Project Good – Current in Zionsville is looking to feature local residents doing good deeds in the community through the monthly Project Good photo column. If you have a suggestion or would like to be featured, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
New service helps food pantries – MealConnect.org is a new website service designed to connect food donors with food banks and pantries. Gleaners Food Bank will be using this service. The process is simple. A store, restaurant or business owner logs into MealConnect.org and enters the product they want to donate. Gleaners will get an immediate notification of a donation and can make arrangements for pickup. If the product is something that Gleaners cannot use, such as prepared foods, they will help make the connection to other organizations that may be able to accept it. For more, visit MealConnect.org.
Fire Department toy drive – The Zionsville Fire Dept. is collecting toys for the annual Boone County Toy Drive. Donations will be accepted at all three fire stations and the headquarters office located in the town hall building. Items being collected include toys and electronics for children, clothing for all ages, food and money. Items are collected year round but must be received in the week before Christmas in order to be delivered by the holiday.
Family Christmas activities – Akard True Value Hardware will host family Christmas activities from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 30. Activities include photos with Santa, a troll hunt, reindeer games with Santa’s elves and special deep discounts. Bring canned food items for extra discounts. Also, donations of money, winter wear and personal care items are being collected for Hope for Heroes.
Advent concerts – Christ Lutheran Church’s Advent Concert Series will feature Advent services at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning Nov. 30. Each service will feature music, meditation and refreshments. A nursery will be available for small children. Musical guests include: Nov. 30 – Brownsburg High School Madrigal Singers; Dec. 7 – Matthew Masko; Dec. 14 – Bell Choir; Dec. 21 – Heidi Schmidt. For more, visit clczionsville.org.
Breakfast with St. Nicholas – Christ Lutheran Church, 600 N. Ford Rd., invites everyone to Breakfast with St. Nicholas from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Dec. 3. Meet St. Nicholas, a real 4th century Greek bishop. Other activities include crafts, cookie decorating, a book fair and more. Bring a canned food donation for the Caring Center. For more, visit clczionsville.org.
Library programs – Secret Snowflake Shop, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 3. Children can shop for Christmas gifts for parents and other loved ones with the help of a library volunteer. Bring a list of recipients and $3 per item. Purchases will be gift-wrapped. Visit zionsvillelibrary.org to register. Veterans Tree – Drop by Youth Services to make an ornament for our Heroes’ Tree. Hope for Heroes collection – from now through Dec. 17, the library is accepting socks, underwear, t-shirts and personal care items for distribution to veterans.
Breakfast with Santa – Santa invites you to join him at the annual Tri-Kappa Santa Breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 3 at Christmas in the Village on Main Street. The child-friendly breakfast will be followed by crafts, activities and a chance to visit with Santa himself. Tickets are $15 each and can purchased at ZionsvilleTriKappa.org.
Readers needed – The United Way is seeking volunteer readers for its ReadUP program. Volunteers read to small groups of children ages 3 to 5 years old to give them a consistent opportunity to connect with caring adults in a structured setting. Volunteers can sign up at uwci.org/readup-readers.
Letters to Santa – Earth Explorer Toys has a direct line to Santa this holiday season. From now through Dec. 24, kids can write letters to Santa and mail them directly to the North Pole. A special mailbox is located right outside the store. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a personalized reply.
Leaf collection – The Town of Zionsville’s Street and Stormwater Dept. will provide curbside leaf collection through Dec. 2. Residents should rake leaves into long, narrow piles along the curb. No sticks or other yard rubbish should be in the piles. Cars should park off street if possible. The leaf vacuum will visit each neighborhood weekly as schedules allow.
Nature Center programs – Night Tree, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Hussey-Mayfield Public Library. Join us this holiday season in bringing the book “Night Tree” by Eve Bunting to life. After the story, enjoy a nighttime walk to the Zion Nature Center to create edible tree decorations and decorate a tree for our wilderness friends. We’ll end the evening sipping hot cocoa and singing some favorite holiday songs. Register at zionsvillelibrary.org
Coat drive – Local orthodontist David Judy and the Judy Orthodontics Team are sponsoring Warm Up for Winter through Nov. 30. Donations of new or gently used winter wear such as coats, hats, gloves and scarves can be dropped off at the Judy Orthodontics office at 3965 W. 106th St., Suite 150. Donations will benefit the Julian Center.
Show Choir concert – Zionsville Show Choirs will perform their holiday concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2 at Zionsville Performing Arts Center. For more, visit zchoirs.com.
Charity cocktail party – Come out to The Big LeBOWOWski Charity Cocktail Party supporting Helping Pawz Rescue. This Big Lebowski-themed party will be at Bites Coffee and Dessert Bar, 640 S. Main St., from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2. Tickets are $50 each and include dinner, desserts and Big Lebowski-themed cocktails. For tickets, visit eventbrite.com/e/the-big-lebowowski-charity-cocktail-party-supporting-helping-paws-rescue-tickets-29053424575.
Stormwater and pond management – Several municipalities and utilities are partnering with the White River Alliance for an informational seminar to learn how to stay compliant with stormwater standards and avoid corrective action. Homeowners, HOAs and pond and landscape companies are invited to participate in this workshop, being held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Monon Center. For more information or to register, visit TheWhiteRiverAlliance.org.
Little Women – Zionsville Little Theatre Company is proud to present a stage adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel “Little Women.” There will be four performances of this play: 7 p.m. Dec. 16; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 17; and 2 p.m. Dec. 18. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased at the door an hour prior to each performance. Large groups may make ticket arrangements by the Zionsville Little Theatre Company page on Facebook or by calling Marianne Doyle at 317-873-2547.
Scholarships available – Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Indiana Scholarship Program offers students the opportunity to apply for one of four scholarships honoring the applicant’s heritage to celebrate the growing diversity in Indiana. Applications are being accepted from eligible high school seniors in one of four ethnic categories: Asian, Hispanic, African-American and all others. Applications are due by Jan. 18. For more, visit rmhccin.org.
New court hours – In 2017, there will be new hours for Town Court. Beginning Jan. 19, initial hearings will begin at 5:30 p.m. (instead of 6 p.m.) and trials will begin at 6 p.m. (instead of 7 p.m.). Trial court sessions are held every third Thursday of the month.
World Food Prize students – Lauren English and Nathan Smith of Zionsville Community High School were among the students nominated to attend the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute Oct. 13-15 during the Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium, to discuss the world’s hunger and food security issues. English and Smith were accompanied by teachers Lori Bing and Cindy King to this prestigious event. The World Food Prize was founded by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug to recognize and inspire great achievements in improving the quality, quantity and availability of food in the world.
