Around Town: A stitch in time helps local hunger program (December 08, 2004)

Three "dream dolls" and their wardrobes await the winners of the fifth annual Doll Project drawing to benefit the Ecumenical Hunger Program. The drawing will be held Thursday, December 23.

Along with the three dolls to be raffled, there will be an additional drawing where an Ecumenical Hunger child will win a doll. Commissioned dolls are also available for $2,500 each.

Each 18-inch American Girl or Magic Attic doll comes with a trunk and complete handmade wardrobe of 15 outfits, including a bridal gown, party dresses, ethnic outfits and riding apparel, as well as coats, sweaters, and nightwear.

Tickets for the drawing, at $2 each or six for $10, are available at Calla in Menlo Park, where one of the dolls is on display. Dolls will also be on display at the Cranberry Scoop and at Marion Jackstons in Los Altos.

The doll project was started five years ago by Luanne Malkmus of Woodside, a volunteer for the East Palo Alto-based Ecumenical Hunger Program.

Founders of the doll project, with Ms. Malkmus, are Lillian Greer, Bridget Morgan and Gail Reed. Also working on this year's wardrobes are Joan Cook, Linda Lohse, Maria del Trancito Caresco and Kathy Zmay. To be prepared, Ms. Morgan has sewn eight bridal outfits.

Over the past five years, the drawing has raised more than $40,000 for the Ecumenical Hunger Program, a 30-year-old nonprofit organization. For more information, call Ms. Malkmus at 851-7879.

Santa visits fire stations

A local holiday tradition continues. As in years past, families are invited to visit with Santa at their fire neighborhood stations in the Woodside Fire Protection District.

All three open houses will be on Wednesday, December 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. The locations are the Woodside station, 3111 Woodside Road; the Emerald Lake station, 850 California Way; and the Portola Valley station, 135 Portola Road.

Hot chocolate and cookies will be served.

People are asked to bring a donation for the Toys for Tots program. The three stations have collection bins at their front doors for new unwrapped gifts, or wrapped gifts with a label. Through Christmas Eve, the firefighters are collecting toys for needy children in the area.

Holiday music at Menlo School

Two choral concerts in Menlo School's Stent Hall on Friday, December 10, open a series of holiday festivities on the campus in Atherton. The events, which start at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., are free and open to the public.

The school chorus, directed by Linda Jordan, presents two concerts in Spieker Ballroom, featuring 75 singers in three choirs: Meistersingers (beginning choir), Knights & Knightingales (advanced mixed choir), and Lorelei (advanced girls choir).

Music includes Gregorian chant, Renaissance a cappella selections, music by Mozart, Handel, Britten, Pachelbel, and Rutter; and traditional Christmas holiday carols and songs for Chanukkah. The concerts will conclude with the singing of "Silent Night" and Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" by choirs and audience. While admission is free, donations for the spring break chorus trip to Spain will be accepted.

At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, December 11, the school's chamber orchestra and jazz bands will hold a "progressive" concert, opening in the new Martin Lecture Hall with the jazz band, and then moving to Stent Hall for classical chamber music with a holiday theme.

Original student photos will be on exhibit and for sale during the two days on the ground floor of Stent Hall in the Amanda MacDonald Student Center.

Gotta Dance

Student dancers from Canada College's jazz dance classes will perform "Gotta Dance" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 9, and Friday, December 10, in the college main theater. The students will perform their own choreography, as well as two large production numbers. Admission is free. For more information, call Linda Breen at 358-6889, ext 9454.

Mills College Club

Mills College Club will hold its annual holiday tea on Saturday, December 11, at the home of Michelle Kirsch in Los Altos Hills. Phyllis Bader of Menlo Park is in charge of the holiday boutique. Past presidents of the club will preside at the tea table. For more information, call Jane King at 323-4066.

Tea in Atherton

Patricia Holvick, a member of the past presidents committee of the Menlo-Atherton branch of the American Association of University Women, will host a holiday tea at her home in Atherton from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, December 18. Past presidents Carolyn Miller of Redwood City and Jane King of Menlo Park are co-chairman of the event. For more information, call 323-4066.

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