Community Calendar

HOLIDAY EVENTS

An Afternoon with Santa: The Camano Center hosts this free community event 2-6 p.m. today. 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.

Wintertide: Free family festival 4-7 p.m. Thursday at the plaza next to the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave. Craft projects, face painting, photo booth, Santa arrives on a city fire truck, cocoa, hot cider and cookies, holiday tree lighting, caroling, bonfire and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” More info: www.ci.everett.wa.us.

Super-Secret Gift Craft: Kids are invited to make a surprise present for that special grown-up, with the help of a teen volunteer. The free event is 3:30-5 p.m. Friday at the Mountlake Terrace Library, 23300 58th Ave. W.. More info: Dawn at 425-776-8722.

Holiday Cheer Party: Enjoy an evening of fun, treats and games to collect new, unwrapped toys and food items 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Mill Creek Family YMCA, 13723 Puget Park Drive, Everett. The Y’s goal is to collect 1,500 toys and 1,500 pounds of food. Pictures with Santa, reindeer games, bouncy house, cookie walk, arts and crafts, beverages and treats, door prizes and more.

Fa-La-La Holiday Sale: Join the Schack Art Center for holiday cheer and handmade, one-of-a-kind gifts from more than 30 local artists, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. The Schack is at 2921 Hoyt Ave., Everett.

Fun with Frosty: Kids can meet Frosty the Snowman, enjoy a magic show, craft, pony and train rides (weather permitting) from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Country Village, 23718 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell. More info: www.countryvillagebothell.com.

Rent a Tree: The Adopt A Stream Foundation will rent live Christmas trees for $35 starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Northwest Stream Center in Snohomish County’s McCollum Park, 600 128th St. SE, Everett. Live trees that are returned after the holidays will be planted next to salmon streams. More info: www.streamkeeper.org.

Yo Ho Ho! Holidayfest: A visit from a pirate Santa, costume contest, farm tour and more highlight this event 12-4 p.m. Saturday at Snoqualmie Ice Cream Cafe, 21106 86th Ave. SE in Maltby. Donate a toy or three cans of food and get a free ice-cream cone. More info: www.snoqualmieicecream.com.

Christmas Pet Palooza: A petting zoo, pet parade and pet pictures with Santa mark this pet-friendly festival downtown Snohomish, sponsored by Historic Downtown Snohomish. It kicks off at 2 p.m. Saturday from the Second Street Cabin, 1010 Second St. Bring a donation of pet food for the Snohomish Food Bank. More info: www.historicdowntownsnohomish.org.

Holiday party: An old-fashioned Christmas party at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Emeritus at Silver Lake, 12806 Bothell-Everett Highway, Everett. More info: 425-338-3227.

Tree Lighting Ceremony: Gold Bar ceremony starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Gateway Park gazebo, between Fifth and Sixth streets on Orchard Avenue. Cookies, hot chocolate and cider provided by the Red Hats. Decorations donated and trimmed by volunteers.

Festival of Lessons &Carols: The Northwest Boychoir performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 6215 196th St. SW, Lynnwood. Reserved seating; tickets, $10-$25, available at 206-524-3234 or www.nwchoirs.org.

Christmas tunes: The East County Senior Center Choir will share familiar Christmas carols and hymns at 7 p.m. Saturday at the First Congregational Church of Maltby, 21111 86th Ave. SE, Snohomish. Admission is free.

Handel’s Messiah: The Kamiak High School orchestra and choir perform some of the best-known portions of Handel’s “Messiah” and other holiday favorites. This year’s concert will be held in the school gym at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the school, 10801 Harbour Pointe Blvd., Mukilteo. Tickets are $5 to $35, available at http://2012kamiakmessiah.brownpapertickets.com or at the door. Proceeds benefit scholarships and festival fees for music students who cannot otherwise afford to travel. More info: 425-954-3685.

Sultan Community Christmas Caroling: Help spread cheer and holiday spirit in this fun, revived Sky Valley tradition. Singers will meet at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Sky Valley Visitor Center, 320 Main St. in Sultan, then head out to sing for unsuspecting neighbors. The group will return an hour later for cookies and cocoa. More info: Debbie Copple, 360-793-0983.

Events

Free vision event: A free vision event will be held 10 a.m.-noon Wednesday at the Camano Center, 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano Island. Vision screening, eyeglass adjustments and minor repairs will be offered, sponsored by North Cascade Eye Associates.

Winter Wonderland Dinner: The Stanwood Community and Senior Center hosts this fundraiser 4-6 p.m. Thursday for the LEAP Program. Menu includes soup, choice of ham or beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable, roll and dessert. Cost is $12. Sponsored by Wayne’s Corner Café with music by South End String Band. The senior center is at 7430 276th St. NW, Stanwood. More info: 360-629-7403.

Cookie sale: Christmas cookies will be for sale from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at J. Matheson Gifts, Kitchen and Gourmet, 2615 Colby Ave. in Everett, to raise money for women’s educational projects sponsored by the local chapter of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), a nonprofit women’s club.

Norwegian Pancake Breakfast: A monthly breakfast at Ebenezer Lutheran Church this month doubles as a fundraiser for the Lake Stevens Food Bank. The breakfast — 7:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church, 2111 117th Ave. NE, Lake Stevens — includes all-you-can-eat Norwegian pancakes with strawberries and syrup, sliced ham, beverages. Cost is $5; children under age 4 are free. More info: 425-334-0421.

Pancake breakfast: 8 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the East County Senior Center, 276 Sky River Parkway, Monroe. Pancakes, eggs, ham, sausage, coffee, milk and juice prepared and served by volunteers. Cost is $5 for adults, $3 for children under age 12. Proceeds benefit the center. More information: 360-794-6359.

Pancake Breakfast with Santa: Enjoy pancakes, Santa and crafts (bring your own camera) from 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Stanwood Community and Senior Center, 7430 276th St. NW. Sponsored by the Stanwood Lions and Candie’s Kids. Tickets are at Snow Goose Bookstore. More info: 360-629-7403.

WAYS TO HELP

Stuff the Bus, Everett: The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 883 and Everett Transit are collecting toys and food. Drop off new, non-violent themed toys and donations at the Fred Meyer store located at 12906 Bothell-Everett Highway between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, or through Friday at the Carl Gipson Senior Center, 3025 Lombard Ave. in Everett and Everett Transit’s customer service center, located at Everett Station, 3201 Smith Ave. in Everett.

Fire on Ice Coat Drive: Donate a new or gently used coat or jacket and receive a $5 discount on general admission tickets to the Fire on Ice World Championship Ice Racing event taking place at Comcast Arena in Everett on Saturday. More info: 425-322-2628.

Donate your car: Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County seeks donations of used vehicles. Free pickup. More info: www.dvs-snoco.org or call Sharon Lee at 425-259-2827 ext. 24.

Rotary household goods drive: Donate household goods, from toilet paper to bandages, through Friday at the following locations: Coastal Community Bank (Stanwood and Camano branches), Thomas &Associates, Washington Federal, Sterling Bank, Charles Hall Orthodontics, Warm Beach Camp, Camano Center, Whidbey Island Bank (Stanwood and Camano branches), Movement Arts, Union Bank, and the Stanwood United Methodist Church. Organized by the Stanwood-Camano Rotary Club.

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.

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.

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.

Hospice volunteers: Providence Hospice and Home Care of Snohomish County, 2731 Wetmore Ave., Everett, holds volunteer information sessions the third Wednesday of the month. More info: Joanie, 425-261-4815.