Happenings (Week of Dec. 12, 2007)

HCF now collecting grant applications

The Hillsboro Area Impact Fund, the unrestricted endowment fund of Hillsboro Community Foundation, has now begun its inaugural year granting process.

Grant applications can be picked up from Brad Bartel, HCF secretary-treasurer, at Emprise Bank, 104 E. Grand, Hillsboro. Applicants can also call Bartel at 620-947-3464 (ext. 104) to request an application.

The quickest way for applicants to get an Impact Fund grant application is to download it from the Free Press Web site: www.hillsborofreepress.com.

Grant applications will be accepted from now until Dec. 31. Details as to the process, criteria and where to direct questions are included on the application form.

HCF estimates that earnings on the current balance in the endowment fund will allow about $5,000 in grants to be disbursed in this inaugural year. Plans are to award the grants in January and then to fund the recipients in spring 2008.

The Impact Fund is for charitable uses, to be determined by HCF. The foundation board will annually designate the available funding for these community grants.

Grant applications should be from organizations that are exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) and who serve the Hillsboro area.

Applications will not be limited to a particular issue or target population. Successful applicants will be those who assist in fulfilling HCF?s mission to improve the quality of life for the community.

Community caroling in Goessel, Dec. 16

The city of Goessel will offer an all-community Christmas caroling event at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16.

The group will meet in front of Goessel High School and will walk through town singing Christmas carols. The walk will end at the blacksmith shop on Main Street for hot chocolate and peppernuts. Individuals are invited to bring a pint bag of peppernuts as well as the recipe to share.

Goessel K-6 program to be held Dec. 13

The Goessel kindergarten through sixth grade will present their Christmas program at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 at the Goessel Elementary School gymnasium.

Kindergarten through third grade students, directed and accompanied by Marcia Brubaker and Sara Adrian, will present ?This is Christmas.? Third grade students will be featured as narrators and on instruments.

The fourth through sixth grade choir, directed by Greg Bontrager and Sara Adrian, will present Christmas choral pieces with sixth grade students Brooke Holloway and Heath Goertzen featured on instrumental parts. The fourth grade recorder ensemble will also perform.

The kindergarten through sixth grade choir will lead the audience in ?Away in a Manger? and ?Silent Night.?

The public is invited to attend.

Burns youth to present program

The Burns Mennonite youth group will present a Christmas program titled ?Our Inn was Full? at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12 at the Burns Community Center.

Cookies and coffee will be served. The public is invited to attend.

HUMC to present cantata Dec. 16

The Hillsboro United Methodist Church Chancel Choir, directed by Allen Ediger, will present ?The Love of God at Christmas? at 10:30 a.m. during the Sunday, Dec. 16 worship service.

The cantata centers on the familiar hymn, ?The Love of God,? and includes both traditional as well as new Christmas music.

The public is invited to attend.

American Red Cross blood drive, Dec. 17

Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church will host an American Red Cross blood drive from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17.

Everyone who comes to donate will receive a free Red Cross t-shirt. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-GIVE LIFE.

Special Ed board to meet Dec. 17

The Marion County Special Education Cooperative Board of Directors will meet at noon Monday, Dec. 17 in the Marion County Special Education Cooperative conference room, 302 W. Eighth in Florence.

Book discussion group, Dec. 14

The Hillsboro Public Library Book Discussion Group will meet with Mentor Study club members at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 14 at Little Pleasures Coffee House.

The groups will have coffee and coffeecake and share favorite Christmas books or stories. Librarian Cathy Fish will also review some of the new Christmas books available at the library.

Hillsboro Kiwanis to meet Dec. 18

The Hillsboro Kiwanis Club will meet at noon Tuesday, Dec. 18 at the Hillsboro city building.

Lunch will be served by Fat N Sassy BBQ. The guest speaker, Lindy Wiens of Grene Vision, will talk about the eye disease, glaucoma.

If you are not a Kiwanis member and are interested in attending the presentation, RSVP to Jayson Hanschu at 620-947-5686 as that helps with meal preparation. Cost for lunch is $7 and includes the main portion, sides, a roll, dessert and drink.

The Hillsboro Kiwanis Club meets at noon on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. If interested in being part of this civic group, please contact Jayson at the number above, or any Kiwanis member.

HES 3rd, 4th grades to present musical

Hillsboro Elementary School third and fourth grades will present the musical, ?North Pole Star,? at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 at the Hillsboro High School auditorium. The public is invited to attend.

Lions Club to hold soup supper, Dec. 18

The Hillsboro Lions Club will hold a soup and pie supper beginning at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18 in the Hillsboro High School commons at the Hillsboro versus Wichita Collegiate basketball game.

The menu will include chili, noodle soup, bread and pie. Proceeds from the event will be given to Lions Clubs International Foundation for Campaign SightFirst II. This event is part of a world-wide Lions Club effort to raise $200 million to eliminate the leading causes of avoidable blindness, and to help others with sight-related problems.

German Christmas program, Dec. 15

The Friends of the Hillsboro Museums will present ?Weihnachts Fest,? or ?Christmas Celebration? at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 at the Tabor College Historic Church.

The program will celebrate the Christmas programs of Hillsboro?s past with an evening of traditional German Christmas music. The Hillsboro German Choir, directed by Jonah Kliewer, will perform, along with a variety of soloists, singing groups and instrumentalists.

The program is free to the public.

Centre to perform Christmas concert

The Centre Junior High and Senior High Winter Band and Choir Concert will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18 at the Centre High School Gymnasium.

The public is invited to attend.

Hillsboro MB Church to present program

The Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church children, pre-school through sixth grade, will present a Christmas program at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16.

The program will include the musical, ?The Mystery of the Manger: It?s the Gospel Truth,? by Celeste Clydesdale. The musical explores the history and facts surrounding the Christmas story.

The public is invited to attend.

GHS to present Christmas concert

The Goessel High School music department will present its Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20 in the high school auditorium.

The concert will begin with the performance of the Bluebird Band directed by Mike Connell. Following the band?s performance, the 58-member Concert Choir, directed by Greg Bontrager and accompanied by Marcia Brubaker, will perform a variety of Christmas music. The Elbiata Singers will also perform.

The public is invited to attend.

Boot exhibit to run through Dec. 21

The Peabody Main Street Association will present an extended viewing of ?Cowboy Boots: The Kansas Story Exhibit? until Dec. 21 at the Peabody Township Library, 218 N. Walnut.

The exhibit, produced by the Kansas Historical Society, focuses on contemporary custom bootmakers in Kansas who are working within a long-standing tradition. Actual work by Kansas bootmakers is included.

Exhibit hours are from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and closed on Sunday. Appointments are also accepted. Groups are welcome.

The exhibit is free to the public, and donations are accepted.

For more information or to schedule an appointment outside of the scheduled times, contact Kristen Hooper, director of the Peabody Main Street Association at 620-983-2174 or pmsa@peabodyks.com.