COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Charitable activities/ Fundraisers

• Goodman Acker Law Firm is hosting its annual Winter Clothing Drive through Dec. 12, in partnership with the PlymouthCanton Vietnam Veterans of America, benefiting the Michigan Veterans’ Foundation of Detroit. The firm is collecting monetary donations, clean and unused bath towels, pillows and pillow cases. Donations can be dropped off at Goodman Acker, 17000 West 10Mile Road, Southfield, in bins outside the front door at the main lobby from 9a.m.-4p.m. Monday to Friday. Pickups can also be scheduled by emailing trusted@goodmanacker.com or calling 248-483-5000.

• Gleaners Community Food

Bank food distribution event is at the Oakland County Farmers Market, 9-11 a.m. Dec. 14, while supplies last, for those in need. Drive-up and stay in the vehicle, or walk-up distribution, no need for proof of eligibility. For information, call 248-858-5495 or email OCmarket@oakgov.com.

• The annual “Holiday Sleigh of Giving,” 11a.m.-1p.m. Dec. 17, in front of the Southfield Public Library, (circle drive), 26300 Evergreen Road, Southfield, presented by the Southfield Police Department and Fire Department, and other community organizations. Gift bags of toys and clothing for children will be distributed to Southfield and Lathrup Village families in need, first come-first served, while supplies last.

• Sylvan Lake Police Department and Parks & Recreation Holiday Toy Drive to support Orchards Children’s Services is through Dec. 14. New, unwrapped toys from the Orchards Children’s Services’ child welfare agency wish list can be delivered to the Sylvan Lake Police Department or City Hall during business hours at 1820Inverness Street in Sylvan Lake, sylvanlake.org.

• The Lake Orion Lions Club is seeking donations of toys, dolls, games and crafts for ages 2-12to benefit Lake Orion area residents in need. Unwrapped donations can be dropped off at Lions donation boxes through Dec. 14, at Orion Township Hall, Orion Public Library and other places. Donations of gift cards for teenagers are also sought. For information, call 248-975-6378.

• The Farmington Hills Police and Fire Departments to be a donation drop-off site for the local Toys for Tots campaign. Donations of new unwrapped toys in their original packaging may be dropped off at the Police Department, 31655W. Eleven Mile Road or at Fire Department Headquarters, 31455W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, through noon Dec. 16.

• Southfield Professional Fire Fighters have joined forces with the Marine Corp to support their annual “Toys for Tots” program. Fire fighters are encouraging community members to assist them in their efforts and will be collecting new, unwrapped toys at any of the five Southfield fire stations during the hours of 9 a.m.-5p.m., through Dec. 18, Toys will be distributed to families in need in the Southfield area throughout this holiday season, www.facebook.com/iaff1029.

• Birmingham Fire Department in support of Toys for Tots, is hosting a toy drive through Dec. 19. Donations of new, unwrapped toys for boys and girls of all ages can be dropped off at both fire stations. Station 1is located at 572South Adams Road (between Hazel Street and Bowers Street) and Station 2 is located at 1600West Maple Road (between Fairfax Street and Chesterfield Street), www. facebook.com/BhamGov.

• Visions Unlimited of Farmington Public Schools is hosting a Winter Coat Drive collection event through Dec. 19. Visions is collecting gently used coats for men, women, and children to be distributed through local organizations to those in need. Coats are being collected at the FPS Central Office, 32500 Shiawassee Street, Farmington. Drop off hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information, email Herb James at herbert.james@fpsk12.net or visit www.farmington.k12.mi.us.

• Pat Milliken Ford is donating a portion of every new and used vehicle sold through Dec. 31, to The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit’s Red Kettle Christmas Campaign, up to $50,000, www. patmillikenford.com. The auto dealership is also collecting donations for the nonprofit via a virtual red kettle, bit.ly/3uBkJPh, SAmetrodetroit.org.

Health/Safety activities

• The Farmington Area Commission on Aging is offering to present its program on Scams and the Financial Exploitation of Elders to community groups, church groups, and local service clubs or organizations. Groups interested, may contact the Commission on Aging at 248473-1821.

• The City of Troy has scheduled the following blood drives at the Troy Community Center, 3179 Livernois: 1-7 p.m. Dec. 15 and 11 a.m.-5p.m. Dec. 27. Schedule appointment by calling 313300-9617 or 248-524-1147, or visit RedCrossBlood.org.

• Learn how to save a life with Naloxone (Narcan) to reverse an opioid overdose caused by heroin, fentanyl, or the misuse of some prescription medications, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at Hawk Community Center, 29995W. 12Mile Road, Farmington Hills, or noon, Dec. 15at Costick Center, 28600 W. 11Mile Road, Farmington

Hills, www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org/naloxone, registration required.

Libraries

• Rochester Hills Public Library welcomes Dinosaur Hill’s

Amanda Felk at 7p.m. Dec. 13, as she discusses some of the adaptations that all-weather wildlife use to keep warm and stay fed during the winter. Registration is required, visit calendar.rhpl.org or call 248-656-2900.

• Ferndale Library’s Science Fiction Book Club meets at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14at Ferndale District Library, 222E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 248-546-2504, www. fadl.org/sfbc.

• Northville District Library’s Crazy 8s Club meets 4:30-5:15 p.m. Dec. 20, at the library, 212 W Cady St., Northville. Register at www.northvillelibrary.org, 248-349-3020, for children in grades 1-3.

• Northville District Library’s Lego STEM Challenge Club for children ages 3-5, meets at 4:30-5:15p.m. Dec. 21, at the library, 212W Cady ST., Northville, 248-349-3020, www. northvillelibrary.org, register at bit.ly/2EyX4Za.

• The Troy Public Library will deliver a collection of materials, from books, music, puzzles and board games to Troy residents who are homebound. Homebound deliveries are available for free to seniors, new parents, new Americans, and patrons experiencing illness or injury, call 248-524-3554 or visit troypl. org/outreach.

Museums

• All Aboard! Model Railroad Exhibit presented by the Stoney Creek Model Railroad Club is noon-3p.m. Dec. 11, Dec. 18,

Dec. 28-30, Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, 1005 Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills. Free for museum members and $5for non-members, except when other events are happening, such as the Old Fashioned Christmas event, Dec. 17.

• “Thursday Teas” lecture series“Christmas in the Victorian Era” is 2p.m. Dec. 15, Troy Historic Village, 60W. Wattles Road,

Troy, covering the Christmas food, decorations and traditions of the Victorian Era United States. Tea and cookies provided. Admission is $10, www. TroyHistoricVillage.org.

Parks

• Free Platform Tennis open house is noon-2p.m. Dec. 11at Waterford Oaks County Park, 1702 Scott Lake Road, Waterford Twp. This clinic is an opportunity to test drive the sport with Instruction by Waterford Oaks Paddle Club. Dress for the weather; tennis shoes required. Equipment will be available. The courts’ special floor heating units provide a dry playing surface, after snow is removed. The open house is free, paid memberships are required for season play. For more information, call 248-858-0916.

• Fireside Chats are presented, 7-8p.m. once a month via Zoom. focusing on a different topic each month hosted by Oakland County Parks and Recreation Historian Carol Bacak-Egbo. The Dec. 15topic will be “A Fiddler, a Horse Farm and a Harvest of Ice: Towns Along the Saginaw Road,” about how a Native American trail turned into a road. No registration required, visit www. facebook.com/ocparks.

• Virtual Natural Ornaments for Indoors & Out program kit is available through Dec. 17, live Zoom instruction from 2-3p.m. Dec. 17, suitable for all ages. The cost is $10/kit, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Preregister by calling 248-8580916during business hours and select a location to pick up program kits.

• Oakland County Parks and Recreation 2023Annual Vehicle Permits are on sale. An Annual Vehicle Permit is $30for residents and $48for non-residents, visit OaklandCountyParks.com. Eligible Oakland County seniors ages 62+ as well as any active military, veterans and individuals of any age with a permanent physical, mental or sensory impairment disability, can receive one free vehicle permit, visit www.oakgov.com/parks/shop/ Pages/Free-AVP.aspx

• Huron-Clinton Metroparks 2023Annual Passes are on sale with a $5discount to residents of the five counties they serve for annual vehicle passes purchased by Dec. 31. The pass is good at the 13Metroparks across Southeast Michigan. Through the end of the year, residents can purchase their 2023 vehicle pass for $35 ($24 for Seniors 62+). The cost is $45for nonresidents ($34for non-resident seniors 62+), metroparks.com.

• Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas, michigan.gov/dnr. Park entrance fees apply.

Scholarship opportunities

• Tuesday Musicale of Greater Pontiac announces a search for music students to apply for the 2022-2023 Dora Dawson and the Rosamond Haeberle music scholarships. The applicant must already be a current university student who is enrolled as a music major or minor. A high school senior whose college application to study music is already in the process, may also apply. The monetary amount may vary up to $1,000for the Dora Dawson scholarship. The Rosamond Haeberle scholarship is open only to college age piano students, with monetary amounts up to $4,000. For application forms, visit tuesdaymusicale.org. The application deadline is Dec. 16. For information about the Dora Dawson scholarship, call Mary Ann LaMonte at 248-673-8187, and for the Rosamond Haeberle scholarship, call Sandra DeRemer (249) 673-5817.

Support resources/ Volunteer opportunities

• Focus: HOPE needs 400volunteers to help distribute holiday food boxes, Dec. 17, to 1,400seniors in the organization’s Food for Seniors program as part of the annual Senior Holiday Food Delivery Program. Participants are pre-selected from the Food for Senior program. Each familystyle holiday meal box will include a turkey and ingredients to feed up to 6people. Those interested in volunteering to deliver the boxes, call 313-494-4270or email volunteer@focushope.edu, www.focushope.edu/programs/ food-for-seniors.

• The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit is currently seeking volunteer bell ringers for the 2022 Red Kettle Christmas Campaign, through Saturday, Dec. 24, excluding Thanksgiving and Sundays. Those interested in volunteering can visit registertoring.com to sign up for volunteer shifts.

• State of Michigan COVID-19 hotline for testing or vaccines is 1-888-535-6136, (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.), for information, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

• Common Ground’s Resource & Crisis Helpline is available 24⁄7 — call or text 800-231-1127.

• Mental health resources: easterseals.com/michigan/exploreresources/mental-health-tipsduring-a.html.

Submit community events to

The Oakland Press online at bit. ly/1iUM73e.