Community Corner
Poway Gives Back: Carols by Candlelight, Needy Families, Backyard Produce and Marines
Proceeds from Carols by Candlelight benefit Rady Children's Hospital. Powegians are also donating to needy families, providing backyard produce and inviting Marines to Thanksgiving.
By Bill Stoudenmire
Save the dates for the 24th annual Carols by Candlelight. This year the event is on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13 and 14, at 8 p.m. each evening at the California Center for the Performing Arts in Escondido.
Performing on Friday will be eight-time Grammy Award Winner Jose Feliciano, while on Saturday four-time Grammy Award Winner and Country Music star member Billy Cyrus will headline.
Ticket prices range from $29 to $65 and can be purchased by calling 800-988-4253 or online at www.carolsbycandlelight.com. You can also purchase $25 military family tickets, which will be distributed to active duty service members, including Poway's adopted 1st LAR Marines at Camp Pendleton.
Net proceeds from the event will benefit Rady Children's Hospital.
Also performing each night are Oscar and Grammy Award-Winner Stephen Bishop, Mary James, Eve Selis and event co-founder, Grammy-winner and City Councilman Steve Vaus and his daughter, Poway Sr. High senior, Anna Vaus. Steve will be performing as Buck Howdy.
Audience and cast members will meet in the courtyard to hold lit candles and sing Silent Night after the show.
Adopt-A-Family
That holiday spirit will soon be filling the air and Valley Elementary's Adopt-a-Family program needs your help.
Last year the Valley PTA collected donations of clothing, toys and gift cards for nearly 90 families identified by the school district as being in need. The outpouring of support was amazing but the size of so many gifts was overwhelming. Storage space had to be rented and many volunteers were needed to organize the donations and get them ready for delivery to the families.
This year, the Valley Adopt-a-Family program is accepting gift cards only. The PTA expects up to 120 families to be identified this year. They suggest gift cards from stores like Walmart, Stater Brothers, and others close to the community where the families live.
They will also take checks made out to Valley PTA. A secure drop-off area will be chosen soon. For information now call Stephanie Goldstein at 480-206-6429.
Backyard Produce Passes 50 Tons
It started four years ago at the urging of school counselors, who were concerned about the increasing number of Poway Unified School District families having difficulty putting healthy food on their table.
They shared their concerns with the Palomar Health Community Action Council. One council member commented that it was too bad how much citrus goes to waste in everyone's yards and that comment became the seed from which Backyard Produce grew.
Residents donate their homegrown fruits and vegetables and the Friends and Family Community Connection distributes to those in need, usually referred by school counselors, teachers and administrators, religious leaders and low-income support programs.
Originally residents would bring a box or two of fruit to the collection centers on the 4th Thursday of the month (3rd Thursday in November and December). Now with picking teams they're able to make much more produce available. In 2010, Sunshine Care offered land, water and volunteers to start a volunteer-tended organic garden to supplement donations.
This Thursday is a collection day at Seven Oaks Community Center in Rancho Bernardo and at The Connection Church on Twin Peaks in Poway, from 8:30 to 2 p.m. at each location. There is a collection box in the lobby at the Rancho Family YMCA Mondays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If you'd like to volunteer in the garden or at a collection site call Jane Radatz at 858-485-5449.
Invite A Marine
If you are interested in having a Marine join you and your family for Thanksgiving dinner this year, you are encouraged to contact Poway Deputy Mayor John Mullin. He is coordinating with the 1st LAR Batallion at Camp Pendleton who were adopted by the city this year. They have been enthusiastically involved in Poway events like the recent Poway Days Parade and 5K as well as this year's Poway Spirit Day. Reach John at 858-864-2125 or email JohnMullin.Poway@yahoo.com.
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