HOLIDAY EVENTS
Holiday Swing Dance: 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Black Box Theatre at Edmonds Community College, 20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood. Featuring the Northwest’s all-female big band, The MoodSwings. Tickets are $10 and benefit the Edmonds Community College Foundation. More info: 425-640-1448.
Mountlake Terrace Tree Lighting: Ceremony is set for 6:30-8 p.m. Friday at Evergreen Playfield, 22205 56th Ave. W., and features a concert by Mountlake Terrace Elementary School students, a visit from Santa and the traditional lighting of the tree (a frame with over 1,800 lights atop the city’s water tower). The event is free but cash donations will be accepted for the Michelle Ringler Youth Recreation Scholarship Fund. More info: 425-776-9173.
Pancakes with Santa: Santa will join the Stillaguamish Senior Center’s monthly pancake breakfast, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday and pose for photos. Treats, door prizes, exercise demonstrations and free massages round out the action. Minimum donation of $5. Bring a can of food for the food bank and get an extra raffle ticket. All ages welcome. The center is at 18308 Smokey Point Blvd., Arlington.
Santa Picture Shoot: Get a photo with Santa to benefit the Arlington Community Food Bank. Santa will be on hand 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at the Old Co-op at 101 S. Olympic Ave., Arlington. A donation of 10 cans of food or $15 will give you pictures with Santa on a disc. More info: acfoodbank@frontier.com.
Arlington Nativity Festival: This free, non-denominational event includes hundreds of nativities from around the world, a live nativity scene and live musical performances along with children’s crafts and photo opportunities. The festival is open 4-8:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; noon-8:30 p.m. Saturday; and 3-8:30 p.m. Sunday. Hosted at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 17222 43rd Ave. NE, Arlington. More info: www.arlingtonnativityfestival.org.
Navy Band concert: The Navy Band Northwest gives its free holiday concert, “Home for the Holidays,” at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave. Santa will make an appearance, and the U.S. Marine Corps will take Toys-for-Tots donations. Admission is free. More info: 360-315-3448.
An Afternoon with Santa: The Camano Center hosts this free community event 2-6 p.m. Dec. 11. The center is at 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano Island. A variety of holiday-themed activities will be available to children of all ages. Meet Santa, Mrs. Claus and Mr. Bear, decorate cookies, make an art project, take home a stuffed animal and more. More info: 360-387-0222.
Holiday BAZAARS
Holiday Bazaar: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Grand Condominiums cabana, 1318 37th St., Everett. Lots of handcrafted items.
Helping Hands Holiday Bazaar: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday at the Snohomish County PUD headquarters, 2320 California St. in Everett. More than 50 vendors offer food, arts and crafts, clothes, jewelry and other hand-made goods. Vendor fees benefit Helping Hands, an employee-funded PUD program that helps low income-seniors pay winter electric bills.
Country Holiday Bazaar: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in December until Dec. 23 at 1414 140th St. NE, Marysville. Knitted and crocheted 18-inch doll clothes, socks and more. More info: 360-659-5484.
Events
Museum open house: The Monroe Historical Society invites the community to an open house at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the museum at 207 E. Main St. Enjoy refreshments and a tour. More info: 360-217-7223.
Japanese Gulch Artifacts: The Snohomish County Historic Preservation Commission presents a free lecture, “Voices from the Dirt,” by Thomas Murphy and Emily Scott at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Everett Music Project auditorium inside the Everett Mall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way. More info: www.snoco.org.
Parent’s Night Out: The Mill Creek Parks &Recreation staff and Youth Advisory Board members will care for children ages 4 –10 from 6:30-9 p.m. Friday. Suggested donation is $10 per child and a non-perishable food item for the Mill Creek Food Bank. All proceeds benefit the Youth Advisory Board. Registration required: Kristen, 425-921–5779.
Flute choir performance: Student flautists under the tutelage of Bonnie Arnestad will play publicly, including the 4 p.m. ferry sailing from Mukilteo to Clinton and the return ferry at 4:30 p.m. Friday. They also will play at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Central Market, 15605 Main St. in Mill Creek.
Free Bike Helmet Week: The Arlington Fire Department offers free bicycle helmets to children ages 6-16 through Friday, from 3-5 p.m. at the Arlington Fire Administrative Office, 6231 188th St. NE. More info: 360-403-3600.
Military Day at Pioneer Hall: A special event to honor veterans and remember Pearl Harbor Day will be held 1-4 p.m. Friday at Pioneer Hall, 20722 67th Ave. NE in Arlington. The Stilly Valley Pioneer Association museum’s military section will be open for viewing. More info: 360-435-7289.
Parkinson’s program: Teva Neuroscience hosts a free Parkinson’s disease patient education program 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Downtown Holiday Inn, 3105 Pine St. in Everett. RSVP: 877-229-4532 ext. 1035776.
Brunch and bake sale: Camano Island Yacht Club holds its buffet brunch 9 a.m.-noon Sunday at the club, 129 N. Sunset Drive. Cost is $8, $5 for children under age 9. A bake sale also will be held. And donations for the Camano Island Food Bank will be accepted.
Native Flute Songs: Flautist Peter Ali visits at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Snohomish Library, 311 Maple Ave., to share how Native American flutes were made and used and to play flutes from a variety of cultures. All ages welcome. More info: 360-568-2898.
Human Rights Day: The Snohomish County Commission on Human Rights invites the public to celebrate International Human Rights Day 12:30-2 p.m. Dec. 10 on the first floor of the Robert Drewel Building, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. Guest speakers: Rep. Marko Liias, Snohomish County Prosecutor Mark Roe, and Machinist Union General Vice President Gary Allen.
Debate on God’s existence: The Rev. Gary Jensen of Zion Lutheran Church in Snohomish and Jim Corbett of the Humanist Society of North Puget Sound will hold a public debate, “Does God Exist?,” at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 in the Wilderness Auditorium, Jackson Center, at Everett Community College, 2000 Tower St., Everett. Donations for the Red Cross will be accepted.
WAYS TO HELP
Christmas trees: The Oak Harbor Lions Club’s annual Christmas Tree Sale fundraiser runs 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Dec. 23 or until sold out. The stand is in the park across from the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce, 32630 Highway 20. All proceeds support community service projects.
Coats for Kids: Monetary donations to purchase warm clothing for children served by Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County will be accepted through Dec. 20 at all Diamond Knot Craft Brewing locations in Mukilteo and Camano Island. The brewery will match donations.
Holiday food and toy drive: The Ken Baxter Community Center is accepting donations of non-perishable food items and new toys for the Marysville Food Bank. Drop off items through Dec. 17 at the center, 514 Delta Ave. More info: 360-363-8450.
Kiwanis holiday swags: Holiday swags are available for $15 at Flowers by George, 335 N. Olympic Ave. in Arlington, with proceeds going toward the Arlington Kiwanis Club’s scholarships for students in the Arlington and Lakewood school districts. Swags were made by volunteers with donated greenery.
Food drive: Marysville firefighters and Santa plan to gather food again this year for the Marysville Community Food Bank. They will be at Safeway (1258 State Ave.) from 3-7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. New, unwrapped toys and cash donations also will be accepted.
Holiday donations for food bank: The Snohomish Community Food Bank expects to feed 425 families for Christmas this year. The food bank seeks groups of people willing to “sponsor” a certain menu item and bring in from 100 to 425 of that item. It also is asking for turkeys, hams and whole chickens. Toys for a giving tree also are accepted. More info: Elizabeth Grant, 360-568-7993.
Toy and clothing drive: It’s the last week of a toy and clothing drive to benefit Christmas House, organized by the Goldwing Touring Association Chapter C, a motorcycle group based in Everett. The drive runs through Dec. 10. Donations can be dropped off at Everett Powersports, 215 SW Everett Mall Way, Tuesdays through Saturdays. Contact Kathy Leon at Kathy@wingrider.net or 206-362-4250 for assistance or more information.
Food drive: Traxx Indoor Raceway’s Race Against Hunger Food Drive will collect donations through Dec. 24 for the Mukilteo Food Bank. The go-kart venue is at 4329 Chennault Beach Road. Donors can get discounts on same-day races.
Dentist’s food drive: All-Family Dental Care by Dr. Colleen Tracy is collecting non-perishable food items for the Volunteers of America food bank. Also, get a dental cleaning for $50, and the dentist will donate $100 to VOA. The clinic is at 10315 19th Ave. SE, Suite 110, Everett. More info: 425-337-1000.
Help plan Village fundraiser: Volunteers are needed to plan and implement Village Community Services’ 2013 Taste of Decadence fundraiser, to be held in May. The planning committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month in Arlington. If interested, contact Michelle Dietz at 360-653-7752 ext. 14 or resource@villagecommunitysvcs.org.
Camano Center help: Volunteers are needed to staff the front desk and to take photos of events at the Camano Center. Front-desk shifts are 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays or Wednesdays. More info: Pam, 360-387-0222.
Web guru: The Lake Stevens Education Foundation seeks a volunteer to update and manage its website. The nonprofit supports the Lake Stevens School District with classroom grants, programs and scholarships. More info: www.LkStevensEF.org or Terri at 425-334-0691.
SENIORS
Let Us With Rejoicing: A free concert for seniors, 1:15 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church, 1616 Pacific Avenue, Everett. Singers from First Baptist, First Presbyterian and six other churches join voices for a 65-member chorale. The program includes a hand bell choir, carol singing, instruments and organ with direction from John Sinkevitch and Steve Torrence. More info: 425-259-9166.
Friendship Club: A group of senior citizens meets for lunch the second Thursday of each month at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, 216 Broadway, Everett. Lunch costs $7. The group also takes monthly bus tours. More info: Edward, 425-493-2588.
ASSISTANCE
Edmonds Brain Support Group: Meets next from 6:30-8:30 p.m. today in the cafeteria room at Swedish/Edmonds Medical Center, 21601 76th Ave. W., Edmonds. Group supports brain-incident survivors and their caregivers. More info: Lou Nash, 425-776-7264 or lou_nash@frontier.com.
Employment Network: 10 a.m.-noon Fridays at the North Creek Presbyterian Church, 621 164th St. SE., Mill Creek. Free help with job searches, resume writing and interviewing. More info: 425-743-2386.
Family support group: Meets next from 7:30-9 p.m. Dec. 10 at Mountain View Presbyterian Church, 5115 100th St. NE, Marysville. A group for family members of adults living with mental illness to share ideas about coping and becoming better caregivers for their loved ones. More info: Wendy, 206-790-0162.
Grief support group: 10 a.m.-noon Thursdays at Mountain View Presbyterian Church, 5115 100th St. NE in Marysville. This group uses the GriefShare curriculum. More info: 360-659-7777, www.mtvpc.org.
MS self-help group, Marysville: Meets next from 10:30 a.m.-noon Saturday at Cascade Christian Reformed Church, 13908 51st Ave. NE, Marysville. More info: Linda, 425-238-0849.
Support group for parents of children with behavioral problems: 6:30-9 p.m. Thursdays at Zion Lutheran Church, 4634 Alger Ave., Everett. The network offers peer-to-peer support for parents struggling with children exhibiting risky behaviors such as drug or alcohol use. Groups are confidential and free. More info: 888-468-2620 or www.cpsn.org.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly, Arlington: 9-11 a.m. Fridays at the Arlington Boys &Girls Club, 18513 59th Ave. NE. More info: 425-308-3150.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly, Marysville: 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays at St. Phillips Episcopal Church, 4212 84th St. NE. Visitors are welcome. Weigh-in is from 8:30 to 9 a.m. More info: Marcia at 425-347-2149 or Ada at 425-923-6025.
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