Team Day Nursery needs your help

We had so much fun last year, we’re going to do it again! Team Day Nursery will be competing again next month in the Indiana Sports Corp’s Corporate Challenge. The Corporate Challenge is a fun-filled community event that emphasizes healthy lifestyles and company camaraderie.  Leading up to the September 21 & 28 competition, Team Day Nursery will have a chance to earn points by participating in the Community & Compassion Events. One of the ways you can help us  earn team points is to donate sports equipment (trust us…we need all the help earning team points that we can get!!)

Donation box decorated by students at Day Nursery Northwest

Collection boxes will be available in the lobby of the 7 Day Nursery Centers until September 20. Check out the list below for the items that are most needed.

Indiana Sports Corp’s Geared For Health program collects and distributes donated sports equipment to help under served local young athletes have the equipment they need to jump start a more active lifestyle while encouraging a commitment to good health. The program collects new and gently-used donated sports equipment from manufacturers, retailers, institutions, events and individuals, and distributes it to not-for-profit, youth-serving organizations, sports leagues and sports clubs.

Geared For Health accepts:
– traditional sports gear (soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, football, lacrosse, hockey, tennis, golf, volleyball, boxing, wrestling, martial arts)
– yard games (badminton, croquet, bocce ball)
– playground and street sports equipment (rollerblades, roller skates, street hockey gear, Frisbees, jump ropes)
– water sports gear (masks, fins, kick boards, pool games, water guns)

Day Nursery receives CHAMPS grant for summer program

Day Nursery Association is one of fifteen youth-serving organizations throughout Indiana to have been selected as a CHAMPS (Champions in Life) Grant recipient, which is awarded annually by Indiana Sports Corporation. 

CHAMPS Grants support organizations that provide underserved youth with the opportunity to participate in sports and fitness activities and teach life skills. The CHAMPS Grants are funded by net proceeds of the annual Youthlinks Indiana Charity Golf Tournament as well as direct contributions from many generous organizations like Community Health Network Foundation, Conseco and Samerian Foundation. 

Day Nursery’s Summer Health and Water Safety Program will benefit from the Samerian Foundation CHAMPS Grant. This program promotes healthy physical activities and nutrition combined with self empowerment for the children enrolled at Day Nursery’s seven centers and includes swimming lessons.  All participants will be exposed to healthy eating choices with fresh produce providing long term influence on the children.  Swim lessons will be held at the IUPUI Natatorium and begin the week of May 17.

“It is truly an honor for Indiana Sports Corporation to again present CHAMPS Grants to deserving organizations who provide such wonderful programming for youth,” Indiana Sports Corp President Susan Williams said. “Each of these groups is investing in the future health and success of young people throughout Indiana. The youth participating with these 15 organizations are receiving this extra financial boost as a result of the generosity of the companies who participated in Youthlinks in 2009. We congratulate each of these amazing organizations for their service to youth.”

Water Safety lessons-Week 3

Ruth A. Lilly Center student

Every summer Day Nursery children age 4-6 have an opportunity to participate in six sessions water safety lessons at the Natatorium on the IUPUI campus. For many of the children, the adventure starts when they board the big yellow school bus for the ride downtown. The program is specially designed for preschool age children and teaches them many life saving skills. Children are first introduced to going underwater safely, blowing bubbles, holding their breath, and then progressing onto floating on their back and front.  In six thirty-minute sessions, they won’t master the freestyle stroke, but they do get a great introduction to the pool through the Swim America program. I have personally observed many Day Nursery children participate in this program and I always am impressed by the quality of instructors at the Natatorium.  

Thanks to the CHAMPS grant presented by the Indiana Sports Corporation in addition to Lilly Endowment support in underwriting a portion of our Water Safety/Swim Program costs this summer.
 
Today I am sharing some pictures of children taken last week by the staff from our Ruth A. Lilly Center on Central and our Clarian Centerat 21st and Senate.  Friday I will post a bunch of pictures from my visit to the pool with the children from our NW side center near 56th and Guion.  Click on each picture to see a larger version.

Ruth A. Lilly Center student

Ruth A. Lilly Center students

Day Nursery Clarian Center student

Day Nursery Clarian Center students

Day Nursery Clarian Center student

Grants help Day Nursery fund health and safety programs

A Day Nursery student from our Guion Road center got one-on-one instruction last year at the Swim America program at the Natatorium.

Day Nursery Association has been selected as one of nineteen youth-serving organizations throughout Indiana as a CHAMPS (Champions in Life) Grant recipient, awarded annually by Indiana Sports Corporation.
CHAMPS Grants support organizations that provide underserved youth with the opportunity to participate in sports and fitness activities that teach life skills. The CHAMPS Grants are funded by the net proceeds of the annual Youthlinks IndianaCharity Golf Tournament, as well as direct contributions from many generous organizations like Community Health Network Foundation, The Samerian Foundation and Conseco. 

Day Nursery will be using our award for our Summer Water Safety Program. This program takes place for six weeks during June and July at the IUPUI Natatorium and is open to all 4-6 year old preschoolers at the 7 Day Nursery centers.

A total of 208 youth-serving organizations have received more than $1.7 million in CHAMPS Grants since 1988. This year’s CHAMPS Grants are divided among 19 organizations that serve nearly 10,000 youth. 

For a complete list of the CHAMPS Grant recipients, click here.