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Salvation Army Seeking Christmas Donations

Port Huron, MI — Red Kettles and bell-ringing are a sign of the holiday season. With less people out and about this year, the Salvation Army is finding other ways to make sure all of the families in need in the area get help. Tags on “Angel Trees” are available for community members to take and to then purchase food and gifts for either individual children or entire families.

Major Susan Dalberg, Corps Officer at the Citadel said, “We already know that the toughest ages to get donations for are 9-12. Those ages represent the largest children groups this year. Lego kits, craft kits, toiletry gift sets, beauty gift sets and gift cards to fast food restaurants, movie theatres and large superstores like Target and Walmart are great gifts for this age group.”

The tags are located at Birchwood Mall near Target. Walmart also has a tree, in addition to an online Angel Tree that can be found at salvationarmyusa.org. Donations of toys can be dropped off at the Salvation Army in Port Huron.

Salvation Army Major Wes Dalberg added, “Every donation helps, from coins in the red kettle to cans of food. Every act of giving is love in action.”

https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/walmart-angel-tree/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Local Theatres Offer “Live” Shows Online

Both the Lexington Village Theatre and Enter Stage Right at the Citadel Theatre are offering innovative ways to experience “live” shows while maintaining social distance.

Emmy-award winning actor, director, and singer/songwriter Jeff Daniels will be giving a virtual performance on November 22 at 7:00 p.m, presented by the Lexington Village Theatre. The concert will feature original songs, personal stories, and a question and answer period after the show. Tickets are $15 for the 90-minute show.

Enter Stage Right is planning one of their classic “Will on the Water” Shakespearean productions. They will be presenting The Tragedie of King Lear on Sunday, November 8th, at 3:00 p.m. While viewing is free through the company’s Youtube channel, donations are encouraged.

In a short video narrated by Jeff Daniels, which can be found on the homepage of EnterStageRight.org, Daniels says, “When this intermission ends, our curtains will rise again.” In the meantime, there are creative ways to enjoy “live” theater at home.

Details for viewing both shows:

https://www.crowdcast.io/e/jeffdanielslexvillagenov22/register 

http://www.enterstageright.org/king-lear.html 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Michigan Youth Fall-A-Thon Outdoor Adventure Starts Next Week

For families who are looking to continue outdoor adventures as the weather gets colder, the Michigan Youth Fall-A-Thon might be just the thing.

The contest is sponsored by Michigan 4-H, Michigan State University Extension, Huron Pines AmeriCorps, and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Participants will learn about outdoor recreation, conservation, fisheries, and wildlife.

Teams complete missions and share progress using GooseChase, a scavenger hunt app. The missions can be completed between November 6th and November 11th. Participation can be from anywhere. Just a smartphone or tablet with a camera is needed.

Participation is totally free and self-paced. Prizes will be awarded throughout the contest, with a grand prize awarded at the end. The Fall-A-Thon is geared toward families with children aged 5 to 19 years old, but teenagers can participate on their own if they wish. Registration is open now with details at https://events.anr.msu.edu/event.cfm?eventID=63C316F86F823612FD52C6CFF760D5A55A8AA30D2F05C7C4B6794AD71B0126E2

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Trick or Treating Alternatives

Port Huron, MI — To trick-or-treat or not to trick-or-treat; that is the question. As reports indicate that COVID infections are increasing, the idea of taking children door to door to get candy seems risky. The Center for Disease Control says it is indeed a high-risk activity. 

But kids have already had to deal with a year of cancellations and disappointments. Will we really take away trick or treating? The CDC recommends leaving candy out at the end of the driveway, in individual bags, as opposed to reaching into a bowl of candy for every trick-or-treater. They also suggest practicing social distancing, even at outdoor gatherings, or having things like a virtual costume contest or a Halloween movie night. 

There is a free Drive In Movie, The Addams Family, tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Country Style Market Place with a socially distanced costume parade at 7:00. Port Huron Recreation has a drive through Halloween Stroll on Halloween this year. Reservations need to be made at porthuronrec.com. 

As far as “official” trick or treat times, there aren’t any in the City of Port Huron, but the Port Huron Police Department recommends looking at the CDC recommendations and being safe. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

“Five Days of Action” at YMCA to Protect Children

Port Huron, MI — The YMCA of the Blue Water Area is participating in Five Days of Action, which is a weeklong campaign designed to raise awareness and protect children from sexual abuse. The YMCA is offering tips, tools, activities, and resources that are geared toward the current climate of dealing with the pandemic.

The theme of the campaign is “One Day at a Time”. Parents are encouraged to have a conversation with their kids by playing the “What If?” game to see how they would respond to situations and teach them how to get out of bad situations. 

The campaign addresses online safety, keeping kids safe and busy during social distancing, and creating a family code of conduct.Adults are also given tips on responding to abuse and knowing where to go for help.

Last year, 428 YMCAs participated in the week-long campaign. With things being quite a bit different this year and isolation being the norm, the program is adapting with an online format at fivedaysofaction.org. Anyone can access the website to learn the valuable information about protecting our children.

Reporting for WGRT -Jennie McClelland

Fall Carnival Planned at Carnegie Center

Port Huron, MI — As the temperature drops, outdoor options for families are starting to dry up and indoor options are few and far between. Yet, the Port Huron Museums have found a way to have a safe and fun indoor experience. 

They 2020 Fall Carnival is this Sunday, October 25th, at the Carnegie Center in Downtown Port Huron. Andrew Kercher, Director of Community Engagement for the Museum, said that there is plenty of space to spread out at the three-story building. The museum is planning indoor carnival style games geared toward elementary age children while offering cider and a campfire outside. They are maintaining social distancing and preventing large crowds by requiring advance reservations. 

The event is a fundraiser for the Museum, which has been hit hard by COVID related closures and loss of revenue. Kercher said that the silver lining to the COVID shutdown has been that it has forced them to be creative in maintaining access to local history and looking at their collections in new ways. 

The Museum is limiting capacity to twenty people per time slot during the Fall Carnival. The cost is $5 per person.

Reservations are available between noon and 3:00 p.m. They can be made through Eventbrite at phmuseum.org. 

Port Huron Museums are planning a telethon for Giving Tuesday on November 1st. Stay tuned for details as the event gets closer. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland