Ready or not, the holidays are coming to town.
Cities throughout West County are holding celebrations from
Thanksgiving Day through Christmas, that offer everything from free
turkey dinners to hot apple cider and photos with Santa Claus.
Thanks to the efforts of a few special people, assisted by
numerous volunteers, “anyone and everyone” can enjoy a hot meal on
Thanksgiving Day.
• Linda and Roger Collins will hold their 11th Annual
Thanksgiving Feed from 1 to 5 p.m., Nov. 25, at the Community
Church, 1000 Gravenstein Highway, north, Sebastopol.
“We usually buy 20 turkeys and cook about 30 (due to turkey
donations from community members). We enjoy doing this. It’s just
something to give back to the community,” Roger Collins said.
The dinner, “open to anyone and everyone,” serves between 350
and 400 people each year. “It’s really grown,” Roger’s wife, Linda
Collins said, noting it takes an enormous amount of volunteers and
donations to make it happen.
For more information or to help, call the Community Church at
823-2484.
Christmas
Towns around the county will be celebrating the holiday season
with tree lightings, caroling and visits with Santa Claus.
• The Forestville Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual
Holiday Tree Lighting at 5 p.m., Nov. 27, in the field across from
Fred’s Liquors. The public is invited to attend the free community
event, which also includes caroling and a visit from Santa Claus,
who is scheduled to arrive on a fire engine prior to the tree
lighting, at around 4:30 p.m. People are encouraged to bring
cookies to share. Hot chocolate and hot cider will be provided.
“This is a really nice, small town family event. It’s great for
the kids; the tree is spectacular,” Chamber member and volunteer
Leslie Zumwalt said. “The ornaments … Kim Horn does hand- painted
gourds with the kids from Forestville School and that is what the
tree is decorated with.”
For more information call Zumwalt at 887-8530.
• Santa will arrive on schedule at the Annual Holiday
Celebration sponsored by the Sebastopol Area Chamber of Commerce
and VNA Hospice. The community event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m.,
Dec. 1, at the downtown plaza, located on the corner of Petaluma
Avenue and McKinley Street.
Members of the public are invited to share the traditional
lighting of the holiday tree at 6:30 p.m., rain or shine, and bring
their cameras to take pictures with Santa after he arrives at 7
p.m., aboard a fire truck.
Festivities will also include complimentary hot beverages and
treats, children’s crafts and live entertainment.
Sponsors are invited to support the event for $250 (which
includes a banner onstage), $125 or $50. Proceeds help cover the
costs of the event. Mail a check to Tree Lighting, P.O. Box 178,
Sebastopol, Ca. 95473 or call the chamber at 823-3032.
This year as an added incentive to Shop Local, there will be
free shuttle bus rides from Nov. 19 through Dec. 24 throughout
Sebastopol. Shop Local and Ride the Shuttle is sponsored by the
Sebastopol Chamber, the city of Sebastopol, and Sonoma County
Transit. Bus schedules are at www.sctransit.com or at the chamber
office in the visitor center.
• A Merchant Open House and Tree Lighting will take place from 5
to 9 p.m., Dec. 1, at the downtown plaza in Guerneville. The tree
lighting will be at 6:30 p.m. The public can enjoy hors d’ oeuvres
and refreshments, shopping and caroling along Main Street
throughout the event. There will also be an opportunity to get
pictures taken with Santa Claus.
• The Holiday Prince and Princess Dinner and Crowning Ceremony
will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., Dec. 2, at Chef Patrick’s in
Guerneville. Cost is $20.
Raffle tickets are sold throughout town during the month of
November. The prince or princess that sells the most tickets gets
crowned at the dinner. The event is a fundraiser for the
Guerneville parade.
• Guerneville’s brightest tradition – the Holiday Parade of
Lights – takes place from 7 to 8 p.m., Dec. 3. “Holiday Classics”
is this year’s theme of the free parade, which includes colorful
floats, live music and dance.
• The Sunrise Rotary provides Christmas dinner. The free hot
meal will be served from 1 to 4 p.m., Dec. 25, at the Sebastopol
Community Church (Memorial Hall), 1000 Gravenstein Highway, north,
Sebastopol.
Proceeds from Sunrise Rotary fundraisers pay for the annual
event, which feeds around 250 people each year.
“We are inviting everyone in the community, who would like to
enjoy a really great feast, with music and fun and toys for kids,”
Rotary member Michael Fels said.
To volunteer, donate food or money, or to make special
arrangements for delivered meals or a ride to/from the dinner email
se***************@gm***.com or call 634-4929.
