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www.the-IDEA-store.org
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The color of success is green!
Store support of local schools grows to $25K
As part the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation's 25th Anniversary celebration in April, Gail Rost, General Manager of The I.D.E.A. Store, announced that to date, the store has now given $25,000 of cash support to the foundation for its important work with local K-12 education.
"This is exactly how this is supposed to work," said Rost, who also serves as the director of the foundation. "By earning income through our retail store, we are adding not only to the community sales tax pool, providing jobs and volunteer experiences for local residents and diverting materials from the waste stream, we are helping to offset costs of providing our programs to our public school students!"
Among some changes introduced during the Foundations's 25th anniversary year, CUSF is focusing all of its efforts on impacting student achievement. Working with partners across the community, the Foundation is providing - through financial and programmatic support - three major programs to the Champaign, Urbana, Savoy and outlying communities. CUScholars is a comprehensive student achievement program that currently serves 9th-12th grades in the three local high schools. Because of a recent major gift to the Foundation, the CUScholars program will be moving into the middle schools with its emphasis on academics, volunteerism, development of financial literacy, career exploration and attendance. More than 700 students now participate with an aim of increasing that number to over 1,400 within the next year or two.
The second major focus for CUSF is the continuation of its popular teacher granting program, "It's My I.D.E.A. Grants." These grants are cash awards to teachers currently certified in the schools, supporting their teaching and their classrooms. A shift in the purpose of these grants for 2013 is that they will now focus specifically on the development of what it takes to prepare local students to be CUScholars. In the last five years of the CUSF mini-grant programs, the foundation has disbursed more than $400,000. Available to teachers at all levels, this year's awards will still be a maximum of $500 per teacher per year. This year's granting period will begin with the application being available on-line in August of 2013.
The third program supported by the foundation is the SOS fund, in partnership with the United Way of Champaign County as well as private donors. This fund supports the emergency needs
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During April's global "Face of Climate Change" campaign by the Earth Day Network, The I.D.E.A. Store friends and volunteers showed the world that our store is making a difference.
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private donors. This fund supports of local public schools students who are highly at risk for food insecurity, loss of shelter, poor vision and healthcare access. In our four years of this program, we have disbursed over $40,000 in emergency funds.
So, what is the idea? Invest. Develop. Elevate. Achieve.
The I.D.E.A. Store
is making a difference. It is
giving back to the community as it thrives through community support. CUSF is beating all the odds that this type of business can flourish here in Champaign County; it can only be done because of the generous donations, amazing volunteer support and adventurous shoppers that support The I.D.E.A. Store.
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Lead it be!
Next up: Return of Soldering 101 workshop
Ready to learn a new skill to take your crafting to the next level?
Store Assistant Sheila Daniels will be leading another "Soldering 101" workshop from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, May 25. The workshop is open to adults (must be at least 18 years old). The cost is $30.
The workshop will cover basic skills and safety information, and will include a take-away project - a glass pendant with embellishment similar to those shown in the image (left). All supplies will be provided. You may register at the store or by calling 352-7878 by Friday, May 24 (your advance payment reserves your spot in the workshop).
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Saving the planet one cap at a time!
Plastic-cap Mini Mural workshop set for June 1
Would you - or you and your child - like to learn to make a Mini Plastic-Cap Mural? We still have openings for this workshop on Saturday, June 1, from 1-3 p.m. The cost is $30. Registration is open to anyone over 18, but we would also like to encourage this opportunity as a parent/child workshop. The workshop is open to adults (or adults plus one child). Space is limited, so sign up soon! Your payment reserves your space; registration can be completed
 at the store or by phone, 217-352-7878.
The workshop will provide hands-on instruction on the basics of making a "Mini Plastic-cap Mural" using plastic bottle caps and lids. That includes learning step-by-step procedures for collecting, cleaning, designing with and attaching plastic caps to create a 2 x 2-foot boardl. Some participants may be able to complete the project during the two-hour workshop; others may need to finish the project at home, depending on how quickly individuals work. A pre-painted plywood base, palette of plastic bottle caps and lids, and appropriate screws will be provided. Class participants will need to bring: * a battery-powered drills with batteries/chargers (a magnetic drill bit would also be helpful). * old gardening gloves, old pillows/blankets. * goggles and hair ties for those with long hair. * additional pre-cleaned plastic bottle caps to add to the mix (optional). |
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Mark your calendars now!
You'll want to brake for this yard sale June 7-8
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Yard-sale treasures waiting to move on.
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It's official: Yard-sale season is in full swing! And
one of the sales you definitely want to include on your route takes place Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8, from 7 a.m. to noon both days at 719 W. Washington St. in Champaign. Between 10 and 11 a.m. on June 8, all items will be half price; after that, it's make-an-offer time.
Proceeds of the sale will benefit The I.D.E.A. Store.
Much of the stuff up for grabs originally was donated to The I.D.E.A. Store. Items still have plenty of life left in them, but simply are not the type of things we offer in our regular inventory. Yard sale items will include housewares, home and holiday decor, collectibles,
books, games, CDs, toys, linens, art/craft supplies, tools, tech stuff and much, much more.
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Projects you'll LOVE!
Think outside the court with these reuse ideas
Tennis balls are among the inventory staples at The I.D.E.A. Store. Of course, some people buy them for their intended use, or - more often - to supply their dogs' fetch habits.
But did you know that you can put a whole new spin on tennis balls by reusing them creatively for practical purposes or artsy-crafty projects?
Lobbing a few of the many ideas out there your way ...
* And if you really want to confuse your tennis-ball-chasing pooch ...
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So, What's This All About?
The Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation saw a need in the community to accomplish several things: 1. Support the arts and arts education, 2. Support environmental education in our communities, 3. Impact the environment by reducing the rate of waste disposal, 4. create a place for everyone to have access to quality materials and 5. Support itself in light of the difficult economic times. So donate your discards and shop re-use. Its about making a difference!
www.cuSchoolsFoundation.org
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INVEST. DEVELOP. ELEVATE. ACHIEVE.
The I.D.E.A. Store is an earned-income social enterprise
of the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation,
a full 501c3 non-profit organization supporting K -12 education in
Illinois Community School Districts Unit 4 and Unit 116
Phone: 217-352-7878 Store hours: Tuesday - Friday, 2 pm - 7 pm and Saturday, 10 am - 3 pm
28 E. Springfield, Champaign, IL 61820
2nd Floor - handicapped access and loading dock available on north side of building
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