The Lafayette Chamber wishes you a happy holiday season. Please consider supporting our various non profits and our arts community.

The Lafayette Chamber is partnering with The Hideout Kitchen for their Hideout Holiday Social!

Please join us on Thursday, December 2, 5pm-8pm to enjoy Shawn Raiford LIVE at The Hideout! There will be good music, appetizers, beer, and wine.

We will also be donating non-perishable food items to White Pony Express and will have large bins to accept donations if you wish to contribute!

Tickets are $50 and include one Table Talk Charcuterie box and one drink ticket. Visit hideoutkitchen.com/events to purchase your tickets! Please note ticket purchases are for standard seating and NOT table reservations.

Santa, Old Betsy, Lafayette Express train, live entertainment, kids' activities and more! Free to attend, Sunday, December 5, 4pm-6pm, Lafayette Plaza Park. Learn more here.

Join the Lafayette Chamber for their Holiday Mixer honoring the history of the Lafayette Improvement Association (LIA) and the Town Hall Theatre on Tuesday, December 7, 5:30pm-7pm, at Town Hall Theatre! This special, free, in-person celebration will include speeches, a ribbon cutting, music, food provided by Diablo Foods and Round Table Pizza Lafayette, no host bar and quite a lot of history!

Register so that we can have a name badge waiting for you and a drink ready at the (no host) bar!

A Friend of the Chamber membership provides a way for community members to support the efforts of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. We are 74 years strong and our mission continues “To promote and maintain a healthy business climate and to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Lafayette.” 

All aspects that make up a community are important to us: schools, residents, churches and synagogues, community organizations, activities, and the city government. Chamber members work with representatives of all these groups for the betterment of our community. A lifetime Friend of the Chamber membership is $150 per family. Learn more here>>

Have an event to share with our community? Add it to our Community Calendar!

If not, please go to https://beingwellca.org today!

ABD is hosting our Virtual Gala this Sunday, November 21st at 4 PM PT.

We're encouraging everyone to start bidding - our Silent Auction is filled with lots of special items, perfect for wine lovers! Bidding is open through Monday, 11/22 at 5 PM PT.

Our Live Auction includes a Tahoe vacation home, San Diego Bay catamaran cruise, golf & spa resort in Cabo San Lucas, and so much more! Register here!

Welcome the winter season—and wrap up 2021—with a festive holiday wreath. Join us out at Family Harvest Farm on Saturday, December 4, 10am-12pm for this FREE, family-friendly workshop on how to make your own wreath using local plants and herbs. We'll provide the materials; you bring the creativity! Register here.

Free event - December 4, 5:30-8 pm, 10 Moraga Valley Lane, Moraga

See the Christmas story come to life at the Live Nativity, held entirely outdoors and open from 5:30-8 pm on Saturday, December 4. The Courtyard will be transformed into a Bethlehem village. Members of our community will take on the roles of Mary and Joseph, the three Wise Men, shepherds, Roman soldiers, and a host of heavenly angels – and the donkey, sheep, goats, and other live animals truly transform the space into a spectacle not to be missed. While the manger will be a reverent scene with space for prayer and reflection, there will be other activities and refreshments under the canopy. Bring your friends and family! Learn more here.

Ahoy, mates! We are keeping our Crab Feed tradition alive! On Sat, Feb 12, 2022 we will host our 22nd Annual Crab Feed and Auction—a night of community, crab, and giving, at Carondelet High School in Concord. All proceeds directly support the Nursery!

Feb 12, 2022 | 5 pm – 10 pm, Location: Garaventa Center @ Carondelet High School, 1133 Winton Dr, Walnut Creek. Price: Tickets- $65 & Tables for 10- $600. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Mark your calendars and join us for #GivingTuesday, November 30th. It's a great opportunity to help Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa reach our goals as we plan to expand our services to reach people in need where they are by delivering hot nutritious meals through a new mobile vehicle. Any donation you make will be DOUBLED up to $5,000 - so your effort will have an even bigger impact! Please help support us in completing our mission - by making a donation here.

Mobility Matters is a nonprofit that gives rides to Seniors and Veterans in Contra Costa County.

Monument Crisis Center is excited to announce this year's Holiday Food Box drive! Completed boxes can be dropped off starting November 22, 2021 at 9am. Feel free to decorate - the more holiday cheer the better! Visit monumentcrisiscenter.org for more details. 

Harbor House has started their annual Christmas Gift Drive. Harbor House is MVPC’s local Mission Partner in Oakland and is a Christian development organization. They provide a safe place for opportunities, resources and relationships to be shared so that all families in Oakland can flourish. To purchase a gift to donate, please visit their Amazon Wish List.

Harbor House is also seeking volunteers to help with their Christmas Store. The volunteer shifts are listed below. To sign up to volunteer, please visit this link. Harbor House is asking for proof of vaccination when you sign up. If you have any additional questions, you can contact Harbor House at: nicole@hhministries.org

MVPC is holding a food drive benefiting the Bay Area Rescue Mission in Richmond. We are holding this food drive to help them with their Thanksgiving food baskets and their Christmas food baskets. We are seeking donations of:

Please bring your donations to the barrels located around the MVPC campus. Thank you for supporting our friends at the Bay Area Rescue Mission in Richmond.

The Orinda Association is collecting for One Warm Coat through December 15.  Drop off at the Orinda Volunteer Center, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda Library Plaza Monday-Friday, 9:30am-4pm.

Other ways to support the Orinda Associated are highlighted in the November issue of Orinda News here.

The Lafayette Youth Commission’s holiday toy drive runs until December 10th. Drop off your new, unopened toys at the Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary's Road, anytime between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. The Toys will be donated to Toys for Tots. For more information, please call the Lafayette Parks, Trails & Recreation Department at (925) 284-2232.

Saint Mary's College Museum of Art (SMCMoA) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to museums in the United States. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and the museum-going public. SMCMoA was first granted accreditation in 1989. Of the nation's estimated 33,000 museums, only 1,095 are currently accredited through this rigorous process that sets the professional standards of excellence for museums in the United States. SMCMoA has free admission and is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through December 12, 2021. Read more >>

Visit our new exhibit Harvest featuring the work of Akiko Suzuki & Carl Heyward.

Play our Family Scavenger Hunt and win a prize from the treasure chest!

Last day open in 2021 is Saturday, Dec. 11.

Instagram: @jenperlmuttergallery

Lamorinda Arts Council in-person and virtual exhibit for November includes jewelry and watercolors by Dina Asna, an abstract retrospective by Raymond L. Haywood, ceramics by Lesley Jensen and Chinese brush and scroll paintings by Joan Yao. All COVID-19 precautions observed. Visit their virtual gallery where art is available to purchase at www.lamorindaarts.org/online-galleries. The Art Gallery at the Orinda Library is located at 26 Orinda Way. All COVID-19 precautions observed. Questions? Call 925.359.9940 or email gallery@lamorindaarts.org. View flyer.

Lamorinda Arts Council features an online exhibit of John Anderle’s oil paintings themed "Welcome Home: Memories in Brushstrokes" during November. Visit www.lamorindaarts.org/online-galleries to view his work which is available for purchase. Contact Curator Aniston Breslin at wildergallery@lamorindaarts.org to make an appointment for a viewing at the solo Wilder Art Gallery, 20 Orinda Fields Lane, Orinda. All COVID-19 precautions observed. View flyer.

The public is invited to an outdoor reception honoring sculptor Rue Whittaker who will answer questions about "Indigo Animal and Dame Eleanor Marmot" on Sat. Nov. 20, 2-4:00 p.m. in front of the Orinda Community Center, 28 Orinda Way, 94563. Light refreshments will be served. Families and children are most welcome. Hosted by the City of Orinda Art in Public Places Committee and Lamorinda Arts Council. Rain or shine event. All COVID-19 precautions observed. For more information about APPC visit www.artspaceorinda.org; visit LAC online at www.lamorindaarts.org. View flyer.

Lamorinda Arts Council welcomes 36 members of the Lamorinda Arts Alliance to an in-person and virtual exhibit including 80 artworks from different genres in December. Celebrate the holidays with them at their artist reception Sat. Dec. 4, 3 to 5 p.m. Enjoy light refreshments and jazz from the Nika Rejto Duo with Robin Lewis. Visit their online gallery where art is available for purchase at www.lamorindaarts.org/online-galleries. The Art Gallery at the Orinda Library is located at 26 Orinda Way. All COVID-19 precautions observed. Questions? Call 925.359.9940 or email gallery@lamorindaarts.org. View flyer.

Lamorinda Arts Council features Christian Ehrhorn's solo exhibit of oil paintings entitled "Orinda in the Abstract." Join him at an artist reception in his honor with light refreshments on Sun., Dec. 5 from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. View his work online the remainder of the month at www.lamorindaarts.org/online-galleries or request a viewing at the Wilder Art Gallery, 20 Orinda Fields Lane, Orinda by contacting Curator Aniston Breslin at wildergallery@lamorindaarts.org. All COVID-19 precautions observed. View flyer.

Saturday, Nov. 20, Virtual Screening Link available all day

Synopsis: It’s February 1939. the Spanish republicans are fleeing Franco’s dictatorship to France. The French government builds concentration camps, confining the refugees, where they barely have access to hygiene, water and food. In one of these camps, separated by barbed wire, two men will become friends. One is a guard, the other is Josep Bartoli (born in Barcelona , 1910 – died in NYC, 1995). Bartoli who is famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s secret love, and an illustrator who fights against Franco’s regime. From France, 72 min – Animated, / Historical drama, In French and Spanish with English subtitles.

Free for Mountain Shadow members. To purchase a general admission ticket, see the website: https://www.mountainshadow.org.

The Diablo Symphony Orchestra is excited to present the opening concert of its 2021-22 season on November 21 at 2:00 p.m. at the Lesher Center for the Arts, followed by its annual holiday concert at the Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church (1801 Lacassie Avenue in Walnut Creek) on December 11, starting at 2:00 p.m. Titled “Amazing Grace”, the November program, under the baton of guest conductor, opens with Adolphus Hailstork’s “Fanfare on Amazing Grace”, a celebratory fanfare weaving fragments of the well-known hymn throughout. Living composer Hailstork’s works reflect the influence of his African American heritage and love of spirituals. The lighthearted yet vibrant “Petite Suite de Concert” of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor follows. The concert concludes with the cheerful and optimistic Symphony Number Eight of Antonín Dvořák, reflecting the composer’s passion about his Bohemian homeland and its traditional music.

In collaboration with the Fratello Marionettes of Danville, the Diablo Symphony celebrates the holidays in a program featuring Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s “Christmas Overture'', Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, Hanukkah and Christmas favorites, and a wintery trip with marionettes performing to excerpts from “The Nutcracker Suite” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and the “Dance of the Tumblers” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Grace Huh, 2019-20 Diablo Symphony Yen Lian Young Artist Competition winner, joins forces with the orchestra to perform Sibelius’ virtuosic yet melodic Violin Concerto in D minor. Ms. Huh, currently a student in the Columbia University-Juilliard School Exchange, has won a number of performing awards and soloed with various orchestras in the region. Marionette builders and puppeteers Kevin Menegus and Samantha Lake have frequently collaborated with local symphony orchestras to produce performances blending live classical music with the storytelling art of puppetry.

Season and individual tickets for the Symphony’s 2021-22 season are available through the Lesher Center Box Office. Tickets can be purchased in person during box office hours, by phone (925-943-7469) or online. Questions about the orchestra and/or the season can be sent by email to info@diablosymphony.org. You can also visit the orchestra’s website at www.diablosymphony.org for information about the orchestra, its musicians and various activities.

Ready to show off your amazing talent? A Brighter Day, partnering with the Lafayette Youth Commission, presents the Teen Talent Showcase! Teen Talent Showcase submissions are free and open to all teens (11 & Up) and young adults! Just fill out the Registration Form and submit your audition video HERE. All contestants will be automatically entered into a $100 Target gift card giveaway! Deadline to submit is 11/21. A variety of acts are encouraged—singing, playing a musical instrument, dancing, performing in a skit, doing magic tricks, performing stand-up comedy, juggling, or any other unique talent! Finalists will compete for an opportunity to win up to $1000 towards school expenses. A Brighter Day is a charity that unites stress and depression resources with teenagers.

December 1 - January 30  

Front and center at the Moraga Art Gallery’s gift-rich holiday show, “Alluring Visions,” is a display of Wenda Pyman’s landscape photographs that capture nature's miraculous details in both striking color and black-and-white, influenced by such masters as Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Edward Weston and others of the f64 Club.   

On Saturday, December 4th, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, the art lovers of all ages are invited to a free holiday reception to view the art, meet the artists and enjoy snacks and live music provided by the popular harp virtuoso, Wendy Tamis.

For more information visit www.moragaartgallery.com or call 925-376-5407

LAA is pleased to announce our member show “Inspired by the Greats” at the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library, December 2 – 31, 2021.

Please join us for our reception with the artists at the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library, Saturday, December 4^th from 3pm – 5pm.

The Art Gallery at the Orinda Library is located at 26 Orinda Way in Orinda. The Gallery is open Monday – Thursday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Friday – Saturday, 10:00am – 6:00pm. 

We want to thank the Lamorinda Arts Council for giving the Lamorinda Arts Alliance this opportunity to display our artwork.

Lamorinda Arts Alliance is an organization of local artists and friends who reside or work in the area. Its purpose is to provide coordination, education, and service to promote and increase knowledge, appreciation, and practice of the arts, and to enhance the cultural development of Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, and the surrounding communities.  The group seeks to foster a better understanding of art within the community and encourage the exchange of ideas for the mutual benefit of all members through its programs, exhibits and other activities within the community. www.laa4art.org

A cast of 5 extraordinary actors plus one live foley artist brings Bedford Falls to life on the Town Hall Theatre stage. This production brings audiences back to the 1940s as they tell classic holiday story of George Bailey and the Christmas he gains an appreciation for the positive impact he has on his community. Featuring a mix of new and familiar faces, Daniel J. Eslick has brought together an exciting ensemble that your family will love.

TICKETS:  $18-$35 depending on performance, Special pricing: Group Tickets (10 or more) - $25

Live musical theater is back and more magical than ever! Join The Peter Pan Foundation for an in-theater production of the family classic, Little Women, held the weekend of December 3-5 at King's Valley Christian School, 4255 Clayton Rd, Concord, CA.

· Friday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $25 for adults; $15 for seniors, students and veterans. Tickets are limited due to theater capacity, so purchase yours today at https://peterpanfoundation.org/box-office.

Diablo Ballet's The Nutcracker Suite

The 28th Season opened with the new full-length production of Julia Adam’s smash holiday hit, The Nutcracker Suite with newly designed costumes and sets. The Diablo family and their daughter Clara, return to the Nutcracker Suite at the Fairmont Hotel for another Christmas Eve adventure! Clara’s dream expands taking her on a magical journey through the land of sweets for a full-length evening of dance and will include students from Diablo Ballet School. See what unfolds in this whimsical ballet that will delight all ages.

FOR VIRTUAL TICKETS: Your virtual performance will be an edited recording of the live performances. Viewing will begin Friday, December 3, 2021 at 9:00 AM PST through Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 9:00 PM PST. Purchase tickets here.

New Arts and Entertainment Series by the Diablo Regional Arts Association 

Country music singer-songwriter LeAnn Rimes kicks off the 2022 Headliners Series on Friday, January 7, 2022 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek!

Individual and series-package tickets, $32-$92, are on sale now through the Lesher Center Ticket Office. Contact 925-943-7469 or visit draa.org/headliners. Build Your Own Bundle to receive up to 25% off OR use code “Chamber” for $10 off!

Germany’s Oscar submission I'm Your Man: Recently separated forty-something Alma (the effervescent Maren Eggert, in her Berlinale award-winning performance) is a research scientist at Berlin’s magnificent Pergamon Museum, and entirely dedicated to her work. Needing research funds, she’s persuaded by her supervisor to participate in an extraordinary study: for three weeks she must live with a human-like robot designed solely to be her ideal companion. Thus, after an exhaustive survey of her preferences, Alma is introduced to the unflappably upbeat Tom (Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens, in a revelatory performance), a handsome A.I. creation who’s programmed to adapt to her desires as they get to know each other, making him her perfect life partner. Though thoroughly disinterested in Tom and dismissive of the project overall, Alma discovers that life can take us in unexpected directions… Taking inspiration from a short story by Emma Braslavsky, and sharing DNA with Spike Jonze’s Her, Schrader’s intriguing tragicomedy is a witty and nuanced take on the familiar odd-couple dynamic, questioning love, longing and what it takes to be human. View Trailer.

At the Orinda Theatre in January (date TBD). At the Jarvis Conservatory Jan. 22, 3pm and 7pm. Learn more at http://internationalshowcase.org.

Named Best Concert Series of the East Bay 2021 by Diablo Magazine, the Gold Coast Chamber Players made a joyful return to the stage on September 18, 2021. Health guidelines kept the enthusiastic crowd safe and patrons and musicians gathered by moonlight for an After Party.

Four more concerts remain in the season. Holiday gift certificates available.

Seriously Mozart on January 22, 2022 at 7:30PM

playful, elegant, and dramatic.

Culture, Crisis, and Creativity on Friday, February 25, 2022 at 7:30 PM

with the famed Horszowski Trio.

Caliente! on March 19, 2022 at 7:30PM

a sizzling exploration of Spanish favorites featuring San Francisco Opera’s principal clarinetist Jose Gonzalez Granero.

Dvořák’s America {Reimagined} on May 14, 2022 at 7:30PM.

Purchase single tickets and subscriptions online at www.GCCPmusic.com or by calling (925) 283-3728. Visit gccpmusic.com to find regular updates about concert offerings, to make donations, and to purchase tickets.

Cal Shakes is especially thankful this holiday season to everyone who made a safe and successful return to the Bruns possible this year. To the artists, technicians, and creative teams that made The Winter's Tale such a success. To our staff who made sure we could all gather safely. To the more than 25 organizations that joined us at the Bruns as part of our Season of Shared Light. And most importantly to our audience—for championing us through this extraordinary time. We couldn't do it without you! We wouldn't want to do it without you!

We are participating in Giving Tuesday to support further digital, artistic, educational, and community programming through 2022 and beyond! We believe in theater that connects us to our past, invites complexity, and expands our capacity to imagine. When we do this together with open hearts, we all win. Join us!

Cancer Support Community relies on the generosity of individuals like you, to ensure that no one faces cancer alone.

Please consider making a year-end donation so your neighbors and loved ones have somewhere to turn if they are diagnosed with cancer. To learn more and to make a gift, please visit www.cancersupport.net.

Save the date for these 2022 Cancer Support Community Events.

BakerAvenue Wealth Management in San Francisco is supporting CASA again this year! As a part of 2021 Giving Tuesday and beyond, BakerAvenue will generously match all donations received by January 15, 2022 up to $10,000 in order to help us:

Please help CASA reach our goal, and make your tax-deductible donation. The CASA program depends on the generous support of individuals like you. Make your donation here.

“We Can” provide access to the arts! With you by our side as a supporter of the Comeback Campaign, Diablo Regional Arts Association is poised to set a new standard for high-quality diverse programming and provide young people with a chance to experience the visual and performing arts. We are partnering with 15-year-old, partially deaf artist, Tyler Gordon, who uses his love of painting to bring awareness to social issues. As a part of this project, student artwork inspired by the book will be on display at the Lesher Center during the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s performances April 29-30. To contribute toward the “We Can” Arts Access Project, please click here.

Photo: Tyler Gordon

A limited quantity of personalized, engraved pavers are still available on the new Rudney Plaza at the Lesher Center for the Arts through Diablo Regional Arts Association’s Pave the Way campaign. Funds raised through Pave the Way will support innovative artistic programming and provide access to the arts for all. Plus, with a custom inscription, they make one-of-a-kind, feel-good gifts for your loved ones this holiday season. To learn more and reserve a paver, please click here.

On this #GivingTuesday, November 30 join the a global movement as people and organizations work together to transform their communities. Pause from all the shopping and holiday hustle bustle and take some time to recognize LCF with a donation.

To donate, please click HERE. If a monthly donation or a gift of stock are more appealing, we are happy to accommodate. If you are a business owner and are interested in our Business Partner Program, please visit www.lafayettecf.org to learn more.

This past year, we experienced more compassion and generosity than ever before, all because of you. Give today and help us continue supporting local nonprofits that elevate, support and care for so many!

Lafayette Library programs are only possible thanks to our generous donors. If you value great storytelling and believe in the power of Library’s to inspire, enrich and change lives, please consider making a gift today.

Your support ensures we can continue to offer meaningful programs throughout the year. Many past events are available to watch anytime on the Lafayette Library YouTube channel.  You’ll be inspired, informed and entertained! http://www.LLLCF.org

November 30th is Giving Tuesday across the country. Here in Lafayette, a group of generous LPIE families will be matching all donations up to $150,000 from now until the end of 2021. Every dollar counts double, so now is the time to make a difference! Click here to join your friends and neighbors who have already donated. Thank you for continuing the legacy of giving in Lafayette to support our children’s education.

The LPIE Crab Feed is making a comeback! Saturday, February 5 at 5 pm. Join us in a covered, heated outdoor barn for live music, beer & wine, and all the crab you can eat. Tickets go on sale Friday, December 3 at 9 am. Check out our website for more information.

Raffle tickets are $100. Only 200 total tickets will be sold and it is not necessary to attend the Gala to win one of the two fabulous prizes: Three Nights at the Esperanza, Los Cabos, Mexico, generously donated by Esperanza. Diamond Hoop Earrings, generously donated by Solano Jewelers. To purchase a Raffle Ticket, click here to submit your name and phone number and someone will call you to complete the transaction.

"Thank you SO much for helping me out with transportation on Wednesday. You were really a lifesaver! I’m SO happy to know about the Lamorinda Spirit Van, such a needed service!...My driver, Jerry, was just great! He was so polite and patient — my appointment took longer than I anticipated because they wanted to try a new treatment since my condition had worsened.”

Our non profit organization, Lamorinda Village has an opportunity to receive $30,000 as a Matching Gift! In order to claim this, we need your help. Any donation you make will be doubled by our sponsor in our Matching Gift Challenge. Please help double our impact in the community. Read how we support older adults to live and thrive in Lamorinda and donate!

If you know of a neighbor who may benefit from caring connections and support, please reach out to us. Watch our video to learn more.  

Thank you for considering us in your year end giving. To donate to Lamorinda Village where your gift will be matched and doubled, click HERE. Learn more about our organization by visiting us at: www.lamorindavillage.org or send inquiries to info@lamorindavillage.org. 

To help us meet our $20,000 goal this year, a generous early supporter will match 1:1 every gift to Las Trampas received from now until the end of the day on #GivingTuesday.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Randy’s journey and how you can support programs and services that provide choice, opportunity, enrichment, companionship, and connection for our friends and neighbors with developmental disabilities. 

The Live Like Leo Foundation is intended to harness rich global experiences and bring them to students who do not have such access. We believe through opening societal borders and bringing the best of educational programs from around the globe, we can raise awareness to the underexposed and in turn breed a more connected world.

The Live Like Leo Foundation draws its inspiration from young Leo Cellura who’s life was cut short in a tragic accident. Leo's global experiences over his short eleven years of life are what has inspired all of the people he touched and given us the purpose to pay it forward. Learn more and make your donation at livelikeleo.org.

LIGHT UP THE PARK THEATER & WE’LL LIGHT UP LAFAYETTE!

In 1941, the Park Theater came into being out of a desire for arts, culture, entertainment - and COMMUNITY - in downtown Lafayette.

This is 2021 and those desires have not changed. The Park Theater can light up Lafayette again but to bring it back, we need community. We need YOU! The Park Theater Trust has created a sustainable model of owning and protecting the theater in a nonprofit, and then leasing it to a for-profit operator. We need to raise a total of $5MM to complete the remodel.

Together, we can create a downtown space designed to entertain and engage us all. Together, let’s light up the Park and light up Lafayette! For more information, please contact Kathy Bowles at kathy@parktheatertrust.org, Tracey Farrell at tracey@parktheatertrust.org, or visit www.parktheatertrust.org to make your donation or pledge today!

Support Sunflower Hill this Giving Tuesday and help us continue to creates places and spaces where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities live, work, learn, and thrive!

Three Thirty Three Arts will be fundraising and producing the community art involvement for Creative Concord. Local Edition Creative is working with Visit Concord and the Concord Chamber of Commerce to do some visual and performing arts programming for June 2022. Anybody curious about this initiative to get Contra Costa County "leveled up" as far as arts and culture should connect with Sage Loring, Executive Director of Three Thirty Three Arts.

Trinity Center is a doorway to opportunity, providing essential safety net services and a pathway forward for vulnerable populations. We advocate for those who are seeking housing, financial stability, and wellness. Join us in our mission to uphold the values of dignity, respect, inclusion, equity, and vibrancy of life for all. 

White Pony Express, the food rescue organization serving Contra Costa County, launched their 2021 annual fundraising campaign on October 1st: The Love Exchange!

This campaign features love in action and the way it is shared freely between White Pony Express, their community partners, dedicated volunteers, and the hungry and malnourished neighbors they feel privileged to serve. 

Join our email list or follow us on social media for stories featuring love in action! www.whiteponyexpress.org/2021-love-exchange-campaign

It takes a village to raise kids, and it will take $350K to raise funds to repair our four foster homes. We are only 25% from our goal and need your help to reach it. Please visit Youth Homes' webpage at http://www.youthhomes.org/welcome-home to make a donation or learn more.

Come celebrate the holiday season with us and enjoy finding one-of-a-kind items at great sale prices! Join us the day after Thanksgiving, at any of our six locations, and enjoy 50% off storewide! Be sure to mention the Lafayette Chamber to receive an additional 10% off your purchase! 

By supporting the Hospice Thrift Shoppes you're helping Hospice East Bay fulfill our mission of providing quality hospice care for patients and their families in our community. Stay informed about upcoming sales, online shoppe offerings and more by following us on social media.

Options include St. George Botanivore Gin Kit; Tahoe Blue Vodka Kit; Espolon Ancho/Reyes Tequila Kit; Whiskey Exploration Kit and Rum Movers Kit. There are two recipes per kit, and each recipe serves six. View more information here: www.lamorindaarts.org/mixology.

https://lamorindaarts.org/mixology-pickup for details. Questions? Call 925-359.9940 or email info@lamorindaarts.org.

All proceeds from Art of Mixology Kit sales support the volunteer-led efforts and programs of the nonprofit Lamorinda Arts Council and our mission to ignite and sustain artistic expression and appreciation for all ages throughout Lamorinda.

Local Food Adventures is extending a 20% donation to LPIE for the remainder of the holiday season! So send favorite flavors of Lafayette and the East Bay to family & friends all over the country!

Local mom and Local Food Adventures founder Lauren McCabe Herpich has put together a collection of foodie gift boxes from local spots like Amphora Lafayette, Rockridge Market Hall, Oaktown Spice Shop, Papillon Gourmet Coffee and Tea and more! All boxes include free nationwide shipping and your message in a handwritten greeting card. Order by December 10 for guaranteed shipping in time for Christmas or select local pick-up for any last-minute gifts. Order now using this link to ensure LPIE receives credit, and the 20% donation, for your order: https://bit.ly/LFA_LPIE 

The holiday season’s largest shopping extravaganza in central Contra Costa is at the free 12th annual Super Holiday Boutique on the Dec. 4-5 weekend in Pleasant Hill and Concord where shoppers will find a potpourri of gift items from over 75 vendors.

The two free indoor holiday events allow shoppers to get those special one-of-a-kind holiday gifts and stocking stuffers for family, friends and colleagues from a variety of arts and crafts vendors, home-based businesses and commercial exhibitors.

Each attendee will receive a free raffle ticket for prizes donated by Boutique vendors.

The donation of much-needed food to the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano will earn the donor another raffle ticket for each can donated.

Super Holiday Boutique is free to the public with ample free parking around each venue. Masks are required for everyone attending the Boutique. Visit www.superholidayboutique.com for more information and to register for a Free $2 Holiday Buck and free raffle ticket to be used at the Boutiques.

Friends Corner Book Shop will be open regularly scheduled hours throughout the rest of the year, except for the days below when the shop will be closed.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10-6

Wednesday 10-8

Friday 10-5

Saturday 9-1

Sunday Closed

Closed:

Paintings depicting our lovely local landscape are available from my studio, Tom Taneyhill Art. For more information feel free to give me a call (925)286-9346 or email tom@taneyhill.com.

Enumero Cribbage Boards are hand crafted in small batches using beautiful, warm hardwoods and richly colored inlay. Each and every board is unique in its appearance, name, and the series (or batch) it belongs to.

I humbly believe that an Enumero Cribbage Board will be played on and enjoyed for generations to come.

Enumero is derived from the latin word "enumeratus" which means "to count". Cribbage has been played for over 400 years and continues to grow in popularity.

An Enumero Cribbage board can enhance your playing experience or can be given as a memorable gift to your favorite Cribbage Player. Each Enumero Cribbage Board comes with metal pegs that are kept in a small storage compartment at one end of the board. This compartment is secured with a small threaded hardwood cap.

I will be selling my cribbage boards at the 2021 Winter Edition of the Craneway Craft Fair, at the Craneway Pavilion 1414 Harbour Way South Richmond, CA on Sat/Sun of Thanksgiving Weekend: Saturday, November 27, 2021 10:00 AM - 5 PM and Sunday, November 28, 2021.

Cribbage and cutting boards have been recently re-photographed to show the exquisite detail. View etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/enumerocribbageboard.

Dinart is all about finding joy in creativity and all the good energy that we need to carry with us everyday and everywhere we go. To fulfill this goal I came up with the idea to transform my watercolor painting to different types of custom wearable arts. My hand-crafted art pieces can be seen at www.etsy.com/shop/dinartgift and din-art.com. Currently, my handmade painting jewelry is available online and is also sold exclusively at a local high-end boutique in Oakland, CA. Every collection has a name which is inspired by my personal journey such as Self Love, Harmony, Courage, Wisdom, Hope, ....

Join the Lafayette Rotary at their weekly meetings on Thursdays! Every Thursday from 12:15 – 1:30 pm. Each week we feature a different guest speaker in addition to regular club business. Guests are always welcome! If you are interested in checking us out, email jay@lafayettechamber.org for more info.

We hope to be in-person soon, but in the meantime- join our Zoom meeting!

Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church invites you to join MC Eric Benson on Zoom at the For Lamorinda Speakers Series. Register at MVPCtoday.org/Events and scroll for the appropriate one.

On December 2, 6:45-8:00 PM, hear from some Lamorinda Good Samaritans and learn ways you too can support less fortunate neighbors. JC Orton has worked for many years as The Catholic Worker- Nights on the Street. He provides mail service, soup, blankets, sleeping bags, socks and kindness to homeless men in Berkeley. What roadblocks does he face and what are the men’s challenges? How can we ease their burdens? Added to JC’s testimony will be information from Dr. Mary Yee who has provided food and help to women in San Francisco. How can we support the Food Pantry at MVPC? What does Bay Area Rescue Mission need most in the donation boxes? Let’s grow as a caring community! Q/A to follow.

Registration for winter programs for all ages opens December 6! This include enrichment classes, break camps, senior classes, special events and much more. Winter Rec Guides will be mailed the last week of November and it will be posted at www.LafayetteRec.org. Call 925-284-2232 with any questions or stop by the Community Center office from 9am-1:30pm Monday thru Friday.

There is a series of classes available from Lamorinda’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Learn, in detail, disaster preparedness and response, how to work with your neighbors as a team and help your community during an emergency. The course covers many subjects:

Classes are taught twice a year, once in Lafayette and once in Orinda. Class series are one night a week for nine weeks, including hands-on exercises and a final drill. The next class series will be held at the Orinda Library on Wednesday nights from 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm starting January 12 and finishing on March 9.

Classes are forming now! For more information or to register online go to: https://classes.lamorindacert.org

GET READY and become one of the over 900 trained Lamorinda CERTs. Sign up now!

Lamorinda Moms is a membership organization whose mission is to support and connect all parents in WaLamorinda with kids up to age 6. We host events - like our Egg Hunt, Fall Fest, and Preschool Fair - as well as workshops and age-based playgroups that allow parents and children in our area to meet one another, learn from each other, and have fun! Our new Lamorinda Moms app makes it even easier to stay on top of everything we have going on and chat with fellow members. To learn more and to join, visit LamorindaMoms.org or email membership@lamorindamoms.org.

Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary is proud to announce the return of HOME Team! This free service provides local seniors with "fix-it" help on projects around their homes. To schedule a visit, please go to http://www.rotaryhometeam.com or call 888.204.5573.

Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Club Meetings are held every Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m., Lafayette Veterans Memorial Building OR Zoom Link at https://lamorindasunrise.org/speakers.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UC Berkeley invites you to dive into a winter term of nearly 20 relevant and revelatory online and in-person weekly courses starting January 18. Highlights include: China and India: A Tale of Two Superpowers; The Kennedy Dynasty (Mick Chantler); Race and European Art (Letha Ch'ien); and The Fab Four and the Stones: How America Surrendered to the Advance Guard of the British Invasion (Pete Elman). OLLI @Berkeley is a membership community that curates inspiring educational programs year-round for adults ages 50 and above. No tests. No grades. No prerequisites (aside from an OLLI @Berkeley membership.) Just learning for the love of learning. View all of our courses and register here. 

The Seven Hills School is pleased to offer both virtual information sessions and on-campus tours options for prospective parents to learn more about our whole-child educational philosophy and the community of The Seven Hills School. A Seven Hills education is based on the whole child philosophy, as we educate not just the mind but the heart, and attend to the entirety of the student experience. From our Reggio-inspired Preschool and developmental Kindergarten to our adventurous Lower School classes and rigorous Middle School program, Seven Hills students are on a journey of curiosity and exploration, success and setbacks, awareness of self, and contribution to others. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion fosters compassionate students who shape a more equitable and sustainable world. To learn more or register for an admissions event, please visit our website. 

More than 11 million family and friends care for people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Join us in honoring their love and dedication during National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. No one should face Alzheimer's alone. Help empower a caregiver in your life. Learn about free care and support resources available to all families impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementia at alz.org/care. Caregivers can’t do it alone. We are here to help! Call our free, 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.

UCSF Health and John Muir Health are developing a network of cancer care centers designed to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer patients throughout the East Bay. UCSF and John Muir Health are majority shareholders in Canopy Health, which was founded in 2015. You can gain access to Canopy Health's premier care network through Health Net or UnitedHealthcare.

UCSF Medical Center's nationally top-ranked cancer program was recognized by US News & World Report as the best cancer program in Northern California. John Muir Health is accredited as an Integrated Network Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Both programs deliver comprehensive care personalized to each patient and delivered with compassion.

Our multidisciplinary teams have vast experience treating cancer, including but not limited to those of the breast, gastrointestinal tract, head and neck, lung, thyroid and prostate, as well as uterine and ovarian cancers, and hematologic cancers. Through our cancer collaboration you'll have access to distinguished disease-specific treatment capabilities, expanded clinical trial enrollment and precision medicine offerings, close to home.

As a patient, you'll also find a range of support services and educational resources such as nurse navigators, genetic counselling and cancer nutrition. These help you and your loved ones manage your care and become active participants in the healing process.

Our cancer network began with the UCSF-John Muir Health Cancer Center in Berkeley, which opened in February 2020. In 2021, existing John Muir Health Cancer Centers in Walnut Creek, Concord and Pleasant Hill will also officially become part of the network.

Central to the network is the development of a world-class cancer outpatient center, opening in Walnut Creek in early 2024, which will offer comprehensive services. These include radiation oncology treatments, an infusion center, access to clinical trials, genetic counseling, nurse navigators, support services and additional diagnostic and treatment services in a patient centered environment. For more information visit canopyhealth.com.

The Lafayette Veterans Memorial Building is now accepting reservations. For information on booking an event, contact Building Director for info 925-283-1153 or info@lafayetteveterans.org. 

MCE is pleased to announce our 2021 Impact Report, highlighting the successes of our last year. We are excited to move into our second decade of service together, fostering the clean energy economy and building an equitable energy future. The power of MCE is about more than clean energy — it’s the power of people over profit; it’s community power. We all deserve a fossil–free future that combats climate change and gives us cleaner air to breathe. The climate is in our hands. Learn more and take action at mcecares.org.

Welcome in the fall season with this comforting side dish. Most crisp apple varieties will work well for this recipe: Jonathan apples are juicy with a refreshing tartness, Gala apples are sweet and flavorful. Ask a farmer on Saturday at the Orinda Farmers' Market for their recommendation!

Your Guide to Lafayette's Restaurant Row [an interactive PDF]