Local church accepting shoeboxes with children’s gifts until Monday

This week, individuals can fill shoeboxes with toys, school supplies and hygiene items to send to needy children through Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child. The local drop-off location is Parkview Church of the Nazarene, 1750 State Road 46, across from the north entrance to Brown County State Park.

Hours to bring boxes to the church are as follows:

• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 13 and 14
• 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15
• 10 a.m. to noon Friday and Saturday, Nov. 16 and 17
• noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18
• 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 19

Select gifts matched to a child’s age (2 to 4, 5 to 9, or 10 to 14) and gender. Participants are encouraged to add a photo and personal note to the shoebox.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nonprofit, international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. For more information, visit samaritanspurse.org and click on “Pack A Shoebox” or “Operation Christmas Child.”

Thanksgiving meal, pantry opening to follow service

HAMBLEN TWP. — A Thanksgiving service at 10 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 18 will be followed by a thanksgiving meal at Sprunica Baptist Church, 3902 Sprunica Road.

After the meal, a new food pantry at the church will be open until about 12:30 p.m.

Meals are normally the fourth Sunday of the month after the 10 a.m. church service, and the food pantry will be open those Sundays.

The next meal and food pantry day will be Dec. 22.

Community hymn sing planned this Sunday

St. Agnes Catholic Church will host a Brown County pastors’ fellowship Thanksgiving community hymn fest at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18. The hymn sing will be at St. Agnes, 1008 McLary Road.

All are welcome to celebrate Thanksgiving and come together as a community of Christians.

A love offering will be taken to benefit the Brown County Pastors’ Fellowship Emergency Fund.

Volunteers needed for community Thanksgiving

Volunteers are needed to help with and carry on a free community Thanksgiving dinner that has been hosted by the Brown County EMT Association for years. In August, it was announced that the association was dissolving.

The plan is to use the organization’s remaining funds to keep hosting the community Thanksgiving dinner for at least five years, but volunteers are needed to help host the dinner, and the association is looking for another group to take over the dinner.

The dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 in the Brown County High School cafeteria.

For deliveries to the homebound, call TRIAD at 812-988-5606 prior to Tuesday, Nov. 20.

To make turkey donations or corporate donations, call the phone number below. Financial donations for the dinner will be accepted at Peoples State Bank before and after the dinner. Make checks payable to “Community Thanksgiving Dinner.”

Anyone who is interested in volunteering can call 812-378-8995.

Holiday art, craft show planned at conference center

The Seasons Holiday Art and Craft Show, a 40-year tradition, will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24. The event will be at the Seasons Lodge Conference Center, 560 State Road 46 East. Admission is free.

The juried show features fine art and a variety of unique crafts. Works this year will include hand-carved exotic animals, local and regional paintings, photography, basketmaking, yard art, woodworking, handmade jewelry, soaps and quilts, scherenschnitte (paper cutting), rag rugs, knitting, mosaic and stained gourds, leather work, wooden signs, crocheting, felt art, and fresh pine wreaths and swags provided by the Brown County 4-H Club.

Breakfast made by the Seasons’ staff will be sold in the conference center beginning at 10 a.m. Staff will add homemade chili, vegetable soup, assorted sandwiches and desserts for lunch. Warmed apple cider and fried biscuits with apple butter will also be available.

The conference center is handicap accessible.

For more information, visit seasonsartandcraftshow.com.

Community Christmas tree lighting date set

The Brown County Community Tree Lighting will take place Friday, Nov. 23 at the Brown County History Center on East Gould Street. Refreshments and live holiday tunes played by Brown County Christmas Music Sing-Along artists will start at 5:30 and the tree lighting at 6 p.m. Admission is free.

Artist will paint during holiday open house

Local artist Gabriel Lehman will paint from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24 during a holiday open house at Ascension Fine Arts.

Meet the artist and see his work in the gallery, upstairs at 61 W. Main St. Original artwork and prints are available for sale anytime the gallery is open. For more information, call 812-988-6675.

Christmas drive-through light show with music set

BEAN BLOSSOM — Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground will host Christmas at the Bean, an interactive, drive-through light show with live music and a live nativity scene. The event will run from dusk to 11 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29 and Fridays through Sundays, Nov. 29 through Dec. 30.

Photo opportunities with Santa, visits, hot chocolate and activities will be available at the pavilion, along with live carolers and characters such as Snoopy, the Grinch, Frosty and others.

Entrance costs $25 per car (with up to five individuals) at the gate or $20 (plus $2.85 service charge) in advance. A portion of the proceeds will go to nonprofit Do Something, BC, which “partners with individuals, families and the community to link people in need to resources that encourage, equip and empower them” for a full, free life.

 For more information, visit billmonroemusicpark.com/event/bean-blossom-lights or call the music park at 812-988-6422.

Santa Train will roll into Brown County Nov. 30

HELMSBURG — For the 29th year, the Indiana Rail Road Co. will bring Santa, Mrs. Claus and a train full of storybook characters to Morgantown and Helmsburg to visit with local children on Friday, Nov. 30.

The Santa Train is due to arrive at the tracks by the Morgantown Fire Station at 6:30 p.m. It will leave at 8 p.m.

The train is scheduled to pull into the Jackson Township fire department, 4831 Helmsburg Road, at 8:30 p.m. It will depart at 10 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

‘Believe’ live holiday show coming to Playhouse

A holiday variety show for all ages with Christmas songs, dancing, comedy, special lighting and holiday characters will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Performances will begin Friday, Nov. 30 and run weekends through Sunday, Dec. 23 at the Brown County Playhouse, 70 S. Van Buren St.

Tickets cost $21.50 per adult and $20.50 per senior/student/military. Children 10 and younger are free with a paid adult.

The Golden Ticket Production is presented by I Love Brown County and the Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For more information or tickets, visit browncountyplayhouse.org or call 812-988-6555.

Tickets available for self-guided cabin tour

Four log homes and a Presbyterian log church will be open to ticket holders for self-guided tours between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1.

The tour will include a 1937 home built using logs from the 1800s, a new partial-log home, a completely renovated log home, a log home once owned by Brown County artist Marie Goth, and a 19th century log church. Homeowners will be at each location to provide history on the homes and the church.

Tickets will be available at the History Center and the Brown County Visitors Center for $10 each prior to the event. Tickets at the History Center, visitors center and log church the day of the event will cost $12. Proceeds will go to the Brown County Historical Society for programming.

For more information or tickets, visit browncountyhistorycenter.org or call 812-988-2899.

Enter light parade, toy drive  Dec. 1

The downtown Holiday Light Parade will step off at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. Entrants can decorate a float, truck, tractor, or even themselves with lights to join the parade and toy drive.

New, unwrapped toys (no stuffed animals) will be collected along the parade route from spectators and parade participants by the Brown County Chamber of Commerce and The Salvation Army of Brown County.

An online parade entry form is available on Facebook at thebrowncountychamber.org/chamber-programs/holiday-light-parade or by calling the chamber at 812-988-0234. Entrants should sign a waiver and be at the Brown County High School parking lot at 5 p.m. They ask that no one dress up as Santa.

For information about Christmas assistance, call The Salvation Army at 812-988-7019.

Christmas celebration slated at state historic site

BELMONT — Steele’s County Christmas will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2 at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site.

The celebration of St. Nicholas Day will include holiday music, crafts and activities, hot cider and cookies, as well as a visit with St. Nicholas and Belsnickel. All the activities are included with the purchase of site admission.

The historic site will be open for the holidays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, Dec. 2 to Jan. 6.