SoDu Parents Posse blog

Woodcroft Club

2/13/2019

Looking for a fantastic place to have fun in the sun this summer? Look no further than the Woodcroft Club in South Durham. The Woodcroft Club boasts a giant 330,000 gallon swimming pool with a 98ft water slide, 10 ft climbing wall, 8 competition lap lanes, a new splashpad, and a competitive swim team. On top of the amazing pool is the year round gym that is available 24/7, 6 outdoor tennis courts, and year round fun events for the whole family! Their trained lifeguards teach swim lessons, tennis instructors are there to help you improve your forehand, and the summer camps are legendary. You can also rent the Clubhouse, Gazebo and Pool for private events or birthday parties. They offer a variety of membership types and you don't have to be a resident of the neighborhood to join. If you're not already convinced, Woodcroft club is also currently running their no initiation special through February 28th! Read on to find out what makes it so special there, during the summer and all year long.

The magnificent Woodcroft Club pool is renowed city wide and has something for everyone in the family! The shallow end goes from a depth of 3-4ft throughout which includes their awesome 98ft waterslide. Here you'll also find their brand new splashpad for the littlest ones in the family with interactive features made to keep the fun going all day. The main section of the pool has 8 twenty-five yard lap lanes with a depth of 4-5ft, and two lanes are always kept available for lap swim. Swimmers can reach for the sky on the 10ft. Aquaclimb rock climbing wall, and dive to their hearts content on the diving board that hovers over their super deep 12ft diving well. The snack bar sells something for every craving, and includes alcohol for responsible adults, making for relaxing afternoons poolside. Woodcroft Club also proudly has a longer season than many pools, from May 17th to September 15th. There's a reason their reputation precedes them!

Woodcroft Club proudly offers group swim lessons at four ability levels as well as private lessons for one-on-one instruction. All lifeguards are trained at the highest levels and have exceptional skills with kids. Once you've joined, your family can also be part of the legendary Durham Summer Swim League champs Woodcroft Whirlwinds swim team this summer! Placement in the team is determined by skills and age, and you have the first two weeks to consider a trial period to make sure swim team is right for your kids. The camaraderie and skills gained are second to none!

Need summer camps? Lucky for you, Woodcroft Club has 13 fabulous weeks of summer camp available for 2 different age groups - two half day weeks for 3-5 year olds and eleven full day weeks for 5-12 year olds. Every week has its own theme which they blend into crafts, activities,and games. Campers will also get daily swim and tennis lessons! Enrollment is limited to ensure low ratios so don't miss out - enroll today!

My first experience with Woodcroft pool was for my daughter's birthday party two years ago. We needed a pool that was open early enough for her birthday and would ensure a fun time. Plus we needed indoor space just in case of inclement weather. Woodcroft Club was perfect! We got to swim to our heart's content and then relax in the clubhouse for cake and presents. It was a true memory maker for my daughter and I'd recommend it to anyone!

What's included in birthday parties at Woodcroft Club?

Private use of the Clubhouse which has an oven, range, microwave, Freezer, Ice Maker, and Smart TV
Use of Playground
Up to 15 swimmers (or more for an additional fee)
2 hours of pool and clubhouse fun on Saturdays or Sundays

To find out more and to book your party sooner than later click here!

Still not sure if Woodcroft Club is the right place for your family to belong? Just check out what these members have to say!

"We appreciate the friendly and attentive management team, and we value the sense of community we find at the Club, as well as the many friendships we've developed here over the years. It's a home away from home for our entire family!"
- Megan, Member since 2002

"Once we decided to move to Woodcroft 17 years ago, one of the first things we did was JOIN THE CLUB! We have participated in everything the club has ever offered. It just gets better and better."
-Terry, Member since 1998

"Our children enjoy the regular Kids Movie Nights and we are very interested in all of the new craft days and other activities... Several times during this first summer as members, we have said that we wished we knew about the Woodcroft Club before. We are now trying to make up for lost time!"
-Shannon, Member since 2015

"Before we joined, none of our kids were great swimmers. In fact, our youngest would only cling to us. That quickly changed after joining Woodcroft. Now we are summer swim league swimmers all the way! It has given our kids confidence in the water and I don't worry. It has given us a place to hang out with our friends and meet new families who have quickly become friends. Everyone is friendly which creates a comfortable atmosphere. We also love the newly renovated workout room which we can access 24/7, 365. Woodcroft truly is a 'year-round playground.'"
-Scott and Sarah, Members since 2012

It should come as no surprise knowing how great the rest of the club is that Woodcroft Swim and Tennis Club is also the home of one of the Triangles premier tennis programs, the Durham Tennis Academy. The DTA runs clinics for players of all ages and skill levels as well as offering private lessons and organizing Junior League Play. There's also tennis camp for kids, more info is here!

The Woodcroft Club Fitness Center offers so much to get your blood pumping and is open 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, year round to members. Check out all they offer below!

3 Treadmills w/ iPod connectors
1 Elliptical w/ iPod connector
1 Recumbant Bicycle
1 Stair Master
Multi-Station 3-stack Multi-Function Gym
Dual Stack Functional Trainer w/ Press attachment
Adjustable Bench
Dumbells
Medicine Ball Set
Stability Ball Set
Kettlebell Set
Yoga Mats
Balance Ball
3 flat screen TVs, Cable, and Wifi
and more!

Yoga class are also available for an additional fee. In this class, "Beginners and returning students are welcome for this gentle "slow flow" of healthy movement, invigorating poses, and deep relaxation."

Yet another huge bonus that is a favorite of members are the special events Woodcroft Club holds throughout the year, including just this month alone a kids night, a Daddy Daughter Dance, and a Mother Son dance! Check out their current events on the Woodcroft Club facebook page here!

For more information or to join this month before the special expires,
just head over to their website at
woodcroftclub.org
or contact Club Manager Michael Bertner
at manager@woodcroftclub.org or at 919.489.7705.

Don't hesitate! Join Woodcroft Pool today!

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: I received discounted services in exchange for this blog post so that I could experience the business's benefits firsthand. The post is written by me, and contains my own opinions.

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KidBright USA

11/27/2018

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Did you know that 8 or more students in the average Durham public school classroom suffer from hunger? For these kids, the breakfast and lunch they get during school may be their only meal for that day. KidBright USA aims to change that by utilizing a volunteer network that delivers free healthy snacks to children in need. Their vision is a hunger free classroom where all children can learn and succeed, something we can all get behind.

KidBright is currently serving 600 children in 30 classrooms at Forest View Elementary, Hope Valley Elementary, and Shepard Middle School. Their admirable goal is to expand to serve all ~ 2,000 children in these schools this spring. Your tax deductible donation will help KidBright reach this goal. Head to kidbrightusa.org/donate to donate now!

Hunger in children has dire consequences. When kids don't have enough to eat it...

Negatively affects brain and cognitive development
Reduces motor skill development
Increases the chance of developing chronic health conditions
Correlates with obesity
Increases the likelihood of behavioral problems by a factor of 8-12x, including classroom disruptions

(Information from KidBright here)

KidBright also tells us that "existing meal programs — including breakfast, lunch, and after-school snack programs — only fill a portion of the hunger gap.

Nutrition level of provided meals are often inadequate and comparable to fast food
Many schools serve lunch at unusual times to accommodate all students in limited cafeteria space
Many schools provide very short lunch periods often leaving students with only a few minutes of table time to eat
In Durham Public Schools, some elementary school students eat lunch as early as 10:30 a.m. This is their last scheduled meal until class ends at 3:30 p.m.
The problem is most visible at snack time when some children bring healthy snacks, some bring low-quality “junk food” snacks, and still many others have nothing to eat at all. This disparity not only means that some children are undernourished or hungry but also has a social impact in the classroom."

Another reason KidBright exists is because they work to combat the unfair burden child hunger places on teachers. "Each year 2.25 million teachers spend an average of $33 a month to feed their hungry students. Collectively, teachers are spending a staggering $530 million out-of-pocket each year to provide food for their students."

Teachers truly know the impact of KidBright. As a 2nd grade teacher at Forest View Elementary tells us - “The seemingly simple act of sharing food with everyone, every day, has deep impacts on our classes. Besides filling the obvious need of hunger, it also nourishes kids’ hearts and reinforces their sense of belonging to a community that cares about them.”

KidBright not only needs donations but volunteers to bring the food to the classrooms. Volunteering with KidBright is easy and fun! How does it work?

They "pair two volunteers with two classrooms so they can alternate weeks to fit with their schedules.
On their scheduled weeks, volunteers receive an email with the snack order.
On Saturday or Sunday volunteers visit Costco and shop for the ordered snacks.
Volunteers pay for the snacks using personal funds and then email a photo of their receipt to reimbursement@KidBrightUSA.org. Within 48 hours, KidBright will reimburse volunteers in full for their purchase.
Volunteers deliver snacks Monday morning before classes start and feel good knowing that students will be nourished and ready to learn throughout the week!"

Fill out an application here!

KidBright also prides themselves on being completely transparent about how they work and where money goes. You can read their annual report here.

So how can you make a difference in the lives of students in Durham today? With a one-time gift of $30 made easily online, you can provide a hungry child with a healthy snack every day of the school year. That's just .17 cents per snack/day - surely you can see the impact your donation would have and how far they can stretch your money. KidBright USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and your gift is tax-deductible.

Help combat childhood hunger right in our hometown today. Visit: kidbrightusa.org/donate

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: I received payment in exchange for this blog post. The post is written by me, and contains my own opinions.

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Carolina Theater

10/4/2018

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The Carolina Theater has been a crown jewel of downtown Durham since 1926 and is the place to go for a much-needed date night. But did you know that they have performances and films made just for kids? Best of all, they're affordable so the whole family can have fun!

The Family Saturday Series lasts all year long and is the perfect way to make your weekend something special. Each month they offer something different, sure to please anyone from adults to kids.

Upcoming Family Saturday Series shows in 2018 include:

CHARLES PETTEE
Saturday, October 20 at 11AM - Charles Pettee performs his special combination of original and traditional southern Bluegrass music for kiddos across the world. He gives children a "whirlwind tour in banjo, guitar, and mandolin of string music... it is fun, interactive and informative." Buy tickets now (again, just $5!) here!

CAIQUE VIDAL
Saturday, November 17 at 11AM - South American songwriter and percussionist Caique Vidal blends "rhythms of samba, reggae, salsa, bachata, pop, rock and Bossa Nova in both original and popular hits in Brazilian music." His fun style exposes kids to Afro-Brazilian culture through his dynamic and one of a kind "Bahia of All Color" performances.
Tickets for sale here!

MAD SCIENCE
Saturday, December 15 at 11AM - Mad Science has been bringing science right to kids in a creative and fun way for over 25 years. This show, "Up, Up and Away" introduces children to the principles of air and pressure, and how the weight of our atmosphere pushes down with the force of two elephants. They use a vortex generator to create giant smoke rings to help children see how Bernoulli's principle creates lift. Hot air balloons and hovercrafts help children understand the power of air." Even more fun, volunteers will be picked from the audience to participate so buy your tickets here now!

I can't wait for the Family Saturday Series to continue in 2019, which arrives with storyteller Donna Washington in January, followed by the Bull City Slam Poetry team - which promises to be epic! The diverse lineup continues with classical Indian dance performances, fun films like Akeelah and the Bee and the animated movie Khalil Gibran's The Prophet, and more!

Bet you weren't aware that each year, over 15,000 school children are exposed to culture at The Carolina Theater during their one-of-a-kind Arts Discovery Education Series. They handpick performances that are specifically designed to complement classroom curriculum, which gives teachers a unique and fun way to enhance their lessons. The tickets are really fairly priced, anywhere from $8 to complimentary, all in the name of bringing the arts directly to Durham children. Their goal is "to help engage students through captivating on-stage performances and film presentations that connect with students and foster learning" and boy, do they go above and beyond. I've been on trips with my children's classes to daytime performances at The Carolina Theater and I can tell you from experience that this series truly sparks the imagination of kids as they watch what they've been learning come to life in front of their very eyes!

So what special Arts Discovery Educational Series performances are coming up for schoolkids? Diverse musicians range from latin band Rio Mira to Gullah culture infused southern quartet Ranky Tanky to Carolina Live!, a performance that brings to life Carolina tunes throughout our state's history, from jazz, blues, bluegrass, gospel, and R&B. The holidays bring special performances of A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker, sure to delight any kid during this festive season. The treasured film My Neighbor Totoro joins beloved giant puppet troupe Paperhand Puppet Intervention throughout the rest of the year, along with a adorable play based on the Caldecott Medal Winner A Sick Day For Amos McGee. There's something for every class with the Arts Discovery Educational Series - share the news with your child's teacher today!

Between the Family Saturday Series
and the Arts Discovery Educational Series,
The Carolina Theater offers dozens of opportunities
for families and schools to learn, laugh, gasp, groove,
and be inspired right in the middle of our beautiful city
for a really reasonable price.
You can't beat that, so buy your tickets here today!

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: I received payment in exchange for this blog post. The post is written by me, and contains my own opinions.

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Do It Local !

9/6/2018

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Do It Local is a mobile fundraising app full of coupons to locally owned businesses that also raises funds for local charities. It's easy and fun to join the locals helping locals movement today!

Simply go to doitlocalfundraising.com and purchase one year of membership for only $15.00 (a 40% discount) and know that $10.00 of that goes directly to a fantastic local charity of your choice. You can use different keys to pick the charity:

Diaper Bank of NC (key 94C104BF)
KidBright USA (donating snacks to schools in need, key 6D07E3E)
Ronald McDonald House of Durham (key 8243C3A2)
Durham Literacy Center (key BDBEF505)

Questions? Just contact SoDu mom Carol at carol@doitlocalfundraising.com - this is a labor of love for her. She truly believes in Do It Local's mission.

Will you use Do It Local? Well just this week I needed envelopes and name tags so I ran by Not Just Paper downtown and got my Do It Local discount, and had a bag embroidered at Hometown Apparel and used Do It Local again for some gifts for friends!

So what are some Do It Local business partners offering deals? Check it out below - including several businesses owned by SoDu moms and dads!

Synergy Fitness for Her- Southpoint has a great deal for a month of unlimited small group training. They also have a benefit event coming up soon, scroll down!
Not Just Paper is an all-in-one shop that offers everything from office supplies to kids activity books to teacher and business goods. They even have huge mylar balloons!
TCR: Triangle Cellular Repair has a great Back to School deal and 6 convenient locations!
There's even more below!

Kids love Notasium which has a great deal on the app for 2 Play Passes and 1 Music Lesson!
Looking for decor, linens, a bridal registry or special custom invitations? Bungalow boutique shop has all that and more!
There's a great deal on lunch at It's a Southern Thing. I love their food!
How long has it been since you've had an eye exam? Save money on one at Academy Eye Associates with Do It Local!
The brews at Durty Bull Brewing Company are thirst quenching, and Do It Local has a deal on their trendy merch too!
SoDu favorite Blue Bamboo Hair Salon works wonders with hair - look beautiful and save money!
Got HS juniors or seniors? SoDu pardner A Plus Test Prep has a deal on their SAT/ACT Test Prep classes and an upcoming event - scroll down below for more info.
Get 2 tee shirts for the price of one at custom Durham clothing shop Hometown Apparel- Cotton Creek on 9th street. I love everything they have there, from their Nine One Nine shirts to their shiny Bull City mugs.

Who else? Too many to name, including Through This Lens, Torero's Mexican Restaurant, Bull City Art & Frame Company, Lucie's Home Services, Barriskill Dance Studio, Linden's Dancewear, West 94th Street Pub, Beneti's Restaurant, Sarah's Empanadas, Central Dermatology Center, Triangle Fencing... and they're adding more all the time!

One part about Do It Local that I really love is how they support local charities and their business partners not just on the app but at special fun events. And there's a lot coming up this fall! Come save money, have a good time and make a difference!

Do It Local will be collecting donations and giving away FREE memberships at the following events in September:

September 8 - Come celebrate at the 3rd Anniversary Bash at Synergy Fitness for Women to benefit The NC Diaper Bank. They will have raffles, prizes, fun games, drink tastings, food trucks, music tons of health and beauty experts and most importantly.....fun! Bring family and friends to extend your chance to win door prizes!

September 15 - Triangle Kickoff to College and Career sponsored by APlus Test Prep promises to be super informative for high schoolers and their parents. Do it Local will be selling memberships to support the Durham Literacy Center. https://kickofftocollege.com

September 22 - Community Auction at Durty Bull to benefit Durham Habitat for Humanity (SEE BELOW)

September 29 - Blue Bamboo Hair Salon is having a first anniversary party to benefit The NC Diaper Bank. Do It Local will be there too! Also, they are accepting School Supplies donations if you can bring some when you come! Stay tuned to their facebook page for more information.

The inaugural Bull City Charity Auction benefiting Durham Habitat for Humanity promises to be a blast! Do It Local is going to raffle off some great gift certificates to a few of their awesome partner businesses. Habitat for Humanity's mission is to make families AffordaBULL housing dreams come true!

When: Saturday, Sept 22 1-4 PM
Where: Durty Bull Brewing Co.

Here's more info on it! The mission of the auction is two-fold:
"1) Obviously, we want to build houses! Supporting Habitat for Humanity's mission to provide safe, affordable housing for local families is at the center of the event. We are doing this by creating Durham "baskets" - bundles of goods, services, and experiences from the local community. This happens through donations & sponsorship from local businesses. Baskets are themed (examples: SoDu Date Night, Downtown Get-Around, Bull City Beers, etc...) and most include multiple shops, services, and experiences. The baskets are auctioned off with the proceeds benefitting Habitat for Humanity of Durham

2) To connect local families with local businesses. Durham averages 20 new residents every single day - that's a lot of people who don't really know everything that Durham has to offer. On the flip side, we have new businesses opening every day too that our established locals might not know about. As Durham grows, we are working to create and help foster strong community relationships.

Learn more about the Realtor Community Habitat Home here."

You want to save money. You want to make a difference. So why not do both with one simple, easy to use app? Do It Local - Shop local, play local, eat local... all while helping your favorite organization make a difference right here in Durham!

DONATE! DOWNLOAD! DO IT LOCAL!!

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: I received payment in exchange for this blog post. The post is written by me, and contains my own opinions.

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Grow It Yourself

8/15/2018

2 Comments

I am all thumbs and none of them are green, but I've always wanted a garden. The idea of walking out in your own yard and grabbing homegrown tomatoes sounds amazing. The only thing stopping me was time and well... knowledge. I can kill a plant just by looking at it! So for years I've just gazed longingly at other people's gardens, too scared to try it myself for fear of wasting time and money when I failed. But last year found out about locally owned company Grow It Yourself, which is designed for people just like me! Owner Noam Oshry has been gardening his whole life and realized that he could use his skills and passion for gardening to help others learn. Grow It Yourself is like your own personal gardening support system, helping anyone grow any garden they wish in a easy way and without any prior knowledge. It's such a great concept, and really needed for gardening-challenged people like me. And now is the time to contact Noam as fall season planting starts in the next few weeks so if you would like to get fall/winter crops NOW is the time to get your garden installed.

Here's how it works: Grow It Yourself first finds out exactly what you're looking for and provides a quote. Then they come right to your yard and build a raised bed in the size you want, where you want it. They provide the wood frame, special fabric to prevent weeds, healthy soil mixed with organic compost and any plants that you've custom ordered.

But they don't just leave you to fend for yourself, Noam helps guide you along the way as you watch your garden grow before your eyes. His goal is to give you the confidence and know-how so that you can indeed "grow it yourself". They've set you up to succeed by not only offering personalized care as your garden grows but also by building their raised beds from high quality long lasting materials, made to last for years with little maintenance.

There are so many reasons to take up gardening, especially with the support of a professional where you have a much better rate of success. Noam finds it really rewarding to help people as they responsibility source their own food, learning an essential, life giving skill. It's also very therapeutic to work in the dirt and use your hands to grow what you eat, getting time away from smart phones and being out in the fresh air. This is such a great investment for families especially since quality time is hard to come by. Instead of spending money at the mall, you can get outside with the kids, learning as a family how to water, plant, and harvest. It makes that moment when you sit down to dinner incredibly special when you've tended to that vegetable from beginning to end, and creates a sense of gratitude around family mealtime. I mean... can't your just imagine your kids faces when they pull out their first full grown carrot and help you cook it up? The pride that comes from doing something yourself is like no other. “You will be amazed by how much fun gardening can be, and the pride you take in sharing healthy food nurtured by your own efforts” is a phrase that Noam says gets him out of bed everyday.

Just listen to this mom and client on why gardening with Grow It Yourself has been great for her family:

"I was so excited to have my home garden put in. It's very important to my family to grow what we eat and enjoy watching nature provide for us. I couldn't have asked for a nicer guy to do the work and share his wonderful gifts of helping families find that gardening can be easy. I recommend everyone get a grow it yourself garden. Next one will be the herb garden!"

What if you already have a garden but you'd like to take the next step and don't know how? Grow It Yourself also offers rain barrels, wood stands, composters, and small raised beds for edible herbs and medicinal plants. We all know a long hot summer is coming, and that rain barrel will come in handy!

Here's the best news of all - Grow It Yourself is happy to offer a 10% discount for any kind of vegetable garden just for SoDu Parents!

To take advantage of it, just email Noam at growityourself2015@gmail.com. So go get excited about your new garden by checking out some of the gardens Owen has made on the Grow It Yourself facebook page here.

There is nothing stopping you from having your own garden, thanks to Grow It Yourself. They give you everything you need to do it on your own, from start to finish. So why not get a quote today at growityourself2015.com? You've got nothing to lose and a ton of delicious veggies to gain!

FCC Disclosure for bloggers: I received payment in exchange for this blog post. The post is written by me, and contains my own opinions.

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