LAKEPORT
Lakeport Kiwanis helps with Lakeport’s Christmas tree lighting
Kiwanis Club of Lakeport has decorated the Museum Park Spruce tree in Lakeport for at least 10 years in preparation for the annual Lakeport “Tree Lighting” ceremony. This was done with the cooperation and help of the County of Lake on which the tree is growing and the City of Lakeport which has supplied both staff and lifts for many years. Note, Mark, the County Museum landscaper staff, planted the one-foot tree years ago and shared proudly it had grown at least another one to two feet this past year. Kiwanis would also like to thank UCC Rentals for its Lift donation this year to reach that taller top.
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LAKEPORT
Christmas Concert features holiday favorites, local vocalists
The Lake County Symphony’s popular annual Christmas Concert coming up on December 17 at the Soper Reese Theatre, will include a ‘very merry’ program of holiday favorites to delight the audience.
John Parkinson, symphony conductor and musical director, plans a selection of festive traditional holiday orchestral music, along with entertainment by several outstanding local vocalists. He fully expects all audience members to be a part of the carol sing-along and to lend their voices to the “Hallelujah Chorus,” as in past concerts. “Hallelujah” is the memorable finale to Handel’s “Messiah,” and has been a special and treasured part of the Christmas Concert for years.
The Lake County Community and Youth Orchestra (LCCYO) conducted by Camm Linden, will begin the concert, with a selection from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet Suite called “Mother Ginger” along with some other audience-pleasing holiday motifs.
There will be two vocalists for this concert, and both are singers with the popular local band, the Funky Dozen. Cynthia Rose will be singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” Christmas Time is Here,” and “The Christmas Song.” Anthony Neves, will sing “White Christmas,” and “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.”
Tickets for the concert are available online in advance from the Soper Reese Theatre website (www.soperreesetheatre.com) or by phone at 707-263-0577. General admission is $25; premium seating is $30 for the 2 p.m. performance, with LCSA members receiving a $5 discount. Everyone is urged to order their tickets early; the Christmas Concert is usually a packed house. The full-dress open rehearsal performance begins at 11 a.m. with discounted tickets for $5 and free admission for everyone under the age of 18.
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Local Musician Cynthia Rose Thrives on Busy Schedule
Vocalist Cynthia Rose, one of the performers at the Christmas Concert, grew up in a musical family and community. She enjoys playing piano, saxophone and singing. She was guided by excellent musical mentors: her father, local pianist Tom Ganoung, and renowned public educator Nick Biondo, who taught at her school. From elementary school through college,
Cynthia was involved in concert bands, concert choirs, jazz bands, and jazz choirs, and has traveled as far as Rio de Janeiro to perform.
When she’s not instructing her students at Healdsburg High School (she’s taught Spanish and English in public schools for nearly 15 years for all grade levels) or busy at home in Sonoma County with her two children (Evette, 6 and Damon, 2), she likes to sing with a few local bands.
She has performed with “California party band” the Funky Dozen for six years. “I am one of the three female vocalists with the Dozen,” says Rose. “My first performance with them was at the Kelseyville Pear Festival,” says Cynthia. “All the traffic was cut off, so it was like this huge block party. It was awesome!”
The Funky Dozen plays frequently at private and public local events in Lake, Sonoma, and other nearby counties. (You can find information about them on Facebook or at funkydozen.com.)
Rose has also been a part of the more intimate “Blue Hour” group for the last three years, which plays at Andre’s in Lakeport once a month. (For information about their schedule, go to “Blue Hour Bay Area” on Facebook.)
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LAKEPORT
Operation Christmas Child volunteers send Christmas joy to children overseas
Area volunteers are celebrating the collection of gift-filled shoeboxes that will send a message of joy to children around the world: God loves you, and you’re not forgotten!
This year, tens of thousands of volunteers contributed to Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, by packing shoeboxes filled with fun toys, school supplies, and personal care items. The global Christmas project will deliver these gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 100 countries, including many who are suffering from war, poverty, disease and disaster. Each shoebox is an opportunity to share the message of the Gospel and bring hope to children in need around the world.
Although drop-off locations have closed, there is still time to share hope and love with children overseas by packing a gift-filled shoebox online. Shoeboxes built online go to some of the hardest-to-reach areas in the world. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.
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Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, seeks to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 209 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories. This year, Operation Christmas Child will celebrate its 30th year of ministry.
