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Annual Member Meeting Coming Up
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Are you a member of the Community Choices Cooperative? Then SAVE THE DATE because TOMORROW is our Annual Member Meeting! This once per year event is a great time for our community to come together, share our accomplishments, and discuss what YOU want from your cooperative! We will have Pizza, time for socializing, and some brief discussions about different parts of the cooperative! We hope you can make it! Look out for more details from Becca in your email!
WHEN: 3/8/18
TIME: 6:30-8:30
WHERE: St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church at 2200 Philo Rd in Urbana
WHO: Open to ALL MEMBERS of Community Choices - not sure if you’re a member? Email Chris to double check: chris.communitychoices@gmail.com
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Our En-Able-Ing Entrepreneurs Class got under way last week, but we have several other classes coming up that there’s still time to register for!
Starting SOON: Men’s and Women’s Groups
These classes are a great opportunity to talk with others about things going on in your life, support others in the group, and continue personal development. The Women's Group is open to all female members with developmental disabilities, while the Men's Group is open to all male members with developmental disabilities. All forms of communication are welcome in both groups.
Both groups will run on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30pm, March 13 - May 1, at Wesley United Methodist Church located at 1203 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801.
The Registration Forms are available for download below:
Men’s Group Registration is available HERE
Women’s Group Registration is available HERE
Please contact Hannah at hannah.communitychoices@gmail.com if you have questions about Women's Group, and Ryan at ryan.communitychoices@gmail.com, if you have questions about Men's Group. Financial assistance for class registration fees is available.
SAVE the DATE: Step Up to Leadership
Community Choices is excited to announce our fourth session of Step Up To Leadership, a leadership course for members with disabilities. The course will cover topics such as Confidence, Independence, Public Speaking, Teamwork, Decision Making, and & Self-Advocacy. This course meets every Tuesday evening from 5:30-7:00pm from May 1 st-June 19 th. It was created and is led by people with and without disabilities. We're excited to be doing it again!
If you’re a planner – Register Now! The registration form is available for download below:
Leadership Registration is available HERE
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Save the date: SATURDAY, APRIL 14
URBANA INDOOR AQUATIC CENTER, 12:30-2:30PM
Community Choices is partnering with the Urbana Indoor Aquatics Center (UIAC) and Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR) for Community Palooza, a fun afternoon of interactive pool games, water sports and contests! Activities such as Silly Relay Races, Water Slide Questions, and a Cannonball Contest will be led by people with and without disabilities. There will be prizes and even ways for non-swimmers to get in on the fun. Community Palooza is open to all ages. The fee to participate is $6 - the cost of daily entry at UIAC. UIAC members can use their pass card to gain entrance.
EVENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We're still looking for volunteers to help make this inclusive event happen! Members with disabilities who want to help represent Community Choices and lead some fun activities for the general public to enjoy should contact Hannah. Volunteers will need to focus on leading activities during the event, and we're counting on them to help it be a success! For their efforts, volunteers will receive single day pool passes to be used on a day of their choosing, and additional incentives. Please contact Hannah for more information: hannah.communitychoices@gmail.com.
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As part of our Employment First/LEAP partnership with DSC, we offer a quarterly Family Meeting to inform individuals with disabilities and their families on various topics related to community employment. In February, we presented a Self-Advocate Panel of individuals from both Community Choices and DSC, where they shared their stories of transitioning to community employment. Our very own Amrei Hubler represented Community Choices by sharing her story of working at Strawberry Fields in Urbana. Amrei stated that wanted a job because she likes to work, and she wasn't afraid of anything when searching for her first job. She has been able to learn how to weigh and package bulk foods for individual sale, as well as continue to expand on her organization skills. Be on the lookout for an announcement of our next Family Meeting topic!
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Fundraising Updates and Opportunities!
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Community Choices has had a flurry of fundraising in February! We are so thankful for all of those who sponsored and hosted events and to all the members, supporters, and community members that make it all a resounding success!
First of all, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Tortorelli’s and the Dabrowski’s who sponsored, hosted, and pulled off their 4th Gourmet Dinner on February 24th. This event raised over $6,000 for Community Choices. There were over 25 people in attendance and many more in the kitchen making and serving the food. Two members – Eric and Josh – presented to the group about their experiences as people using the supports that Community Choices offers. It was a fantastic night to connect, have fun, and raise a huge amount of money for the organization! Thank you to all those who helped and came!
We were also so excited to partner with Orange and Blue Distributing and Allerton Park for the Experience the Hops Bar Crawl! We hosted at 6 bars in downtown Champaign with the help and representation of 12 Community Choices Members and many of the staff! This event raised almost $1,000, not to mention it was SO much fun and great way share what we do with the community! This one really took a village, so THANK YOU to everyone who hosted a bar, came out for a beer, and bought raffle tickets! What a success – We can’t wait to do it again next year!
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More Ways to Support Community Choices!
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Blaze Pizza FUNDRAISER!
Join us and other members at Blaze Pizza on Tuesday March 13th between 5-8pm! 20% of all purchases showing the flyer available HERE. Call up your co-op friends and make a night of it – all for a good cause! If you'd like, you can check the Blaze Pizza website HERE
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Community Choices is now part of Amazon Smile! Starting Now, if you shop on Amazon and choose us as your Amazon Smile recipient, Community Choices will get 0.5% of your purchase price donated to the organization!
It’s easy! All you need to do is use the site: smile.amazon.com instead of the standard site and choose Community Choices! Here’s a link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/27-1665091
Your shopping experience is just the same, but it helps support our and other organizations! Try it out when you’re shopping for The Jaikai Chronicles: Moon and Star!
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Community Choices Apparel is HERE!
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We are excited to have Community Choices T-Shirts and Totes NOW available!
We have:
Kelly-Green Crew Necks Shirts with a large white Logo
Women’s Navy V-Necks with a small white logo
Canvas Tote with a large Navy Logo
All are $15!
If you’re interested, please fill out the attached form available HERE
We’ll have some shirts available for sale at the Member Meeting!
We need all orders by March 9th!
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Save the Date!-Disability Expo
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On April 7, 2018, Champaign County will host the 11th annual disABILITY Resource Expo: Reaching Out for Answers. This year it will be held at a new location: The Vineyard Church, 1500 North Lincoln Avenue, Urbana (just off I-74). Funded by area businesses and agencies, this event will be a place for individuals with disabilities and their families to ask questions, get information, share ideas and learn more about what supportive services and programs are available in our region.
Join us on April 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for this FREE family-friendly event offering fun activities for children, entertainment for all throughout the day, and opportunities to win prizes! Your family will have fun while also gaining valuable information about available resources for individuals with disabilities in East Central Illinois.
For more information: Go to www.disabilityresourceexpo.org or www.facebook.com/resourceexpo, or contact event coordinators Barb Bressner ( bbressner@att.net) or Jim Mayer ( jmayer@rccsec.org)
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