CU DIVAs: November 2012

Sunday, November 25, 2012

2012 Crisis Nursery Children's Holiday Shop

The DIVAs came together again on Wednesday November 14, to help set up the Crisis Nursery's Children's Holiday Shop. This is year TWENTY for the Holiday shop, and the DIVAs have helped set up tables and trees for several years.

Check out the information about the shop and the hours below, followed by several photos of the DIVAs hard at work! Ho, ho ho!

From the Crisis Nursery's website:

2012 Crisis Nursery Children's Holiday Shop will again feature a full one week schedule, from December 1-8, at Lincoln Square in Urbana. Hours are:

Saturday, December 1: 9am-5pm
Sunday, December 2: 12-5pm
Monday, December 3: 4-7pm
Tuesday, December 4: 4-7pm (Parents Only! For one night, caregivers are allowed in the store to do their own holiday shopping!)
Wednesday, December 5: 4-7pm
Thursday, December 6: 4-7pm
Friday, December 7: 4-7pm
Saturday, December 8: 9am-5pm

The Children’s Holiday Shop is a wonderful place for children to do their own holiday shopping. Children arrive at our store with their shopping list in hand and money tucked away safely in their pocket. A volunteer then assists the child through the store and helps them budget their money as they pick out gifts (between $2 and $8 dollars) for their family and friends.

Various groups in the community volunteer to help at the Holiday Shop. This year's event will feature a few 'celebrity' groups! Come out on the following days and shop with:

Sunday, December 2, 12-2:30pm: University of Illinois Athletes
Monday, December 3, 4-5:30pm: Parkland CollegeGolf Team
Thursday, December 6, 4-7: University of Illinois Cheerleaders

When the children are done picking out their gifts, they pay for them and wrap them in festively decorated bags. As they leave the shop, children are always full of pride with the items they have picked out on their own and an understanding that it is just as great to give as it is to receive!

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Saturday, November 10, 2012

Ella's Rules

DIVA Kim's daughter has declared a list of rules, in their household, and upon review, we think they might benefit ours—and yours—too.

We think she is wise beyond her 3.5 years.

Let the twirling begin.

About the CU DIVAs

We are twenty-five women from Champaign-Urbana and surrounding communities, diverse in ages, careers and life experiences. We not only enjoy working together through volunteer activities, but also enjoy exploring interesting enrichment and social activities as well.

Over the years, the members of our group have sometimes changed, but we are committed to remain at the small number of twenty-five. We like the closeness that it builds amongst the members and how the small number allows us to easily work together. The DIVAs envision that they will be a part of the Champaign-Urbana community for many years to come, continuing to volunteer and support each other.

Projects

Over the years our projects have included Opening Night for Artist Against Aids, making hundreds of Easter Baskets and delivering them to children living in shelter situations, stocking shelves for the Crisis Nursery Holiday Shop, events for the Station Theater, nursing homes, and the women's shelter. The group created a karaoke fundraiser to benefit the local Humane Society as well as Habitat for Humanity to build its 2008 Women's Build Home, and another favorite – the Eastern Illinois Foodmobile.