Richmondmom.com’s summer camps feature will be published on February 1, 2014 with dozens of local camp options for kids of all ages. But there is another option for teens this summer.

Children’s Hospital Volunteers

The Children’s Hospital of Richmond (CH0R) MCV Campus is accepting applications for Junior Volunteers between the ages of 14 and 17.  It’s a great opportunity for kids to do something for others, get in some community service hours, and add some great experience to a college application or resume.

Teen volunteers learn new skills and may find an area of healthcare that interests him or her for their future.

CHoR is offering two different volunteer sessions during the summer:

1. Session I: July 7th – 24th (mandatory orientation on July 2nd)
2. Session II: July 28th – August 14th (mandatory orientation on July 25th)

Volunteers typically serve Monday through Friday from 9am – 12pm during the 3-week sessions.

It’s time to apply for one of these sought-after positions. Click here to access the application which must be submitted no later than March 15, 2014. Applicants must be 14 years of age by June 1, 2014. The process includes a review of the application and an interview. The interviews are scheduled between February 17th and April 4th. There is a $25 fee for students accepted to help defray some of the administrative and operational costs of the program.

It’s important to note that only 2 days can be missed in each session so if family vacations, camps, or other events are planned, make sure they do not interfere with the schedule.

If you have any questions, contact Volunteer Services at 804-828-0922. Download your application and get started now since you need to include a guidance counselor/teacher recommendation.

In addition, there will be volunteer intern positions at the Children’s Hospital – Brook Road Campus on March 1, 2014.

Source: http://www.freebase.com/m/0fpr87v

If you have ever seen Elf then you know, “the best way to spread Holiday cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Starting on Monday, December 2, 2013, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) is celebrating the “12 Days of Holiday Cheer” by challenging our community to spread just as much cheer as the North Pole does. In order to do this, they need to reach 1200 acts of cheer by December 31, 2013 and Richmondmom.com readers are the perfect people to make the magic happen!

There are two ways you and your readers can contribute an act of cheer. It’s simple and you can do it with spending a penny if you choose!

1. Post on Facebook: Tell CHoR how you plan to #SpreadCheer this holiday season in just 6 words and post your message on CHoR’s Facebook page using the #SpreadCheer hashtag.
2. Text-to-donate: Text HEALTH to 50555 to donate $10 to help children in the hospital.

Let’s get Richmondmom.com readers to help spearhead the movement to #SpreadCheer and help children spending their holiday in the hospital. You can come up with a personal project, a family project, or join together with other Richmond families and embark on a larger projects. It’s really that easy and fun. Children will love to be involved too so make this a family project for the memory books!

If you’re searching for ideas or ways to help, collaborate with Richmondmom.com readers on our Facebook page – you’re sure to be inspired! Thanks to everyone for making this dream a reality for CHoR and children in the hospital.

And don’t miss this look at what Young House Love has done to make-over the CHoR waiting room below:

We’d like to give a special thank you to Real Life Studios , Romp n’ Roll and Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU for making this contest possible!

We’d also like to thank all of the wonderful sponsors who provided gifts for the amazing prize packages!

We’re proud to partner with United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and are making a donation for each entrant in this contest along with a donation match from Shannon Millagan of RVA Home Team.

We would also like to thank all of YOU for participating and voting in the 2013 Real Cute Kids Contest.  An amazingly cute group of 110 entrants and a whopping 6,647 votes cast!

The Winners in Each Category and Grand Prize Winner (with the highest number of unique votes) are below. Prizes will arrive within a couple of weeks! Thanks to everyone who participated.

0-2 Age Category Winner: Cheyanne

**Cheyanne is also our Grand Prize Winner with the highest number of votes overall!

3-5 Age Category Winner:  Simina

6+ Age Category Winner:  Oliver

Runners Up:

0-2 Runner Up:  Dylan Eli

3-5 Runner Up:  Ezra

6+ Runner Up:  Mackenzie

Gardner & Jones Orthodontics – Gift certificate for discount on orthodontics worth $500!

Romp n’ Roll  is giving the grand prize winner a month of free classes!

Flying Squirrels – Flying Squirrels prize package

First place in each age category will receive a $350 gift certificate from Real Life Studios.

Elephants and Giraffes – Gift certificates for each 1st place winner in each age category worth $50 and a $25 gift certificate for each runner-up  by age category (Total value all prizes is $300!)

Sweet Spot Candy Shop – A birthday party at Sweet Spot for up to 10 kids worth $275!

Birthday Party Fun at CORE Kids Academy – $255 value.

Cartwheels & Coffee - Annual membership worth $200!

Layla Bella -  Kids Candy Buffet worth $150!

Science Museum of Virginia annual membership worth $99 for the grand prize winner, and a family four pack of tickets for the top winners by age category.

YB Glitter Tattoos – A glitter tattoo kit valued at $55!

Signed copies for the winner in each age group – Kate Hall’s famous Richmond Rocks books with total value of over $75!

Virginia Historical Society - Annual membership package.

Metro Richmond Zoo – 4 pack of tickets valid from August 31, 2013 for 1 year worth $53

Blizzard Day for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Dairy Queen is donating $1 per Blizzard - visit website for a list of participating locations.

Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU community meeting

VCU Health System has proposed a plan for a new, freestanding children’s hospital. The VCU Health System Authority Board has appointed a Strategic Advisory Committee to meet with community stakeholders to gather information and feedback on the proposal.

The committee is in the middle of a 90 day process for collecting input from stakeholders. As a community member, your input is essential. Please join us at a special meeting for all Richmond and surrounding region community members.

When: Thursday, August 22

When: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Where: The Westin Richmond, 6631 West Broad St.

The proposal will be presented, and the committee will open the floor for questions and to hear your comments. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the next step in advancing children’s health.

If you plan to attend, please register at http://chorcommunitymeetingaug22.eventzilla.net.

While none of us want to even think about the loss of a loved one, many people live each day wondering if it is their loved ones’ last as they wait for an organ donor.

Stories of those who have donated organs to save lives demonstrates the incredible courage and selflessness of thousands of people – but donors are needed every day. A story on Richmondmom.com about Paul Harris, who’s life was cut way too short, is an example of how organ donation touches many lives – with a ripple effect that spans generations. Organ donation is an incredible gift to individuals and to the world – allowing people to live longer and make a difference in the community and the world.

This year’s 2013 Richmondmom.com Real Cute Kids contest is proud to recognize UNOS as the recipient of a financial donation for each child entered into our contest. It’s one way that we can help further the critical need for organ donation. We encourage you to enter our Real Cute Kids contest to help us increase the financial donation available to UNOS. The Real Cute Kids contest is sponsored by the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Romp n’ Roll, and Real Life Studios.

About UNOS

United Network for Organ Sharing is a national nonprofit based in downtown Richmond which runs the nation’s transplant system matching lifesaving organs from deceased donors to those on the national waiting list.  This matching process happens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  78 lifesaving transplants take place each day in this country thanks to the matching work being done by UNOS.

One organ donor can save 8 lives. There are six (6) lifesaving organs:

1. heart
2. lung
3. liver
4. kidneys
5. pancreas
6. intestine

In addition to organ donation, UNOS also has many needs for eye and tissue donation.

Currently more than 115,000 men, women and children are awaiting organ transplants to save their lives. Thousands more are in need of tissue and cornea transplants to restore their mobility and sight.

Visit the website for information about the National Donor Memorial in downtown Richmond which honors organ, eye and tissue donors across the country. And take that critical step to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor by clicking here to provide hope.

Register for the Real Cute Kids contest and we’ll make a financial donation to UNOS to thank you! Thanks to our contest sponsors for making this possible.

• 65 physicians from VCU Medical Center named to the list
• 17 physicians from Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU named to the list

They are honored among 5% of the doctors in America selected by their peers from more than 45,000 physicians. Richmond is fortunate to have such an incredibly talented group of physicians based on their credentials, clinical activity, and accessibility to existing or new patients.

For more information on the 2013 Best Doctors, visit this link.

A list of doctors recognized this year can be found at this link.

The Fairy Godmother Project started in Fredericksburg and is now moving to Richmond. This program helps families in Virginia who have a child in treatment for cancer. As you can imagine, they are under a great deal of stress both financially and emotionally because of their child’s illness so the regular day-to-day stresses like cooking, cleaning, lawn care, shopping, and organizing are low on the priority list.

As a group, the Fairy Godmother Project tries to lighten their load. They have volunteers who make meals, donate their time to clean, provide different services and donate money to help these families.  The second part of the program provides one professional photography session to each family.  This is the most precious gift to many of them because they just don’t know what the future holds and photos are a long-lasting treasure.

The Fairy Godmother Project in Richmond needs volunteers, sponsors, services donated by businesses, monetary and gift card donations, and other things to ease the burden for those dealing with childhood cancer.

As for volunteer needs, they need people who will make meals, clean and organize homes, fundraise to be able to provide these services, and market to the community.  They need businesses to donate house-cleanings and lawn services, restaurants to donate meals and date nights for families, and other services to lighten the load of parents and caregivers.

People may have other talents to share with FGP families (massages, haircutting services, tutoring, dog-sitting, painting, and others).

Source: Fairy Godmother website

Don’t have time to volunteer? They also need gift card donations for gas or restaurants, and groceries are always needed. Monetary donations are also welcome and checks can be written to Fairy Godmother Project.  FGP is run completely by volunteers, so all donations go directly towards helping these families.

No matter how much or little time you have or what your interest/talent is, they can find a place for you at FGP and your efforts will ease the burdens of families dealing with the more critical and time-sensitive issues of childhood cancer. Help make their burdens lighter by volunteering or donating.

Donations can be made online or mailed to:
Fairy Godmother Project
c/o Laura Leporati
4831 Jaydee Dr.
Moseley, VA 23120

There is a volunteer training scheduled for this Tuesday, March 27th at 7 pm at Clover Hill library. They would love to have you attend and your help offers help and hope for others.

For more information, visit the Fairy Godmother website.

Country music star George Canyon will be in Richmond on Saturday, March 24. He is attending an educational event for children living with Type 1 diabetes (and their families) at Mount Vernon Baptist Church on Nuckols Road in Glen Allen, VA.

George has come a long way since he placed #2 on the popular TV show “Nashville Star”. He has had numerous chart-topping songs and received many top awards for his music. The award he’s most proud of is a humanitarian award from the Canadian Country Music Awards for his support of the Canadian troops and his work to aid the search for a cure for Type 1 diabetes.

George has been living with Type 1 diabetes since the age of 14 and has been a tremendous advocate empowering children and adults by showing that this disease doesn’t have to get in the way of pursuing what you love.

The “CareGiver” program is a retreat for children and their families living with type 1 diabetes and is being presented by The Children’s Hospital of Richmond and Animas Corporation.  Kids with diabetes and their parents are invited to attend this educational event. The day will include fun events for the kids, valuable information for parents, and of course a brief George Canyon performance. It’s a great time to learn more about dealing with the challenges of diabetes and helping children learn more about taking care of their own health.

Check out George’s Youtube videos below to hear him sing, and also learn more about his mission to help others dealing with the challenge of diabetes.

Thanks and have a rocking good week!

Monday, March 19

 Great Wolf Lodge March Madness – get great discounts while they last!

Always Patsy Cline at Hanover Tavern.

Learn about the new Chesterfield Children’s Museum of Richmond at a special ceremony at 10:00 a.m. at the site of the new location.

Tuesday, March 20

 Great Wolf Lodge March Madness with great discounts for a limited time!

Young at Art: Ancient Art and Languages.  10am-11am.  VMFA – Preschool Program. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each month. Check website for times and details.

Great Wolf Lodge is a vacation destination!

St. Michael The Archangel Catholic Church in Glen Allen will host faith leaders from area churches to speak for its Lenten Series. On Tuesdays during Lent, the series will offer lunch followed by a talk on this year’s theme, At the Foot of the Cross. All are invited for a time to partake of food for the body and the soul.Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. and speakers at 12:15 p.m. The cost is $7 for lunch or participants may bring their own. The series is held at St. Michael’s located at 4491 Springfield Road in Glen Allen. Visit website to see names of speakers each week and their church affiliations.

Celtic Woman – Tuesday, Mar 20 7:30p at Center Stage: Landmark Theater, Richmond, VA – Internationally acclaimed vocal phenomenon Celtic Woman has announced their brand-new North American tour in support of their new CD/DVD release, BELIEVE.

Wednesday, March 21

RIR, The NASCAR Foundation & Children’s Museum of Richmond invite you to a partnership announcement Wednesday, March 21, 2012  which is free and open to the public.  Announcement begins at 5:30 pm  and is open to the public at no charge. CMoR will be open from 6:00pm to 8:00 pm with the first 200 guests admitted FREE! After the first 200 guests, kids can still play for only 60¢!* Vintage race cars will be on display and you can enter for a chance to win race tickets! NASCAR driver and Virginia native  Elliott Sadler  will be here to help us make the announcement. Only at CMoR Central – 2626 W. Broad Street . *Discount applies to children 18 and under with admission of a paying adult ($8).  Please note that the museum requires 1 adult for every 5 children in attendance.

IMAX®DOME – See breathtaking IMAX® films on the largest movie screen in Virginia! Ten times the size of a traditional 35 mm film, IMAX® films are projected over two-thirds of the dome’s screen for the ultimate “You Are There” experience. See Hubble and Born to be Wild now. Visit website for times and dates of showings.

Young at Art: Ancient Art and Languages.  10am-11am.  VMFA – Preschool Program. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each month. Check website for times and details.

Spirited Art is starting a weekday class – every Wednesday, we will be offering an adult class at 11 a.m.  You’re welcome to bring your own lunch/snacks during this weekday class.  Check out our calendar www.myspiritedart.com.

SAKS Spring Fashion Show – Benefits go to LINC. 10% of coupon sales for to Legal Information Network for Cancer when you mention LINC at the point of sale.

Lunch Break Science Wednesday, March 21, Noon at the Science Museum of Virginia. The Color of Disparities: African American, Hispanic American, and Native American Women in the United States Health Care System, presented by Dr. Patricia Gunn, an Ohio- based attorney, Chair, St. Francis/St. Emma, Inc. and graduate of St. Francis de Sales in Powhatan.

Thursday, March 22

Young at Art: Ancient Art and Languages.  10am-11am.  VMFA – Preschool Program. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each month. Check website for times and details.

IMAX®DOME – See breathtaking IMAX® films on the largest movie screen in Virginia! Ten times the size of a traditional 35 mm film, IMAX® films are projected over two-thirds of the dome’s screen for the ultimate “You Are There” experience. See Hubble and Born to be Wild now. Visit website for times and dates of showings.

Barnes & Noble Storytime at Short Pump Children’s Storytime: Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 6 and Under). Join us each Thursday for our Children’s Storytime. On the third Thursday of each month, we’ll have a special visit from Seymour and the Children’s Museum.

Hawk Harmony will present “WILLIE WONKA JR.” on Thursday, March 22 at 7:00 PM AND Friday, March 23 at 7:00 PM in the Pocahontas auditorium. Tickets will go on sale soon and are $4 in advance and $5 at the show. They can be purchased before school in the bus lobby or during lunch.

Amelia Bloomer, a rebellious reformer and early women’s rights activist who invented bloomers and liberated women from oppressive clothing of the mid-19th century is the focus on stories at the Virginia Historical Society on March 22 at 5:00 p.m.

Universe Society RACE: Are We So Different? Thursday, March 22, 6-8 pm. Visit the groundbreaking exhibition RACE: Are We So Different? with Richmond’s most prominent young professionals. Gain insight into this important topic from scientific, historical and cultural perspectives. RACE is a project of the American Anthropological Association and is funded by the Ford Foundation & National Science Foundation.

Friday, March 23

Virginia Motor Trend International Auto Show at Richmond Convention Center.

CMoR Central and Short Pump  – Curious George at Central and Tigger at Short Pump.

eMommie Warehouse Sale with even more discounts when you register.

IMAX®DOME – See breathtaking IMAX® films on the largest movie screen in Virginia! Ten times the size of a traditional 35 mm film, IMAX® films are projected over two-thirds of the dome’s screen for the ultimate “You Are There” experience. See Hubble and Born to be Wild now. Visit website for times and dates of showings.

Bowl For Kids’ Sake is a distinctive bowl-a-thon fundraiser that supports one-to-one mentoring matches that change the lives of children in our community for the better, forever! It is a fun and easy way to positively impact a child’s life. Teams are made up of 5 bowlers, so muster up your creativity and grab 4 of your favorite friends, neighbors, or co-workers and sign up your team, today! Details are found at www.bigbrobigsis.com/bfks2012.

CMoR – Join us on the fourth Friday of each month for a special story time with a Franklin Federal Educator! The fourth Friday of each month will feature a book that emphasizes financial literacy. After story time, the educator will stick around to play and answer questions in CMoR’s very own Franklin Federal Branch! Story time starts at 10:00am.

Saturday, March 24

FREE admission to Children’s Corner Book Chat at Virginia Historical Society. Join us on March 24, 2012, at 1:00 pm for this special event!  Author Kelly Starling Lyons will visit the Virginia Historical Society to read her book, “Ellen’s Broom,” and present a program related to the text. The event is free and open to the public–be sure to arrive early for this exciting meet-and-greet event because seating is limited.

Incredible sales events and fun at Hip to be Round.

Romp N’ Roll Mechanicsville Free Open House This Saturday 9am-Noon – Enjoy tons of fun with younger kids! Our fantastic instructors will be leading super-fun activities in our gym as well as a springtime craft in our art room.

Mom and dad, while you are there, be sure to pick up information on our Spring and Summer classes and don’t forget to enter our raffle for a chance to win some fabulous prizes from Romp n’ Roll and other local businesses, such as American Family Fitness, Riverbound Cafe, and Moe’s Southwest Cafe.

Country music singer George Canyon will be in Richmond on Saturday, March 24. He will be performing at an event for children living with Type 1 diabetes and their families being held at Mount Vernon Baptist Church on Nuckols Rd. in Glen Allen, VA  on Sat. March 24. The “CareGiver” program is a retreat for children and their families living with type 1 diabetes and is being presented by The Children’s Hospital of Richmond and Animas Corporation.  The day will include fun events for the kids, valuable information for parents and of course a George Canyon performance.

Capital Diaper Bank in partnership with Anthem HealthKeepers Plus (a division of HealthKeepers, Inc.) and other public and private partners is sponsoring a DIAPER CHANGE Diaper Drive for the City of Richmond and the surrounding areas. The DIAPER CHANGE Diaper Drive will begin on March 24, 2012 with a kickoff event at the Elm St. campus of Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, 29 Elm Street, Petersburg, VA 23803 from 11 am-1 pm. The DIAPER CHANGE Diaper Drive will end on April 21, 2012. There is no program at the federal, state, or local level to help families in need with purchasing diapers and many children spend days in a soiled diaper, increasing the risk of infection to the child for many types of diseases. A baby may need 6-10 diaper changes in one day! Please plan to attend DIAPER CHANGE with a handful, an armload, or a TRUCKLOAD of diapers on March 24! For more information about how to get involved, please call Capital Diaper Bank at (804) 359-8821 or email capitaldiaperbk@hotmail.com.

Walk for Kids at Benedictine College Preparatory at 8:30 a.m. Games and prizes following the walk. Register in advance at c2adopt.org or on Saturday morning during check-in at 8:30. Money goes to help the Virginia Foster Care System and parents waiting to adopt children. If you’re unable to walk, visit kidsdinefree.net and apply the code “coordinators” to receive a $2.00 discount on a KDF card and $4 of your sale goes directly to benefit Coordinators2Inc.

eMommie Warehouse Sale with even more discounts when you register.

IMAX®DOME – See breathtaking IMAX® films on the largest movie screen in Virginia! Ten times the size of a traditional 35 mm film, IMAX® films are projected over two-thirds of the dome’s screen for the ultimate “You Are There” experience. See Hubble and Born to be Wild now. Visit website for times and dates of showings.

The Richmond SPCA is hosting its 10th Annual Dog Jog and 5K Run, presented by Car Pool on Saturday, March 24. Take part by walking with your dog, running in the 5K, or you can help by making a donation to benefit homeless pets in the care of the Richmond SPCA. The Holiday Barn Pet Resorts Vendor Fair is free and open to the public and includes family- and pet-friendly attractions. Visit www.richmondspca.org/race for more information.

CMoR Central – Story time with Curious George

CMoR Short Pump – Story time with Tigger

VMFA – Becoming an Illustrator (register online!) See how art influences picture-book illustrators and vice versa. Use the techniques of illustrators and artists to create an original story.

What’s Easter without an outdoor Easter Egg Hunt? Kids up to age 8 can enjoy the fun of running through the early spring grasses to hunt for Easter eggs at Pole Green Park 10 a.m. and Montpelier Park at 1 p.m.. Come enjoy fun games, crafts and of course dancing with the Big Bunny himself! The Egg Hunts are FREE and open to the public, no pre-registration necessary. All Hunts are Rain or Shine. Don’t forget your camera! Our very own Easter Bunny will be making an appearance!

Saturday, March 24-Sunday, March 25 - Middle school girls work together with women in the medical field to examine significant health topics and explore careers in medicine. Girls in Medicine Camp In is sponsored by HCA Virginia Health System. Fee: $10 per girl and chaperone. For every four girls, one chaperone is required. Pre-registration is required. For information or to register, call 804.864.1400.

Southside Area Moms of Multiples – Everything for Kids Sale. Date: Saturday, March 24, 2012 at Manchester Middle School, 7401 Hull Street Road, Richmond, VA 23234 – from 8am – 11am, rain or shine. Cash Only. Over 50 families selling.

2012 Summer Adventure Expo, March 24, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event will be held indoors and outdoors at Peak Experiences in Midlothian, behind The Shoppes at Bellgrade. Last year’s inaugural Expo was a huge success, and visitors and exhibitors alike agreed that it should become an annual event.Over 20 exhibitors for the 2012 Summer Adventure Expo.

Join Henricus for Commemoration of the March 1622 Virginia Indian Offensive- Enjoy a James River boating excursion and evening candlelight tour. Visit Henricus Historical Park on March 24 and experience first-person historical interpretation of the readiness of English colonists on the eve of the coordinated military offensive by Powhatan leader Opechancanough. Executed on March 22, 1622, the uprising destroyed Henricus and subsequent efforts to re-establish the town failed. An evening candlelight tour will examine the aftermath of the raid and affects on the colonists.

Tickles & Giggles Consignment Sale in Ashland, VA (near Walmart). Visit link for details.

Sunday, March 25

Enjoy CMoR all summer with great activities!

CMoR Central – Story time with Miss Peninsula Outstanding Teen 2012: Unity Bowling

CMoR Short Pump – Story time with Curious George

Incredible sales events and fun at Hip to be Round.

eMommie Warehouse Sale with even more discounts when you register.

2012 Ladybug Wine Dinner – For the twelfth year, the Greater Richmond ARC is raising funds to help young children with developmental disabilities and delays to achieve to their fullest potential. Together, we can ensure that Ladybug Fund scholarships are available for ANY family who needs ARC’s Infant and Child Development Services. No family should be turned away from specialized pediatric rehabilitation when it can give them the best possible start to leading a fulfilling life!

Middle school girls work together with women in the medical field to examine significant health topics and explore careers in medicine. Girls in Medicine Camp In is sponsored by HCA Virginia Health System. Fee: $10 per girl and chaperone. For every four girls, one chaperone is required. Pre-registration is required. For information or to register, call 804.864.1400.

The City Singers children’s choirs and Richmond Choral Society will be performing in conjunction with Minds Wide Open: Children and the Arts 2012 from the Richmond Symphony. Call 804.353.9582 with questions.

Tickles & Giggles Consignment Sale in Ashland, VA (near Walmart). Visit link for details.

IMAX®DOME – See breathtaking IMAX® films on the largest movie screen in Virginia! Ten times the size of a traditional 35 mm film, IMAX® films are projected over two-thirds of the dome’s screen for the ultimate “You Are There” experience. See Hubble and Born to be Wild now. Visit website for times and dates of showings.

Don’t forget to use your Savvy Saver card for all types of savings!