Scandinavian festivities, gingerbread houses and Toy ‘n Joy are coming to Mercer Island on Sunday, Dec. 13, from 12:30-3:30 p.m. The event will be at the Island United Methodist Church at 7070 S.E. 24th St., and there will be free parking in the back of the church.
Cascade Lodge Sons of Norway is asking the community and all affiliate lodges to help support the Salvation Army’s Toy ‘n Joy Program and collect toys and gifts for children in need by bringing a new, unwrapped gift or toy for children ages 6 months to 14 years to the event.
Cash donations are also accepted and will be given to the Salvation Army representative at the party, which will be complete with Scandinavian dancing, Santa Lucia, holiday skits, Christmas songs, a visit from Santa, cookie potluck and much more.
There will be children’s activities and fun for the family. Come early and make Norwegian woven hearts, gingerbread houses, Viking masks, reindeer puppets and sugar cookie ornaments.
Admission is open to the public, with a suggested donation of $2 or free with toy donation.
For more info, call 425-313-0193 or visit www.CascadeLodge.org.
WEDNESDAY | 9
Arts Council regular meeting: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Mercer Island Community and Event Center, 8236 SE 24th St. For more, visit www.mercergov.org.
THURSDAY | 10
School Board Regular Meeting: 4 p.m., City Council Chambers, 9611 S.E. 36th St. Agenda can be found at mercerislandschools.org.
Grand Menorah Lighting Celebration: 5:30 p.m., QFC parking lot, 7823 S.E. 28th St. Chabad Mercer Island will ignite a public six-foot menorah erected in front of the north-end QFC, followed by a community-wide celebration on the fifth night of Chanukah. Following the menorah lighting ceremony, we will sing and eat the night away with hot latkes, sufganiyot and dreidels for all.
SATURDAY | 12
Bells of the Sound: 7-9 p.m., Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave. S.E. Join Bells of the Sound this Holiday Season for a magical program filled with the delightful klingelingeling of handbells. Bells little and large joyfully sounding traditional favorites and contemporary expressions will have you ringing with Christmas spirit in no time!
SUNDAY | 13
Songs for Hanukkah – Festival of Lights: 4-6 p.m., Herzl-Ner Tamid, 3700 E. Mercer Way. Join the Seattle Jewish Chorale for an afternoon of beautiful and spirited music from across the world that celebrates the joy of Chanukah! Through rousing new takes on old classics, beautiful themes from the Renaissance, wistful melodies from across the diaspora, and engaging sing-alongs, we will explore the myriad ways in which this NES GADUL (“great miracle”) has been celebrated through the ages. $10-15 suggested. Visit www.seattlejewishchorale.org for more.
WEDNESDAY | 16
Town Center Visioning Joint Commission Meeting: 6-9 p.m., City Hall, 9611 S.E. 36th St. The Planning and Design Commissions are convening together as the “Joint Commission” for the next phase of recommendations for actual Town Center development code language and directly-related updates to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. This is a working meeting and will not take public comment. Interested residents may use the Town Center Visioning online form to submit comments. For more, visit www.mercergov.org.
EVENTS | ONGOING
Mercer Island Lions Club annual Christmas Tree sale: Farmers Insurance lower parking lot, 3003 77th Ave. S.E. Buy a beautiful tree from the Lions Club and support: Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club, Youth and Family Services, local senior citizen’s programs, Mercer Island community events and Lions Club sight and hearing projects. Fresh mixed green wreaths and cedar garlands available too! Open from 2-7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
MIVAL 2015 Holiday Show: Nov. 2-Dec. 18, Mercer Island Community and Events Center, 8236 S.E. 24th St. Mercer Island Visual Arts League (MIVAL) will showcase paintings, fiber arts, photography, as well as glass, jewelry, ceramics and more. A great place to find holiday gifts for someone special on your list! Call 206-275-7609 for more info.
Genealogy and Family History Workshop: 7 p.m., Thursdays, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 4001 Island Crest Way. Free, no obligation, family history and genealogy weekly workshop. All are welcome. Contact Peter Selden at peterselden@gmail.com or 206-412-8252.
EVENTS | UPCOMING
Community Blood Drive: 9 a.m.- 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19, McDonald’s parking lot, 2807 78th Ave. S.E. Help ensure this precious resource is available for ill and injured people in our community by giving blood. Plus, get free cookies and burn 650 calories just by laying there. To sign up, visit https://schedule.psbc.org/DonorPortal/GroupLanding.aspx?s=4155.
EVENTS | SJCC
Excerpts from the Nutcracker: Dec. 12-20. Island Youth’s Ballet “Excerpts from the Nutcracker” has become a cherished Mercer Island tradition and must see for all who wish to experience the holiday magic of one of ballet’s most cherished classics. Performances are held at Stroum Jewish Community Center. Performance times are: Dec. 12, 1 p.m.; Dec. 13, 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.; Dec. 19, 2 p.m.; Dec. 20, 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Cost is $25. For more, visit www.childrensdance.org.
Hanukkah Under The Stars: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12. A festive and fun Hanukkah party, our annual Hanukkah Under the Stars features kid-friendly music, delicious food vendors, Hanukkah trivia, games and crafts. Free.
SJCC Early Childhood School Open House: 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15. The SJCC Early Childhood School is a school of excellence rooted in Jewish values, with a curriculum inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Learn more about our curriculum, visit our classrooms and meet our teachers. RSVP for an open house. New family registration for the 2016-17 school year begins Wednesday, Feb. 11.
Tween Fitness, Ages 9-13: 3:45-4:45 p.m., Wednesdays. Kids will learn to use bands, balls and their own body weight to work on cardiovascular and weight training as well as balance, stability and stretching. Free for members, $10 for guests. For more, visit www.sjcc.org.
EVENTS | LIBRARY
Children & Families
Young Toddler Story Times: 10:15 a.m, Thursday, Dec. 10. Ages 12 to 24 months with adult. Come for stories, songs, rhymes and fun in this 30-minute program. Toddler story times (ages 2-3) follow at 11:15, preschool story times (ages 3-6) at 1 p.m.
Islander Middle School Concert Choir: 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12. Come to the library to hear our local middle school mixed choir! The Islander Middle School Concert Choir will perform holiday favorites on the main floor of the library.
Season of Singing: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15. Presented by Nancy Stewart. Share the holiday traditions of children around the world, and learn where some of our favorite customs have come from in this musical celebration of the season!
Teens
Study Zone: 3:30 p.m., Thursdays. Grades K-12. Drop in for free homework help from trained volunteer tutors. Proofreading help is available. Check at the desk for location.
Teen Advisory Board Meeting: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15. Voice your opinions on the programs and services the library offers you. Come with feedback and bring your ideas to discuss. Munch pizza, too. Earn volunteer credit!
Adults
Talk Time: 1 p.m., Monday, Dec. 14. Improve your speaking and listening skills in this English conversation group. Learn more about American culture and meet people from around the world. Walk-ins welcome.
MIND MATTERS on Film – Transcendence: 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19. Dr. Will Caster is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence. His highly controversial experiments take on dangerous implications when his consciousness is uploaded into one such program. Starring Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman.
