Many of us lead very, very busy lives these days. We want to make a difference, but it is hard to choose where to focus our efforts. For those of us who are interested in charities that help local children and women, it seems that there are almost too many choices to consider (which is a good thing!)

I have a possible solution for those of you who want to focus your efforts but still have a wide-ranging impact on the lives of children and women in our area.

The solution is the Chapel Hill Service League. The League has been around for 72 years and partners with other local nonprofits to provide womenpower (volunteers) and other types of assistance. Last year, the League worked with numerous groups, including: NC Children’s Promise, Ronald McDonald House, SECU Family House, Communities in Schools, Beacon Child and Family Program, IFC Homestart, Dress for Success NC, UNC Horizons, and Kidzu Children’s Museum.

By joining the Chapel Hill Service League, you can help children and women with lots of different kinds of needs.

The League manages its own flagship project — Christmas House — in addition to assisting local nonprofits. Christmas House has provided a brighter holiday for 800+ local children for more than 50 years. Not familiar with Christmas House? Well, when the holiday season arrives and you see the Christmas trees at University and Carr Mill Malls and other locales with the cute teddy bear wish cards on them, that’s the League’s Christmas House project. Wouldn’t it be fun to be one of Santa’s special elves at the Chapel Hill Service League this year? The Christmas House project requires the efforts of more than 200 volunteers from the League as well as the community.

But if you prefer running to eating Christmas cookies, you might be interested in helping plan the League’s annual Southern Village 5K Race and Family Fun Run this November. The funds raised are used to support Christmas House and other community projects.

Women of all ages and backgrounds are invited to join the Chapel Hill Service League. The League’s New Member Informational Fair is being held on Wednesday, August 31, 7:30 p.m. at the Horace Williams House. More information about the League can be found at their web site: www.chapelhillserviceleague.org.

For those men who were disappointed to read that last paragraph (about the League being just for women), don’t worry because my upcoming columns will highlight lots of ways you can help children and women in the local community. And don’t forget that when you walk by one of those Christmas trees at the mall, there will be little teddy bear wish cards hanging from the limbs . . .

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Service League Changes Christmas House Model for 2020
Christmas House, the Chapel Hill Service League’s signature annual community outreach project, is changing up its model for the 2020 holiday season.
What do Candlelight, Dessert, and Woody Durham Have in Common?
Well, on September 23rd, the Triangle Radio Reading Service is honoring Woody Durham, “The Voice of the Tarheels,” at its “Dining by Candlelight: Dessert in the Dark” fundraiser. The Triangle Radio Reading Service (TRRS) provides live news and information to people who are visually and print impaired and live in a 20 county area of […]
Affordable Homes, Indian Food, and All That Jazz…
This Friday, September 9th, the Community Home Trust will rock the new Greenbridge building with cool jazz by mahaloJazz, Indian food by Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe, wine by Milltown, and interesting conversation by current and former mayors and council members, community volunteers, and, hopefully, you! The Community Home Trust’s mission is to sell and preserve affordable […]
MAYBE A FUTURE PRESIDENT, WITH YOUR HELP
What do President Bill Clinton, Michael Jordan, Senator George Mitchell, Bill Cosby, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, General Wesley Clark, and Denzel Washington all have in common?    As children, they all belonged to Boys & Girls Clubs like the one organizers hope to open at the Pine Knolls Community Center in Chapel Hill next year. www.bgcepnc.org  Their first […]
Top Stories of 2024: Hurricane Helene and the Dizzying Cost of Disaster
Joining the names of Hugo, Hazel, Florence and Fran, Helene represents another entry into North Carolina's shared history with hurricanes.
Bill Nye Set to Visit Chapel Hill as Part of Democratic Campaign; Here's Where He Will Be
Science advocate and television star Bill Nye is set to make an appearance in Chapel Hill on Saturday as part of the North Carolina Democratic Party's campaign.
Carrboro Author and North Carolina Literary Fellow Debuts Novel, 'Bright and Tender Dark'
Carrboro author Joanna Pearson celebrated the release of her debut novel last week after joining State Fellows for Literary Art.
Steady Ascent or Sudden Splash? North Carolina Governor’s Race Features Men Who Took Different Paths
While taking dramatically different paths, Josh Stein and Mark Robinson have emerged as front-runners to be North Carolina's next governor.
Derrick Allen Details Housing Troubles and Pushes for Pardon After Wrongful Imprisonment
Durham's Derrick Allen, who was wrongfully imprisoned for 13 years, says he needs a gubernatorial pardon and compensation to move on.
Sancar Turkish Center Holds Info Session on Earthquakes' Impact, Fundraising
Last Sunday afternoon, as some in our community were finalizing Super Bowl plans or finishing their weekends, others were gathered at the Sancar Turkish Cultural Center in Chapel Hill. Dozens of people milled around the Greathall room, sipping tea and nibbling on baklava. There were smiles and laughs as people greeted each other, […]
›