Around Town: Holidays hit a high note at Circus Club Around Town: Holidays hit a high note at Circus Club (October 05, 2005)

The Foothill Auxiliary to Family Service Agency of San Mateo County kicks off the holiday hoopla with "Holidays on a High Note," its annual benefit featuring floral presentations, holiday table settings, a home boutique store, luncheon, and silent auction. The time is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, October 17. The place is the Menlo Circus Club, 190 Park Lane in Atherton.

The feature presentation will be "A Celebration of Flowers" with master gardener and floral designer Hardie Newton of Virginia.

Many local businesses, including A Bed of Flowers, Cheeky Monkey, Coldiron Interiors and the Dressed Room, all of Menlo Park, will showcase holiday home entertaining ideas.

Along with 25 table settings, there will be 10 floral arrangements up for auction, according to chairman Kris Forbes. She said she hopes to surpass last year when the benefit raised $20,000 for the Family Service Agency.

Tickets are $85 per person, including lunch and Mr. Newton's presentation. For tickets or to request an invitation, call Shirley Moore, Family Service Agency, 403-4300. ext. 4412.
Boys and Girls Clubs show art skills

The Boys and Girls Clubs in Menlo Park, East Palo Alto and Redwood City are taking part in the fifth California Arts Day on Friday, October 7.

Carlos Mendoza will be guest drummer with the clubs' guitar students and hip dancers at the McNeil Family clubhouse in Menlo Park. The clubs' choir and band is performing at the Mervin G. Morris clubhouse in Redwood City. The Stanford Alliance break dance troupe, with teacher Rahan Boxly, is performing at the Moldow-Zaffaroni clubhouse in East Palo Alto.

All performances will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. and are open to the public. Art education at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula is directed by Dia Penning.
Jews for Jesus at First Baptist

The group Jews for Jesus will construct a temporary booth or "sukkah" at First Baptist Church in Menlo Park and explain the significance of the Feast of the Booths or Tabernacles at 11 a.m. Sunday, October 16.

Steve Wertheim of Jews for Jesus will explain how the Jewish ritual serves as a backdrop for the gospel accounts of the life story of Jesus. Congregants will be invited to help adorn the booth with harvest fruits and foliage.

The public is invited to the program at the church, located at 1100 Middle Ave. in Menlo Park. For more information, call the church at 323-8544 or go to firstbaptist.com.
Church plans workshop on health, happiness

An all-day workshop on the impact of materialism and selfishness on a society's health and happiness is set for Saturday, October 15, at the Valley Presbyterian Church at 945 Portola Road in Portola Valley.

Participants will have a chance to discuss audio and video clips from a recent conference in Berkeley sponsored by Tikkun, an international community of people of many faiths that advocates social justice and political freedom in a spirit of compassion, generosity and nonviolence, organizers said.

The topics of the workshop will include reframing the current political debate, the long-term effects of technology on society, and the pitfalls of literalism and fundamentalism.

Tickets are $35, which includes lunch. Seating is limited. To register, call 851-8282, ext. 114, or mail your name, phone number, and e-mail address and check to: RISEN c/o Mary Jo Alderson, Valley Presbyterian Church, 945 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028.

For more information, call Robin Polastri at 712-9194.
Pancake breakfast in La Honda

The La Honda volunteer fire brigade will hold its annual pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, October 16, at the La Honda Fire House, 8945 La Honda Road (Highway 84).

The menu will feature "Captain Cathy's" pumpkin pancakes, regular pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, juice and coffee. Visitors are advised to take Highway 84, instead of Highway 92, since that is the weekend of the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival.
Story time at library

Kids ages 7 and up are invited to classic story time in the downstairs program room at the Menlo Park Library. The classics or fairy tales will be read by actors who are Menlo Park Library volunteers.

The monthly program for older children takes place from 7 to 7:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month, and is scheduled for October 12, November 9, and December l4, the same time slot as the upstairs "PJ Story Time." For information, call 330-2530.

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