Pancake House at 101 & 7
- $30/team of 5 or less
- Prizes for winning team in each preliminary round
- Grand prize $100 for top team
Musical Telegrams
- Wednesday 2/16 hours 1-6
- Musical telegrams perform short songs to a student or class. Students send other Students a “telegram”. These can be purchased throughout the week and are all sent on the 16th.
- Student groups will audition with the choir and band teachers prior to HeartWeek
- Telegrams are a very fun tradition at MHS and raise a lot of money!
Family Friends Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction:
- Thursday, Feb. 17, 5-7 p.m.
- MHS cafeteria
- $10/person or $50/family
- Silent auction
- Dinner catered by Spasso & Adele’s
- Live music by MHS students
- Face painting and carnival games for the kids (bring your family!)
Link for silent auction coming soon!
HeartWeek’s Thursday Fun Fest: Donate to Participate
- Thursday, Feb. 17
- $5/person for all activities and $7/Tonka’s Got Talent (Assistance available from counselors for students needing a scholarship)
Freshmen and sophomore activities are taking place hours 5 & 6 and junior and senior activities hours 2 & 3 (All students will attend hours 1 and 4, and students are expected to be in class when not participating in the HeartWeek activities.) Tonka’s Got Talent will be held during the upperclassmen activity hours and will not be broadcast on the school TVs.
Activities for freshmen and sophomores
- Broomball in Pagel (teams of 7 in the Pagel Center)
- Basketball in West Gym (teams of 4 in the West Gym)
- Dodgeball in Back Gym (teams of 8 in the Back Gym)
- Touch football in Dome (teams of 6 in the Dome)
- Ultimate Frisbee in Dome (teams of 6 in the Dome)
- Concert in Arts Center (MHS/coffee house bands)
- Movie in Forum
- Yoga in Black Box
Activities for juniors and seniors
- Tonka’s Got Talent in Arts Center
- Movie in Forum
- Dodgeball in Back Gym
- Basketball in West Gym
- Broomball in Pagel
- Touch Football in Dome
- Ultimate Frisbee in Dome
- Yoga in Black Box
Sweethearts Dance
- Saturday, Feb. 12, 8:00-10:00 p.m.
- MHS Commons
- Semi-formal
- $10/person
- Tickets on sale on Vanco - students must show electronic ticket/receipt for entry
- Assistance available from counselors for students needing a scholarship
- Students may attend alone, with a date, or in a group
- Masks must be worn for the duration of the dance
- Limos, party buses, and RVs are not allowed on campus
- Non-MHS guests are allowed, but the guest form must be picked up from the MHS Activities office, filled out, and resubmitted BY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Flag Football Tournament
- Friday, February 18; 12:00-3:00pm in the Tonka Dome
- Teams of 5 or 6 - Double Elimination
- $50 per team
- Sign up here on Schoology & pay on Vanco
