Nadine DeVaney, our extraordinary Site Coordinator at South Umpqua UCAN Head Start, has once again gone above and beyond to create special gifts for the children we serve.
Several years ago, Nadine began crocheting book characters for every child in the South Umpqua UCAN Head Start SMART program that she and her husband, Duke, managed. Over the years, she has made Pete the Cat, dinosaurs, and a variety of other reading buddies, bringing stories to life for the children. When she and Duke filled in as Readers at Green Elementary, Nadine wanted to ensure those children received reading buddies, too. What started as a small act of kindness has blossomed into a beloved tradition, enriching shared reading time for countless kiddos.
This year, Nadine set her sights even higher. She decided that every child in Douglas County SMART Reading should have a reading buddy. While supporting Duke through cancer treatment (he is now cancer-free—Yay, Duke!), Nadine used her spare time to crochet 410 whales—one for each child we serve. This heartfelt gesture is how she chose to celebrate her birthday. When asked why, she smiles and says, “Why not? This is what I want to do for myself for my birthday.”
Whale…Happy Birthday, Nadine! We are incredibly grateful to have you as part of our SMART family. We also want to recognize Nadine’s dedicated Co-Coordinator and husband, Duke, who brings so much joy—and a little humor—to our team. As he often reminds us, “Don’t forget about me! I have to count them all when she’s finished making them.”
Nadine and Duke went on a county-wide SMART tour the week of March 9th. They delivered all 410 handmade crochet whale reading buddies and whale-themed books to SMART Reading students, sharing with them the joy of reading!
Pictured: Nadine and Duke DeVaney and several of their handmade crochet whale reading buddies.