Annual Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Run Benefits ‘Tots’

As the roast turkey gently browns and final preparations are made at next Thursday’s Thanksgiving feast, an annual pre-feast tradition once again takes place raising funds for Hinsdale Sheriff’s Office’s “Toys for Tots” campaign. Hinsdale County Museum and SILVER WORLD newspaper sponsor the 22nd Annual Jingle Bell Turkey Trot which sets off from Hinsdale County Museum at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. Warm refreshments and light snacks await for sprinters and casual walkers returning to the museum from the 2-mile trek which starts at the museum and passes through Memorial Park in Wade’s Addition to cross the Henson Steet pedestrian bridge before heading down Henson

Street to the 5th Street pedestrian bridge and along Water Street in the Ball Flats to the Ball Flats Bridge. The route then briefly follows Highway 149 and 8th Street past Lake City Visitors’ Center and Post Office prior to returning up Silver Street to the museum. $5 donation per person for the Turkey Trot earns runners and walkers trademark jingle bells, with all proceeds benefitting Toys for Tots. The Fun Run fundraiser was started in 1995 by Charles and Bear Ferris of Poker Alice Pizza, and SILVER WORLD newspaper, and has continued on an annual Thanksgiving Morn basis since that time, with runners and walkers trotting through highly variable weather including bright sun and warmth to heavy snow and cold. Turkey Trot is the first of several Toys for Tots fundraisers, principal of which is Pioneer Jubilee Women’s Club’s Holiday Cookie Auction which will be held during Christmas in Lake City on Saturday, December 3. According to sheriff’s office dispatcher Bobbi Vickers McDonald, a total of $2,471 was raised for Toys for Tots last year, including $500 from the Tirkey Trot and $1,300 from the women’s club cookie auction, as well as private donations. Money raised for Toys for Tots buys Christams toys for approximately 30 children in the Lake City communtiy, together with WalMart gift certificates which are used to purchase winter clothing. Upcoming on the holiday activities’ docket in Lake City include the Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Bapist Fellowship Hall this Sunday, November 20, starting at 12:30 p.m. Those attending the potluck dinner are asked to bring side dishes augmenting two roast turkies and mashed potatoes furnished by the Baptist Church. Kylie and Paula Errett’s new Lake City Trading Co. in the Back Country Navigator Building is offering a plethora of holiday events in coming days, starting with a “Winter Night” painting Kids Krafts on Saturday, November 19 and continuing with Black Friday Specials on November 25, Gingerbread House Workshop on November 28, and the second Canvas & Cocktails, December 2, during which budding Lake City artists are encouraged to vent their artistic talents. For movie buffs, Virden’s Mountaineer Movie Theatre is offering a showing of “Magnificent Seven” this evening, November 18, starting 7 p.m., followed by “Doctor Strange” on December 4, and “Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them” on December 17 and 18. Lake City/Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce is also in the advanced holiday spirit with a return of its popular “Missing Mistletoe,” held in conjunction with Lake City DIRT, which encourages local and visiting shoppers to snoop out cleverly hidden sprigs of mistletoe in aprticipating Lake City businesses between now and December 17. Chamber of Commerce is also again sponsoring the “Best Holiday Home” lighting contest for area residences and businesses, and a fun, full day of holiday activities during “Christmas in Lake City” on Saturday, December 3. Saturday’s events include Hinsdale Public Health’s Pictures with Santa from 9:30 a.m. until noon in Stigall Theatre, the start of Sage & Timber’s annual Ugly Sweater Contest, and the Third Street Market featuring holiday crafts by local vendors which will be held 10 a.m. to noon in the Armory. Lake City Community School high school students will be busy wrapping prseents, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Anthony Gallery, as a fundraiser for the school’s next Washington, DC, trip on Saturday, with afternoon activities on December 3 including the annual Fruit Cake Toss, 1 p.m. in the park, a marshmellow roast with hot cocoa in town park starting 1:30 p.m., and open house by glassblower David Jordan and Denhams’ History Hut in the Timberline Craftsman Building at 5 p.m. Throughout the afternoon on December 3, benefit silent auctions will be ongoing in the Gingerbread House competition and women’s club’s Holiday Cookie fundraiser for Toys for Tots. Both auctions begin at noon on Saturday and wrap up at 5:30 p.m., just in time to line up for the Christmas Parade of Lights down Silver Street which commences 5:45 p.m. School children line up for the Christmas carols and the town park tree lighting at the parade’s conclusion, after which spectators mosey on over to Moseley Arts Center in Stigall Theatre for a heart-pumping holiday production featiring th Lakette Cloggers and Lake City Zumba Dancers. Looking a bit further ahead, Holiday Open Houses are planned on Thursday, December 8, and Wednesday, December 14. Dec. 8 opne houses are planned at Community Banks of Colorado (4:00-5:30 p.m.), Town of Lake Citty (4 to 6 p.m.), and Wagner Public Library (5 to 7 p.m.); staff at Hinsdale Public Health rollout their annual open hosue smorgsbord 3 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 14. Hinsdale County is also tentatively planning its open house at Lake City Fire Station, Henson Street, on December 14. Looking still further ahead, Stigall Theatre performances by Lake City Community School students are high school students’ “Saturday Night Lake City” at 6 p.m. Saturday, December 10, and Friday, December 16, separate 3 and 5 p.m. showings, is the date for the schools’ annual elementary pageant entitled “The Elfis Impersonator” and directed by elementary teachers Jen Reinhardt, Lori Frech, and Destiny Willette. As a preamble to the elementary play, Lily Fyler’s preschool classes will sing holiday songs. Wee Care in Lake City’s annual Stuffed Stocking Auction and community feed (participants bring side dish or dessert) will be held in Anthony Gallery, Moseley Arts Center, starting around 5:30 p.m. following the elementary pageant on December 16. Event coordinator Sharon Rogers publishes a letter in this week’s newspaper seeking volunteers to assist with the stuffed stockings. Saturday, December 17 is the annual Goodies & Gifts Craft Show & Bake Sale, noon to 3 p.m. in Anthony Gallery, proceeds benefiting Lake City Community School PTSA. Rounding out the Christmas season schedule of events is Lake City Community Choir under direction of Janet Potter which prseents its annual Christmas Concert at Community Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 23. Christmas Eve services ae scheduled by both Grace Fellowship, 5 p.m., and Christmas Lessons & Carols at Community Presbyterian, 7 p.m., on December 24.