The Chambana Volunteer, Feb 16-23
Spotlight on a Cause:
Wesley Evening Food Pantry
The Wesley Pantry was founded in the fall of 2006 when a growing need for a new food pantry was addressed in our community. The Pantry was chosen to be open during the evening hours to help those in need with daytime obligations. Since then, the Pantry has been able to work with other local organizations to supply food, as well as health and educational materials to pantry-goers. Wesley’s Pantry Night is always the third Thursday evening of each month. New volunteers are asked to go through a brief training the Wednesday night before a Pantry Night. Volunteers help with many aspects of the Pantry. They help patrons “shop” and bag their groceries for them; they restock items in the Pantry, assist people with questions and hand out information, direct traffic, and help folks load items into their vehicles, if needed. Bilingual volunteers, particularly those who speak Spanish, are always needed to help Hispanic Pantry patrons. For more information on the Wesley Evening Food Pantry and its’ services, as well as information on how to donate or get involved, please go to http://wesleypantry.org/.
Volunteers Needed:
Champaign County – Volunteer Receptionist Needed
Smiling faces wanted! Receptionists are needed to assist at Brookens Administrative Center at 1776 E Washington Street in Urbana. Volunteers will staff the information desk to greet visitors as they enter Brookens, answer phones, and direct guests to the appropriate County Departments located within the building. Volunteers are needed on Tuesday and/or Thursday, Noon – 4:30pm. Please contact Amanda Tucker at 384-3776.
Carle Hospital
Do you like to help people? Do you like to brighten someone’s day? Then Carle is a great place to volunteer. Volunteer Services is accepting applications for Auxiliary Information Desk and waiting room attendant volunteers. Visit www.carle.org/volunteering to learn about other opportunities and how to apply to become an Auxiliary Member and serve at Carle Hospital.
Upcoming Events
Rod Sicklers’ Red Hot Winter—A Benefit for the Humane Society
This is the 9th Red Hot Winter and the third year being held at Jupiter's at the Crossing in Champaign. This event will kick off on Thursday, February 16 and repeat every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening for two weeks through February 25. Doors open at 6:30 PM and performances begin at 7:30 PM each night. This was voted #1 Hair Show in the country and all proceeds will go to benefit the Champaign County Humane Society. For more information, please call 403-1790 or go to www.redhotwinter.com.
Go Red for Women
Join the American Heart Association for the 3rd annual Champaign Go Red for Women Luncheon and Symposium, Friday, February 17 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Enjoy a healthy lunch, a health fair and expo, live entertainment, and celebrate good health, wealth, and happiness for women. Tickets are $50 per individual. For more information or to purchase tickets or tables, visit champaigngoredforwomen.org
Sneak Peak at the New YMCA
A special sneak peek will be given of our new Champaign County YMCA (2501 Field South Drive, Champaign) on Friday, Feb, 17 at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy tours, a silent auction, giveaways, door prizes, and more. Tickets are $50 and 100% ticket donations will go towards the Champaign County Strong Kids Scholarships Program. More information available by contacting heidi@ccymca.net or 239-2805
Art Matters-40 North Gala Fundraiser
40 North | 88 West, Champaign County's Arts, Culture and Entertainment Council, will host a one-of-a-kind event on Feb.18 from 6-11 PM. All proceeds will benefit the programs sponsored by 40 North, such as storefront exhibitions, the Poetry Out Loud student program, ACE Awards recognizing outstanding contributions to the arts, and the 10th Anniversary of the Boneyard Arts Festival. For further details, please call 363-3795 or visit www.40north.org.
Relay for Life Team Party Meeting
Start forming your team now for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Champaign County. All are invited to attend the next team party/planning meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 21, at the Champaign Public Library. Meetings will be held on the 3rd Tuesday of March, April and May. This years’ Relay For Life of Champaign County will be held Saturday, June 9 at Centennial High School in Champaign. For more information, please contact the American Cancer Society at 356-9076 or visit www.relayforlife.org/ChampaignIL.
Disclaimer: I gather this information based on local community calendars and from colleagues at local service organizations. Some of the wording is based directly on what I receive and research. Please feel free to email me if you have any comments, questions, or have anything you would like to see posted. Thank you. (MER)
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jamesmical
MICATZ, a non-profit organization based in Tanzania, places volunteers from across the world willing to assist in various welfare projects in schools, hospitals, orphanages, monasteries, community/government organizations etc. with an aim to educate and help influence the life of the deprived people throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America.
http://www.micatz.org/
Most Recent Culture Comments
@Jason: You’re right about that. I get groceries at Schnucks (they carry what I buy, which I can’t say of any other single grocery store in town), and if they have a beer I’m in the market for it’s usually a quarter or two cheaper per 6-…
Best Neighborhood Bar (& Grill) : Urbana - My ‘hood- the ‘Boom! http://www.boomerangbarandgrill.com Go on a Wing Wednesday or Fish Friday, or see a band play some night. Local blue-collar Urbana terroir galore. My only beer snobbish gripe is lack of a pale hopped ale, but you…
The one thing that’s bothered me for a while about the Friar is that, for most commonly purchased adult beverages, you can actually walk down the strip mall to Schnucks and get them cheaper. It makes no sense, but there it is. I suspect it’s because Schnucks…
Maybe I complained enough in person. One time I even explained to the (wholly uninterested) clerk how to navigate the Illinois Statutes web page, and Savoy’s Municipal Code database I wouldn’t know because I only go there when I want to pay 30% more for anything, which is never.
@Rob: You seem to have the weirdest experiences. I’m in Friar Tuck every other week (don’t tell my mom that I’m a lush). They never fail to ask for my birth date but never my age, they never card afterwards, and they often allow me to use…
This column affords me a long-awaited opportunity. I’ve wanted to write my own column called Fuck You Friar Tuck Liquors. but I always thought it’d be too pithy. Here, I can say Fuck You Friar Tuck Liquors and not feel bothered to stretch it out to 750…
Ha! Exactly. You, sir, are welcome at the bar in My House.
Why wait ‘til 3 pm?
I’m excited to go tonight- should be very fun!
Most Recent Comments
High-profile whining. AKA Lobbying.
it’s quite choice. looking forward to seeing how it and its patronage grow and develop over the course of the year. could be a neat little ecosystem.
“It was at this point, before he started his business, that working with city employees should’ve raised red flags…” But they didn’t because: 1) The City Clerk’s office originally mis-interpreted the rules, or are indeed re-interpreting them. 2) Champaign’s brick-n-mortar merchants hadn’t yet started whining about The Crave Truck.
Super cool! Excellent track, Excellent band.
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
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The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!