Art and craft projects, musicians and storytellers will bring the 1800s to life for children on Family Day to be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 2, at Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. The free event is planned in conjunction with the exhibition, “American ABC: Childhood in 19th Century America.”
Members of Next Generation, a group dedicated to developing the next generation of Cantor Art Center members and leaders, are planning the event. “Spend the day and picnic on the beautiful grounds of the Cantor Arts Center. Kid-friendly food will be for sale,” says chair Amy Salisbury.
Visitors will be able to visit a replica of a 19th century classroom that is part of the “American ABC” exhibition, use toys and teaching tools and look at the books and children’s literature of the era.
“American ABC” includes paintings by Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins and George Catlin. The exhibition provides a window into the everyday life of the period.
Family Day is free and open to the public with no reservations necessary. For Family Day information, call 725-3155.
Peninsula Volunteers benefit
It’s off to the races for members of the Peninsula Volunteers, who will present “Hats and Horses,” a filmed horse-racing event, from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, March 24, at the Menlo Circus Club.There will be eight races with prizes awarded to the winning horse owners after the final race. A gourmet Italian dinner will be served.
Tickets are $80, with proceeds going to benefit the PV’s senior programs: Little House, Rosener House, Crane Place, Partridge/Kennedy Apartments and Meals on Wheels.
For more information or reservations, call Cathy at 326-0665, ext. 238.
West Bay Opera gala
A black-tie evening — featuring a champagne reception, silent and live auctions, dinner, and a live performance — will benefit West Bay Opera at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at the Garden Court Hotel, 520 Cowper St. in Palo Alto.Tickets are $150 per person. For more information, call 424-9999 Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Menlo’s choral groups
combine for concert
Menlo School’s choral groups — the Knights & Knightingales, the Lorelei, and the Merry Men — will present their annual spring concert Friday, March 24, in Stent Hall on the school campus, 50 Valparaiso Ave. in Atherton.The concert of love songs will be given at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday. Linda Jordan directs all three choral groups.
The concert is free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted for the chorus’ spring break trip to New Zealand in April.
Selections from the Brahms “Liebeslieder (Lovesong) Waltzes” will feature duo-piano by faculty member Eugenia McCauley and Louise Costigan-Kerns, a parent of a former Menlo School student.
The three choral groups will sing love songs from a wide variety of musical styles, including international folk songs, musical theater, classical, and popular songs.
The finale will be selections from Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” with piano duet, a preview of the entire work the Menlo Chorus will be perform in May in Salinas and Carmel with the Monterey Symphony and Chorus and the San Jose Symphonic Choir.
New auxiliary members
Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital recently welcomed new active members with a reception in the Sunset Room at Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. They are: Kay Bates, Atherton; Dawn Naso and Judy Rino, Menlo Park; Mariaelena Springsted, Portola Valley; Claudia Claussen and Kari Sreenivasan, Palo Alto; Ilene Cohen and Suzie Smith, Los Altos; Lucille Cole, Half Moon Bay; Dede Digrande, San Francisco; Pamela Mallett, San Mateo; and Ellen Schillig Redwood City.The new provisional class was also introduced. They will begin working at the Traditional Shop at Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park in March and serve on committees for Tally Ho, which will be held September 9 at the Menlo Circus Club.
The new provisional members are: Judi Ruehle, Menlo Park; Sangeeta Lahri, Atherton; Diane Kneis, Woodside; Christa Czarnecki and Lenora Carlson, Palo Alto; Peggy Jacquet, Cupertino; Margy Leibel and Maria Petrakis, Redwood City; Nicole McCullar, Palo Alto; Laura Peterson, Half Moon Bay; and Susie Sharron, San Mateo.
The Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary operates the Traditional Shop and hosts the annual Tally Ho benefit, with proceeds going to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.
Fit for Life fashions
The Community Breast Health Project’s first fashion show and dinner fundraiser — to be held Saturday, April 1, at the Pacific Athletic Club in Redwood Shores — is a sold-out event.Breast cancer survivors will model fashions from Calla of Menlo Park and Nike Women at Stanford Shopping Center.
The Community Breast Health Project is a nonprofit organization founded 12 years ago by cancer survivor Jill Freidenrich of Atherton and her surgeon, Dr. Ellen Mahoney.
Sunset garden awards
Sunset Dream Garden Awards, Sunset magazine’s biennial landscape competition, is now open to both professional and home gardeners. The deadline to apply for an entry package is March 22 for professionals; May 1 for home gardeners.There are five categories: regional style, incredible makeover, best personal retreat, best outdoor living, and best small space.
To enter, go to sunset.com/gardencontest. Home gardeners should click the “Home Gardener” link; landscape architects and designers should click the “Landscape Architects and Designers” link.
Mayors deliver Meals on Wheels
Mayor Nicholas Jellins of Menlo Park and Mayor Charles Marsala of Atherton will be among the 400 mayors in the U.S. who will take part in Mayors for Meals Day and deliver meals to Meals On Wheels recipients on Wednesday, March 22.Five local mayors will gather at Little House Peninsula Volunteers, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park, Wednesday morning to deliver the meals.
Poetry workshop
In celebration of National Poetry Month, a poetry workshop for teens in grades six through 12 will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, in the community room of the Menlo Park Public Library at 800 Alma St. in Menlo Park.For more information, call Michelle Barresse, youth services librarian, at 330-2530.
