November 30, 2007

NEWS BRIEFS

Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens: volunteers needed

The Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens provides several volunteer opportunities to get you involved in the beauty of the Park & Gardens.  Meet new people and contribute to a great local project!  We can accommodate large groups – perfect for a great team building experience!  Volunteer opportunities are also available at the Historic Orchard, Guadalupe River Trails, Native Plants Landscape, and the Drought Tolerant Garden.  Flexible hours are available during the week. Groups are welcome.  Please call Lucy Perez for more information.

Heritage Rose Garden – Wednesday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.  Prune roses, spread mulch, pull weeds -- it’s therapeutic and we always have room for more help.

Courtyard Demonstration Garden – This garden features a wide variety of plants in a landscape setting.  Volunteers needed to beautify this area. Flexible hours are available during the week.

Office Volunteers – An abundance of volunteer opportunities exist in our office at the Visitor & Education Center.  Activities include clerical work, answering the phones, organizing the library, preparing materials for educational programs, greeting visitors, etc.   Times and tasks vary, so call us to see what is currently available.

Education Volunteers are needed to help inspire kids of all ages at events, festivals and field trips.  Environmental and historical hands-on activities are both fun and educational and presented in many different areas within Guadalupe River Park & Gardens.  We are currently looking for a team of volunteers to be trained to help with our very full spring field trip schedule. Call for details.

Library Volunteers are needed to organize our new small library at the Visitor & Education Center. Some experience will be helpful.  Please call us for details.

For more information, visit our website www.grpg.org or contact Volunteer Coordinator Lucy Perez at lperez@grpg.org or 408-298-7657.

Book Sale

A Book Sale will be held on Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Evergreen Library in the Community Room from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Friends of the Evergreen Library are sponsoring this sale with the able assistance of the teens’ Reach Group. The Friends’ Book Store is overstocked with donated books.

Award-winning poet Robert Hass to sign copies of new book

Award-winning poet Robert Hass (above) will appear at Barnes & Noble Eastridge to read from and sign copies of his new poetry collection, “Time and Materials” on Tuesday, Dec.4, at 7 p.m.

The poems in this new collection — his first to appear in a decade — are grounded in the beauty and energy of the physical world, and in the bafflement of the present moment in American culture. This work is breathtakingly immediate, stylistically varied, redemptive, and wise.

The event is free and open to the public.

An interfaith Christmas message offered

San Jose’s second annual interfaith Christmas concert “A Celebration of Christmas” will inspire all with the message of Christmas on Dec. 15, from 7 – 9 p.m. at the Emmanuel Baptist Church located at 467 North White Road.

Renowned Opera San Jose tenor soloist, Isaac Hurtado, will perform his signature “Oh Holy Night.  Soprano soloist Mildred Byrd, from the Emmanuel Baptist Church, will enliven the show with her impressive voice while the Foothill Presbyterian Bell Choir will entrance you with the sounds and message of Christmas.  Caritas Catholic Choir is bound to entertain with their enthusiastic performance and Angel’s voices are sure to be heard when you listen to Zion Choir comprised of Latter-day Saint youth from around the Bay Area.  Many more performances including Piedmont Hills High School Choir, San Jose State Gospel Choir, Foothill College Choir and the beautiful sounds of the Hispanic Apostolic Church Choir will bring you back every year.

A gorgeous Crèche exhibit will be on display for all to enjoy and to bring the message of Christmas home and into your heart. Toys for Tots and Operation Share will be accepting donations of toys and food to help those who are most in need this holiday season.  May we all remember that Christmas is the time for giving.  Please come and enjoy, free of charge, this magnificent Christmas concert bringing together all Christian faiths in our community.

Sharing gifts of music

A winter music recital ‘Sharing Gifts of Music’ will be held at Grace Church of Evergreen on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 4.30 p.m. The music program is directed by Eleazar & Rebecca Inciarte, Daniel Hoover and Music Trainees.

Music selections will include classical, popular, winter and Christmas selections. A Reception will follow the recital program. Admission is free, with a suggested donationof $5 per adult. The program is presented by Evergreen Institute of Music & Fine Arts, and co-sponsored by Grace Church of Evergreen & Iglesia Bautista La Gran Comisión located at 2650 Aborn Road (at Kettmann) in San Jose.

For additional information, contact Pastor John Goldstein at 274-1200 or email gracelc@sbcglobal.net.