Events

Pilates Holiday Open House is from noon to 2 p.m. today at 7434 S.E. 27th St. (next to The Islander.) Guests are encouraged to bring food donations for Mercer Island Youth & Family Services. No cost.

Santa’s Little Helper Night is 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, at Mercer Island Mary Wayte Pool, 8815 S.E. 40th St. A night for parents to drop off their kids at the pool for craft projects and swimming. Swimmers must be 5 years old or older to attend. The cost is $6.50.

Community Center Grand Opening Celebration is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. The center is located at 8236 S.E. 24th St.

Redeemer Lutheran’s “Mostly Live” drive-through nativity is from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at 6001 Island Crest Way. Children dressed as wise men, shepherds, angels, animals and the Holy Family will populate the scene. All proceeds from donations will benefit Mercer Island Youth & Family Services. Call Pastor Clements at 232-1711 if you would like your children to participate.

The Sacred Music Chorale presents its December 2005 Christmas concert, “Our Finest Gifts We Bring,” at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave. S.E. The suggested donation is $5 to $10 at the door.

Community-wide Hanukkah Celebration is from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at the Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 E. Mercer Way. Activities for the entire family. Free and open to everyone. For more information, call Roni Antebi at 232-711, ext. 269.

The Argosy Christmas Ship will stop from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at Luther Burbank Park beach. Featuring the Columbia Children’s Choir. No cost.

Blood Drive is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19, at Farmers New World Life, rooms two and three, 3003 77th Ave. S.E.

Lions Club Christmas Tree Sale schedule is: from 1 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays, to Dec. 20, or until supply lasts, at Farmers Life Insurance Company, 3003 S.E. 77th Ave. To volunteer, call Celia Meredith at 236-3075 or Dave Hatch at 232-2715.

Island Sound will perform its annual holiday concerts on at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec 10, and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Mercer Island High School theater. This year’s show is entitled “Calendar Girls”. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. For more information, contact Marsha Woerner at 232-8007 or at islandsound@comcast.net

ADD Resources is sponsoring a free talk on “Picking Your Battles: How to Protect Your Relationship with Your ADHD Child and Teen” with Gail Jackson, NW CHADD Chapter Coordinator and mother of two ADHD teens/young adults. It is from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12, at the Mercer Island Fire Station, 3030 78th Ave S.E. Contact jscarlin@juno.com for additional information or to be added to the ADD Resource Parent Support Group meeting reminder e-mail list or go to the Web site at www.addresources.org for a schedule.

The Mercer Island Directory is updating the directory for the year 2006. Call Karin at 232-7046 or LaVerne at 232-0762 before Friday, Dec. 23, with changes or additions. Proceeds from book sales go to Children’s Hospital in Seattle.

Amnesty International organization at Mercer Island High School is holding two screenings of films to highlight human rights. “Born into Brothels” will be shown at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8 and “The Corporation,” will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, both at the high school library at 9100 S.E. 42nd St. Attendees will be invited to write letters after the film. Donations of postage stamps are welcome. For information call MacKenzie at 206-790-8274.

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed at Mercer Island Youth & Family Services, 2040 84th Ave. S.E. For more information, you can send an e-mail to Janis Honkawa at Janis.Honkawa@ci.mercer-island.wa.us or call 236-3515.

Clubs

Mercer Island Preschool Association events:

? “Holidoors” is from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Covenant Shores, and from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Dec. 8, at Ellsworth House, 2720 76th Ave. S.E. Bring the holidays to the doors of senior citizens. Contact Erinann at 232-9662 or Leslie at 275-2811 for transportation information.

? General membership meeting is from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at 7855 S.E. 62nd St.

? Musical storytelling is at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at Soundbridge at Benaroya Hall, 800 University Street, Seattle. No cost. Register with Kristine at 709-8343.

The ProBus Club will hold its holiday luncheon at noon today, at Covenant Shores. Shuttle buses will leave from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. from the Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave. S.E.

Mercer Island Women’s Club events:

? Women’s Night Out is at 6:30 p.m. tonight, at The Islander, 7440 S.E. 27th St. Newcomers and women interested in joining the club are invited. R.S.V.P. to Lynn Beaufrere at 236-6301 or e-mail lynnbeaufrere@comcast.net.

? Holiday bazaar and luncheon is at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Glendale Country Club, 13440 Main Street, Bellevue. Holiday gifts, goodie baskets, special activities, cooking classes and more. Proceeds provide support to local charitable organizations. Call JoAnne Jones at 232-3903 by Monday, Dec. 5, for reservations.

Sons of Norway will have a Jultrefest (a children’s Christmas party) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at Mercer Island United Methodist Church, 7070 S.E. 24th St. Santa will be there. Admission is $2 per person and a plate of cookies. From 2 to 5 p.m. there will be dancing around the tree and carol singing. R.S.V.P. to Sue Ogilvie at 232-6804 so each child will have a small gift. Anyone interested in a Norwegian Christmas party is welcome.

Mercer Island Republican Women will meet at 11 a.m. Dec. 12 at the College Club of Seattle, 505 Madison St., for leadership training. R.S.V.P. to Virginia Hale by Dec. 5 at 930-1564.

The Kiwanis Club lunch meeting is at noon Tuesdays at Island House, 7810 S.E. 30th St. A series of health care issues will be the focus of December meetings. The speakers will be: Dec. 13, Virginia Hale, Skyway Investments and Insurance, Medicare Park D from the insurance point of view; Dec. 20, Anna Arakaki Lock, administrator at Covenant Shores, retirement facilities. The cost is $6.

Family Caregivers Support Group will meet from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, at the Mercer Island Senior Health Center, 7707 S.E. 27th St. For all individuals who care for and about an aging family member. No registration required. Call 425-688-5637 for info.

Boy Scout Troop 624 is accepting new members. Boys 11 to 18 can join by attending a meeting at 7 p.m. Mondays at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave. S.E. Call Jon at 230-5640 for information.Library

The following events take place at the Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E., unless otherwise noted. Please call 236-3537 for more information.

Talk Time English Conversation Class is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today and Wednesday, Dec. 14. Adults of all ages welcome. English as a second language conversation class.

Sustainable Shopping workshop is from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, in the teen area. Learn to be a smart shopper this holiday season. No cost.

All Island Classics on Film: will show “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18.

Teen Academic Mentors informal tutoring for third to eighth graders is from 3:30 to 5:45 p.m. Tuesdays, in the teen section. No charge. For more information call Daniel Masler, teen services librarian, at dmasler@kcls.org.

SCORE Counseling for business owners is at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. every third Thursday.

Boys & Girls Club

Unless noted, all events take place at the Boys & Girls Club, 2825 West Mercer Way. Register online at www.mipositiveplace.org or call 232-4548.

Judo Program for 6- to 15-year-olds is from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. The cost is $35 per month. Call to register.

Parks & Rec

The following programs are run by the Parks & Recreation Department. Call 236-3545, or register online at www.myparksandrecreation.com.

Solemates will walk from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, from the Luther Burbank main parking lot. The cost is $2 per person.

HotSpot Basketball Competition for 7- to 14-year-olds is from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Community Center at Mercer View Gym, 8236 S.E. 24th St.

Seniors

Trip to Leavenworth As You Like It is from 8 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8. The cost is $50. Registration is required. Call 236-3545 to register. Meet at Luther Burbank main parking lot.

Grief and Loss Support Group is from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E.

Eastside Stroke Group is from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 2650 148th Ave. S.E., Bellevue.

Transportation for Mercer Island appointments on Friday, Dec. 16. Call 236-7297 for reservations by Monday, Dec. 12.

Senior Lunch is from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Take the bus from the Community Center, 8236 S.E. 24th St, to Covenant Shores, 9150 Fortuna Drive. The cost is $4.45 per person. Call for reservations.

Senior Men’s Tennis players needed. From 6:45 to 8:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Seattle Tennis Center. Call Al Skinner at 232-3450 for more information and to join.

JCC

Unless noted, all events take place at the Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 E. Mercer Way. For more information, call 232-7115.

Parent’s Night Out is from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. Children 4 to 11 years old will enjoy games, swimming, movies and food. The cost is $20 for the first child and $15 per sibling. Call ext. 242 to register.

Children’s Toy Fair is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, and from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12. Gently-used children’s toys, games, videos, books and more.

Art Show: The Painted Lady opening reception is from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, in the fitness wing. Sandra Glazer Lake and Ellen Borison are the artists. Show ends Thursday, Jan. 12. No cost.

“Life From The Inside Out: The Jewish Guide to Wisdom, Power, Fame and Honor,” a lecture series presented by Techiya Levine of AishSeattle, is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays. The fourth in the series, “Communication Concoction: How to Have a Meeting of the Minds” is Dec. 13. No cost. Contact Roni Antebi at ext. 269.

Live Jazz at Lunchtime for seniors is from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, in the auditorium. Bring a brown bag lunch and enjoy jazz pianist Richard Dean. The cost is $1 for refreshments. Underwritten by Sunrise Assisted Living of Mercer Island.

Galleries

The Mercer Island Visual Arts League Holiday Show is from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, through Dec. 29, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 8501 S.E. 40th St. Paintings, sculpture, cards and jewelry created by local artists will be sold.

Cynthia Nuzzi, Brenda Zager and Colleen Mohn will exhibit their artwork through January at The French Market Cafe, 7525 S.E. 24th St.

Mercer Island Visual Arts League members Brenda Zager and Bill Mohn will exhibit paintings at the French Market Cafe until January 30. Jean Davis will show her watercolors at the Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E., through December.

The Chamber Art Gallery’s mixed-media holiday art show runs through Jan. 6 at 7613 S.E. 27th St.

Religion

Redeemer Lutheran Church: For information you can call Pastor Bill at 232-1711 or e-mail Redeemerlutheranchurch.us. The church is at 6001 Island Crest Way.

Mercer Island Presbyterian Church: MIPC Children’s Choir Chime Magic class for first to third grades is from 4 to 5 p.m. Mondays. Call Cheryl Storey at 232-5596, ext. 211, for more information. Annual Advent luncheon is at noon Tuesday, Dec. 13. Super 60’s meets in the courtyard from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14. Bring $5 for a gift exchange and $5 for the lunch. At 8 p.m. Sacred Music Chorale will be in the sanctuary with the MIPC choir. “The Longest Night,” a service of light in the midst of darkness, is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, in the fireside room. The church is at 3605 84th Ave. S.E.

Congregational Church of Mercer Island: Worship service and Sunday school are at 10:30 a.m. Sundays. Communion service is the first Sunday of the month. Middle school youth meet from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Bible study classes are at 8 p.m. Wednesdays and at 10 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. Thursdays. The church is at 4545 Island Crest Way.

Mercer Island Covenant Church: Sunday services are at 9 and 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Adult and children’s Sunday schools are at 9 a.m. Pastor Greg’s Advent sermon series, “From Humbug to Hallelujah,” are at morning services. The high school youth group meets at 4:45 p.m. Sundays. Middle school youth meet at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Community dinners are at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Women’s Oasis is at 9:15 a.m. Thursdays. For more information, call 232-1015, ext. 100. The church is at 3200 78th Ave. S.E.

Christian Science Church: The Christian Science Reading Room is at the Christian Science Church at Island Crest Way and S.E. 47th Street. The room is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Mondays. Call 232-0175 for more information, or e-mail fccsmi@attglobal.net.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church: Sunday service, Rite I, is at 8 a.m. Rite II, with choir and church school, is at 10 a.m. Children’s Choir is at 11:30 a.m. The church is at S.E. 44th Street and 86th Avenue S.E.

Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation: Pre-Hanukkah party is from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11. Members and non-member families with children 6 and under are welcome. Anniversary signature lecture series for fall and winter are beginning: “A Woman’s Journey in the Rabbinate” is at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14. The speaker will be Rabbi Eilberg. The cost is $10 for each session. Latkes, bunuelos (fried sweet puffs that can be glazed with brown sugar-maple syrup or sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar) and more, OH MY! is at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. Volunteers are needed to help cook. Contact Donna Peha at 425-277-8857. Help us help the victims of Hurricane Katrina by sending a check made out to Herzl-Ner Tamid and earmarked “Hurricane Relief.” For more information, call 232-8555. The synagogue is at 3700 East Mercer Way.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church: Sunday worship services are at 8 a.m. in the chapel and at 10:15 a.m. in the sanctuary. Education hour is at 9 a.m. Dinner service is at 6 p.m. Wednesdays, followed by Bible studies and outreach projects. The church is at 8501 S.E. 40th St.

Mercer Island United Methodist Church: Christian education is at 9:45 a.m. Sunday and worship is at 11 a.m. First Sundays are “Shine Sundays” until February. Bring shoes and the Costa Rica Travelers will polish them for $2 per pair. They will be ready for pickup after worship. The church is at 7070 S.E. 24th St.

St. Monica Catholic Church: Friends of the Needy will help serve and deliver food to downtown shelters from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Tuesdays. Meet in the church kitchen. Join the St. Monica youth choir for the 6 p.m. Mass. Vocals, piano, flute, violin, and bass needed. For information, contact the youth minister at 232-9829 or at sage@stmonica.cc. The church is at 4301 88th Ave. S.E.