Austin, TX

This is the last weekend for:

Pioneer Farm’s Candlelight Christmas Tours
When: December 5, 6, 12, and 13 6pm-10pm
Where: Pioneer Farms, 10621 Pioneer Farms Drive, Austin, Texas
$$$: Tickets $10 (over the age of 2)

Time travel to the 19th century. Hayrides will transport visitors to each of the historic home sites for an evening of entertainment, crafts, and games. At the German Immigrant’s cabin you’ll hear stories around the fire, sing carols around the pump organ in the Homestead parlor and string popcorn around the kitchen table, by the warmth of the wood stove, and enjoy the ambiance and hospitality of the Commercial Cotton Farm as the ladies welcome visitors to play parlor games as was the custom during holidays in the 1880’s.

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Luminations: A Winter Celebration
When: Sat.-Sun., Dec. 13-14
Where: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse
$$$: Bring two canned goods for the Capital Area Food Bank or a gift for Blue Santa

Enjoy gardens lighted with more than 3,000 luminarias, 5,000 twinkle lights and hammered copper torches and to listen to music of the season from local bands, quarters and choirs. Admission is free with two canned food items for the Capital Area Food Bank or a gift for Blue Santa.

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TCA Gingerbread House Competition
When: Saturday, December 13, 2008, Noon – 3:00 p.m.
Where:Texas Culinary Academy, 11400 Burnet Road, Ste. 2100
$$$: Free

TCA will host its seventh annual Gingerbread House Competition and Open House on Saturday, December 13. Everyone, from children to seasoned chefs, is encouraged to participate in both the Open House and the competition.

Judging will be based on overall appearance, creativity, difficulty, execution and consistency of theme. Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place as well as “Favorite in Show.” Winners of the Gingerbread House Contest will be announced during the Open House. Winning entries will be on display through December 19 at TCA.

The Open House will include caroling, holiday cookie decorating for kids, holiday dessert demonstrations, a life size Gingerbread Santa House where visitors can have their photo taken with “Chef Santa,” and much more.

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Want something worthwhile to do this weekend? Here ya go:

Stuff Stockings with Elgin’s Angels
When: Sunday, Dec. 14th, 2-5pm.
Where: Elgin Public Library, 404 N. Main, Elgin, Tx

Volunteer to help fill stockings for abandoned, neglected, or abused children. Stocking stuff will be supplied, all they need are some holiday helping hands.

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Wassail Event
When: Sunday, December 14th, 6pm
Where: Sri Atmananda Memorial School, 4100 Red River, Austin, 78751
$$$: Donation: $10. Children 12 and under, free

Enjoy a magic evening of stories, carols, magic, mummers and morris dancing. Wassail 2008 1.pdf. Performers: Pratts Bottom Mummers, Thom the World Poet, magician John Maverick, Chuck Freeman, Rita Ricardo, Jenifer Thyssen, Jim Carpetas, Occasional Terpsichore Morris Dancers, Bucolics Anonymous Christmastyme Band, Jacobs IV and Aimee Zivin.

In Austin, Santa seems to come in a variety of colors. Blue, Brown and Orange, at least! If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities this Christmas you might just lend Santa a hand. Here are two ways you can help:

Orange Santa

Orange Santa began in 1994 as a program designed to foster a more caring university environment by providing help for members of the university community who have special needs during the holiday season. In December 2007 Orange Santa served 485 families, including 1,750 children.

We’re a bit too late to get involved with Orange Santa this year but please do keep them in mind for next year!

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Operation Blue Santa
4101 S. Industrial Blvd, Suite 260
Phone: 220-BLUE (220-2583)

Established in 1972 by the Austin Police Department, Blue Santa started small, helping about 20 people and distributing gifts from the trunk of a patrol car. That program now serves thousands and has grown to include the Texas National Guard, the Austin Fire Department, the Austin Parks and Recreation and Austin Energy.

Of course an operation of that scale needs plenty of elves!

All deliveries for 2008 will be made on December 20th. Starting at 8am volunteers from the Austin Police Dept, the Austin Fire Dept, Austin Parks & Recreation Dept, the Texas National Guard and the local community transform into elves and deliver to the families.

Click here for locations to drop off toys.

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Brown Santa
15400 Long Vista Drive, Suite 101
Phone: 247-2682

Like it’s predecessor, Blue Santa, Brown Santa started small with 25 families back in 1981. This year the operation hopes to serve 1200 families.

Brown Santa will need help wrapping presents, sorting food, making food boxes and loading our trucks for delivery. Loading of the trucks will be on Thursday December 18 from 2pm until done, and also loading on Friday December 19, after 5pm until done, we need adults for this task.

Brown Santa will be open thru December 20th, 2008.

Mon-Thurs 10am-8pm
Fri- Sat 9am-6pm
Sundays 12pm-6pm

If you would like to volunteer you will need to call to see what dates/times through the week are still available.

For more information visit their website.

It’s at this time of year when we stop to give thanks for all we have and how very lucky we are to be warm and safe and have a roof over our heads that feel the need to give a little something back to those less fortunate.

There are many ways in which we can do just that but I personally think there are few quite as rewarding as reaching out directly to another family in your own backyard.

The Christmas Bureau works as intermediaries to hook you up with families who need your help. Here is how you can sponsor a family in need:

SPONSOR A FAMILY: Sponsoring a family means providing a suitable uncooked holiday meal and toys for the children. We ask for you to contact the family within 24-48 hours and share with them the date and time you plan on delivering during the week before Christmas. You can sponsor a family three ways:

1. Visit our office at 7301 Burnet Road #105 (Burnet Rd/Greenlawn Pkwy. Tuesday Morning is the anchor tenant) and select a family;
2. Call our office at 453-3950 and a volunteer will select a family for you; or
3. Register as a sponsor online! Any individual or group interested in sponsoring a family will be able to register themselves as a sponsor, and search through the families still needing sponsors by zip code, family size, language spoken, or a combination of the three. (Note: you won’t see the list of families in need until you’ve registered.)

Once you have decided on a family or families to sponsor, call them at 453-3950 with the family number(s), and they will immediately assign you as the sponsor for those families. At that time, you can click on “Families I’m Sponsoring” to see the detailed contact information in order to arrange for delivery of the food and gifts.

A few more ways you can help out The Christmas Bureau:

ANSWER TELEPHONE CALLS: The Bureau will receive many calls from people wanting to sponsor a family. You can assist in answering their basic questions and match them with a family in need.

FILE APPLICATIONS: You can assist in filing the application numerically and alphabetically at our office.

>>>>>Page 2, click here for more volunteer opportunities for 2008

I’ve already mentioned Asia Fest and the Arts Run but if those don’t light your fire, how about a Folk Art Shop and Swap? If you love kitchy, nostalgic fun stuff or if you just love to look at other people’s stuff then this is your event. You’ll find jewelry, home decor, clothing, and more.

Folk Art Shop and Swap
When: 9am-1pm, Saturday, September 6th
Where: 502 W. Live Oak
$$$: Free.

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If you love to shop for bargains then you might want to continue on the the Palmer Event Center for Le Garage Sale. There you’ll find an array of Austin’s chicest boutiques offering their best deals in men, women and children’s clothing as well as new looks for your home.

Le Garage Sale
When: Sat.-Sun., Sept. 6-7, 11am-5pm
Where: Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd
$$$: $10 ($15, two-day pass).

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All that shopping is bound to work up an appetite so why not follow it up with some chili, BBQ and a little music? Lucky for you the Del Valle Independent School District is having a cook-off!

Outlaws and Ladies Cook-off
When: 10am-10pm, Saturday, 6 September
Where: The Waterhole Saloon, 5244 Hwy. 71 E., Del Valle.
$$$: Free ($100 to enter all events)

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Have a bit of fun, learn a bit of history and have a lovely walk this weekend at the Zilker Botanical Gardens with their Dinoland Exhibit. This weekend there will be a hatching! This is a kid friendly event and will even have storytelling by those awesome folk at BookPeople.

Dinoland
When: Saturday, Sept. 6 & Sunday, Sept. 7, 10 am - 5 pm
Where: Zilker Botanical Garden, 2100 Barton Springs Road
$$$: $5 Adults/$3 Kids

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For my geeky friends, this weekend brings a celebration for one of Austin’s favorite game stores, Dragon’s Lair. Help them celebrate 22 years of epic gaming, tournaments, competitions and fun, fun, fun! Bill Williams will be there to sign copies of his work.

Dragon Lair 22nd Anniversary Celebration
When: Fri.-Sun., Sept. 5-7
Where: Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy, 6111 Burnet Rd, 454-2399
$$$: Free

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If you’re up for a bit of charity work, like to act and look rather scary then Scare for a Cure is looking for volunteers. This year’s Scare for a Cure haunted house will give its proceeds to college scholarships for students whose lives are affected by cancer. If you think you’re scary enough, then audition, and prove it. All would-be ghosts, goblins, and demons are invited.

Scare for a Cure Auditions
When: 2-5pm, Sunday, Sept. 7th
Where: Elks Lodge, 700 Dawson

If you’re looking for music events, check out the Austin Showlist, Do512 or Austin Sound!

What: Blazer Tag Adventure Center
When: December 12th, 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Where: Blazer Tag Adventure Center, 1701 W. Ben White Blvd., (512) 462-0202
$$$: Laser tag player tickets are $20. Non-player suggested donation is $10. Fourty percent our proceeds will go to the local charity Emancipet.

Do you have it in you to change the tide of the fictional future-history? Can you bring the Browncoats to victory at last? The future is now and the war’s not over yet- it’s only just begun. Join other Austin Browncoats as we re-enact The Battle of Serenity Valley to the not-actually-at-all-bloody end.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Blazer Tag Adventure Center will be exclusively Browncoat territory from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Don’t want to play tag? No problem! There will be side games, a full arcade and even a rock climbing wall!

Come in costume! There will be prizes for costumes and tag and game play including $25 gift certificates to Target and iTunes, free Blazer Tag game passes, gift baskets and more! Free Serenity posters for everyone!

There are only 33 player spots available for laser tag but anyone can come for the party. There will be free food, plenty to do and best of all - Browncoats!

For more information and to purchase laser tag tickets please visit the Austin Browncoat’s website.

Prizes:

Serenity Posters - free for everyone who comes!

$25 Target gift certificate

$25 iTunes gift certificate

Chinese gift basket ($30 value)

Done the Impossible DVD

and more!

Non-Tag Activities:

Thumb Wars Tournament

Cupcake Walk

Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots

Say Thanks to Joss

Purple Belly Marshmallow Stuffers

Video Arcade

Revolving Climbing Rock Wall

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Click here for your 2008 Giving Opportunities

With the holidays many of you are looking for opportunities to help others. I wrote a few days ago about the Capital Area Food Bank and the upcoming Empty Bowl Project but there are lots of other opportunities to volunteer in Austin. Here are a few more:

Operation Turkey
Operation Turkey began in 2000 as an means to promote community outreach during the Thanksgiving holiday. Operation Turkey helps communities to organize and distribute food, clothing, blankets to the homeless and those less fortunate. Operation Turkey needs YOU to help prepare and distribute these items. If you love to cook, or are willing to package up or deliver food on Thanksgiving Day, or if you just want to donate, your help is always appreciated. Children are welcome and they have projects just for kids. Click here to register and sign up!

Caritas of Austin
Founded in 1964 by Monsignor Richard McCabe, Caritas acts as a safety net for the community’s working poor. Caritas helps people in financial crisis to meet their most basic human needs, providing rent and utility assistance for those faced with losing their housing; hot meals to those who are hungry; take-home groceries for those struggling to feed their families; and food, shelter, clothing and support for newly arrived refugees. Caritas is always in need of volunteers and has many different opportunities. Volunteers must be willing to commit to three months but offers a rewarding opportunity.

Another way you can help raise funds for Caritas is by participating in:

What: The 17th Annual ThunderCloud Sub Turkey Trot
Where: Waterloo Park
When: Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22nd
$$$: See Website
This fun-filled day features events and activities for the entire family including a certified 5 mile race, 1 mile run/walk and the Stepping Stone School Kid’s K. In addition, enjoy free food, live music and the Stepping Stone School Kid’s Area with games and activities for the little ones. Though there is plenty of parking, come early as we expect over 10,000 runners.

Also coming up is:

What: Chuy’s Children Giving to Children Parade 2007
When: November 24th, 11am
Where: Downtown Austin, starting at the Capitol at Congress and 11th
Bring a toy. All toys will be distributed to a child by Operation Blue Santa, just in time for the holidays. There will be giant inflatable balloons, parade floats, marching bands, classic cars and of course, Santa!

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How often do you get the opportunity to buy a bowl, handcrafted by local artisans, filled with gourmet soup and also benefit a local charity? The answer to that question is, once a year.

This year marks the 11th anniversary of the Empty Bowl Project, an annual nationwide effort put forth by potters to end hunger. This year they hope to have 1800 beautiful bowls from which to choose. As a matter of fact, choosing your bowl is half the fun! Last year they raised over $37k!

This years event details:

Where: ClayWays Pottery Studio & Gallery (5442 Burnet Road)
When: Sunday, November, 18th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $15 per bowl

If you are, or know of, a local artist who would like to contribute a bowl to this worthwhile project, call ClayWays at 459-6445. They are asking for average-size bowls (8 oz. - 14 oz.), wheel-thrown or handbuilt, made with food-safe glazes. Potters may include a card or pamphlet with each bowl donated. All bowl donations are tax-deductible.

If you are, or know of anyone who is famous, that would make and sign, or just sign a pre-made bowl for the silent auction, please call ClayWays. The final total raised increases dramatically with extra silent auction bowls. These would make great holiday gifts!

Donated bowls will be available for a $15 donation per bowl. There may be a per person purchase limit set the morning of the event. When you buy a bowl, you’ll also receive a generous serving of soup and bread made by some of Austin’s finest restaurants. Also, you can take part in a silent auction featuring bowls signed by various celebrities. All proceeds go to the Capital Area Food Bank. Parking will be available at nearby business along side streets. Just look for signs showing Empty Bowl Parking.

To find the Empty Bowl Project in your area, check the website. If you’d like to do more to help fight poverty, hunger and homelessness in Austin, consider volunteering for Caritas of Austin.

Also, if you’re into Art Clay, check out these gorgeous silver leaves over at Bead Arts.

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The Capital Area Food Bank of Texas (CAFB) is in its 26th year of serving Central Texas. Last year the CAFB distributed more than 16 million pounds of food and they currently provides food and grocery products to 370 Partner Agencies in 21 Central Texas counties.

If you’re looking for a little more this holiday season than the usual gross commercialization then you might consider giving your time instead of your money. You can donate your money and you can donate food and they will be happy to receive them but the most rewarding thing you can do is to volunteer some of your time. Volunteers are always in demand.

CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK OF TEXAS
8201 S. Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78745
Phone: 512-282-2111

Volunteers at the Capital Area Food Bank work in the Product Recovery area. Volunteering in Product Recovery will teach the ins and outs of the Food Bank, you’ll learn to evaluate donated products and determine what is safe for distribution. “Recovered” items are then sorted, boxed and made available for distribution to Partner Agencies and their clients. Volunteers are essential to the Product Recovery area ensuring that donated food is sorted, cleaned, packed and ready for Partner Agencies. Hours are:

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. – Noon and 1 - 4 p.m.
Thursday night 5 - 8 p.m. and 6 - 9 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – Noon and 1 - 4 p.m.

You can volunteer as an individual, a student, a group, a family or even an organization. Some companies even match every hour you volunteer with a cash donation. Contact your human resources representative to find out how to turn your volunteer hours into money to feed hungry Central Texans. Take your team out for an afternoon of community service. Shifts are available Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - Noon, or 1 - 4 p.m. You can even register online.

Did you know that 35% of the household members receiving food are children? Take your child along. Volunteering is a great way to teach children about community service. The Food Bank has projects for children as young as 8 years old.

For places that you can actually serve food on Thanksgiving day, check here.

Stay tuned tomorrow for some excellent upcoming events to help raise funds and food for the CAFB.

Only you can help keep Austin off the Global Poverty Monitor.

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