Journalists are only allowed to write "tis the season" once annually, so Holding Court is going to avoid using its once-a-year opportunity and just write about the events pitched during the first-Monday-ever interview day at Holding Court instead.
Adopt a family in Dallas, and make their yuletide bright
We have officially entered the holiday season, and with apologies to Thanksgiving, Dallas Adopt a Family is getting ready for Christmas. Vickieand Richard Boer came to Holding Court on Monday to tell us about the organization’s project to benefit the Dallas community.
The program matches Dallas families with individuals and groups who adopt them for Christmas. Each adopted family receives a meal and a gift for each child in the home. The organization looks to make customized matches based on preferences of the donor and gift ideas from the families.
Last year’s program provided meals and gifts for 222 families.
“About 500 children were able to have something under the tree,” Vickie Boer said, adding they hope to benefit more families this Christmas season.
Dallas Adopt a Family is looking for signups on both sides of the equation — donors and families in need.
Families can apply to be adopted by attending application days at the Academy Building, 182 SE Academy St., Suite 200, in Dallas.
For more information, contact the Dallas Adopt a Family committee at 503-559-5373.
Families must bring photo ID and a document showing their physical address to apply.
Those interested in donating can email dallasadopt1@gmail.com to receive a link to an online donation form.
Prepare for the season with holiday open house
Speaking of the holiday season, South Salem Ace Hardware is looking to get you in the Christmas spirit with its annual Holiday Open House, set for Saturday, Nov. 4.
Donna Hyland was excited to share all the details with us. The open house will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the store, 706 Madrona Ave. SE.
If there’s a way to get prepped for the Christmas season, it sounds like this is the place.
“It’s going to be like a winter wonderland,” Hyland said.
The store entrance and gift shop will be transformed and will feature dozens of decorated trees and other holiday goodness. There also will be food, live music, door prizes and giveaways and an artist gallery featuring Portland artist Christopher Bibby.
The event is a way to set your creative decorating ideas into motion.
“We’re basically there to provide inspiration for people for the holidays,” Hyland said.
For additional information, call 503-763-6323 or go to www.acesouthsalem.com.
Walk with veterans
Before Christmas comes Veterans Day, and this year, a free peace walk to explore the community's veterans memorials is being offered by Just Walk Salem Keizer.
Pat Norman stopped by to remind veterans and the community about the Veterans Day Memorial Walk, which is being held Sunday, Nov. 12.
Norman said they know Veterans Day is celebrated in the United States on Nov. 11, but she said "the vets are just too dang busy on that special Saturday, so we asked if Sunday, the 12th was OK, and they agreed."
So the 2.5-mile walk, which is not political, will start at 3 p.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Marion Post, 630 Hood St. NE, and pass several different memorials or monuments dedicated to veterans of all wars, Norman said.
One of the first locations is the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs building at 700 Summer St. NE. There, walkers will be able to see six memorials on the ODVA grounds including the Korean War Memorial, the Afghan-Iraqi Freedom Memorial, the VFW Veterans Monument and the Doughboy Statue.
From there, the walk will advance to the Capitol and pass the WWII Memorial at the corner of Court and Cottage streets NE.
Norman said walkers are invited to stroll as much or as little of the walk as they're comfortable with. "We just want to honor our veterans who continue to serve their communities every day," she said.
Just Walk Salem Keizer hosts walks most days of the month and includes a theme walk at least once per month, this month's being the Veterans Day Memorial Walk.
The club hopes to make the veterans walk an annual event. For more information, send a note via email to justwalksalem@gmail.com.
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Is it a quilt shop or coffee shop? It's both
Today marks the soft opening of Will-N-Bee'z Quilt and Coffee Shoppe in southeast Salem. It's in the parking lot with Fitts Seafoods for those who need a landmark.
Owner Mary Williams, a longtime quilter whose mother, Faye Jacques, helped start the Tillamook County Quilt Trail of painted wooden quilt blocks on barns, said the shop is in memory of Jacques and is a labor of love for her.
Williams, along with her mother-in-law, Dee Williams, and longtime friend Becky Brinlee (who owns the I Jive espresso shops in and near Turner) will serve no food (to protect fabrics and machinery in the shop), but they'll pour popular espresso, regular coffee and blended drinks separate from the quilt part of the shop.
"It's a coffee bar modeled after one in Helena, Montana," Williams said. "There will be tables and chairs and a coffee bar. It's really someplace for the husbands to sit and drink coffee while their wives shop."
Williams said there will be classes and times for women to quilt. A long-arm quilting machine will be available, but it won't be open to public use. She said she and other employees will operate the machinery.
"We want to socialize quilting. It'll be like those wine-and-paint classes except we won't serve wine. We want our quilters to keep their stitches straight. Quilters will bring us their tops, and we'll help with designs and quilting," Williams said.
The new shop won't be filled with a fabric and notions inventory at the start because Williams said she didn't want it to have just the items she likes. She wants to hear from her quilting customers about what they'd like to see fill the store.
Williams said initially she'll be open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Hours will be adjusted as patterns develop.
In addition to the soft opening Wednesday, Nov. 1, there will be a grand opening on Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11.
"We have a lot of retired Marines in our family and are very veteran oriented," Williams said. "So come see us; we'll have a variety of modern and traditional quilts on display."
The store is at 1555 12th St. SE. Call 503-507-8052.
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Annual rummage sale to help local church, community programs
It’s time for the annual rummage sale at Salem First Christian Church, and Arty Day and Rosealee Clemens came by with all the details.
The sale will be held Friday, Nov. 3, to Sunday, Nov. 5, in the basement fellowship hall of the church, 685 Marion St. NE. The sale runs 1 to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.
Most of the sale items will qualify for the $5 grocery bag sale. Buy a $5 bag and fill it up with anything that fits. There are larger items available, such as furniture, rugs and garden items that are individually priced because, well, a couch won't fit in a grocery bag.
Proceeds of the sale go to the church and its programs plus local organizations, such as Union Gospel Mission, Salvation Army, Center For Hope and Safety, Interfaith Hospitality Network and Simonka Place.
Parking is available in the church lot, but if it happens to be full, patrons are encouraged to use street parking.
Check out www.salemfcc.org for more information, or call the church at 503-363-9273.
Reach Carol McAlice Currie at ccurrie@StatesmanJournal.com or call 503-399-6746.
Reach Lee Clarkson at lclarkson@StatesmanJournal.com or call 503-399-6833.
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