Dec. 13 and 14 Fundraisers aim to make the season brighter

ThisWeek CW 12/11/2014

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2014/12/08/dec–13-and-14-fundraisers-aim-to-make-the-season-brighter.html

Both Canal Winchester and Groveport have scheduled fundraising events to help out those in need during the holiday season.

The Canal Winchester Senior Citizen Club will sponsor a Holiday Community Concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, in the historic Oley Speaks Auditorium, located in the Canal Winchester Education Service Center, 100 Washington St.

The concert will include Christmas music performed by the Canal Winchester Senior Chorale; choirs from David Lutheran Church, Gender Road Christian Church and Hope United Methodist Church; as well as students from Canal Winchester middle and high schools.

The concert is free and open to the public; however, a freewill offering will be collected in support of the Canal Winchester Human Services Adopt-a-Family program. Donations of food items also are welcome.

“We are excited to offer this concert in the Oley Speaks Auditorium, as it remains one of Canal Winchester’s historic treasures,” Human Services Administrator Penny Miller said.

“We are extremely grateful for the efforts of the Canal Winchester Senior Citizen Club,” she added. “This is the second concert they have coordinated to benefit the Adopt-a-Family Program and this concert would probably not be possible without their support.”

According to Miller, the number of people aided by the Adopt-a-Family program has already surpassed 250 and will likely exceed last year’s total of 310 who requested help.

Miller said the original idea for the concert came from the Lancaster Candle Walk, where audiences walk to several different churches to hear short concerts at each.

“You spend the evening walking from one church to the next, and we wanted something similar here,” she said. “We chose the Oley Speaks because of its history and the ability to showcase the wonderful variety of musical talent available under one roof.”

More information about the concert is available by calling the Frances Steube Community Center at 614-837-8276.

Groveport plans

In Groveport, Town Hall has Christmas all wrapped up with an annual gift-wrapping fundraiser.

Volunteers will be on hand from 1 to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, at Town Hall, 648 Main St., to wrap gifts in exchange for donations to the Groveport Madison Center for Human Needs, which is soliciting donations for its Adopt-a-Family program.

At 7 p.m. Dec. 13, Groveport’s historic Town Hall will play host to a Victorian Christmas.

“We invite everyone to come and journey back in time to enjoy a Victorian-themed Christmas evening,” organizer Tina Dillman said. “Enjoy live music played by the Many Strings Folk Trio, learn period dances and partake in refreshments and crafts from an earlier era of Ohio’s history.”

The Victorian Christmas is free and open to the public. More information about this event and the wrapping fundraiser is available by calling Town Hall at 614-836-3333.