KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Previous to the annual Christmas Bird Count which will be held on Sunday, Dec. 15, Redbud Audubon will hold a special program on Thursday, Dec. 12.

The group will meet at 7 p.m. in the Glebe Social Hall, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 4085 Main St., Kelseyville.  

Audubon will present an extensive slide show and discussion of distinguishing features of birds that are often seen during the annual count.

The meeting is open to the public and visitors are encouraged to attend.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Area Town Hall (MATH) group will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12.

The group will meet in the activity room at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St.

The public is invited to attend.

The group will get updates on signage for the Middletown Community Center, senior center landscaping, the equestrian crossing near Highway 175 and Dry Creek Cutoff, and the dog park.

There also will be nominations for three board members, and members will discuss dues and the Jan. 9 meeting agenda.

MATH meetings are subject to videotaping. Meeting proceedings may be available for viewing on public access television and/or the Internet.

MATH – established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 – is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.

The group’s current board of directors include Chairman Fletcher Thornton, Vice Chair Claude Brown, Secretary Ken Gonzales, and members Tom Darms and Laura Helton.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – For the fourth year in a row Cobb artist Karen Turcotte will donate a painting from her “Boarded Horse” series for the live auction of the Middletown Rotary Club’s 22nd annual Crab Feast and Auctions fundraiser on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014.

The two acrylic and plywood paintings pictured above will be finished in time but which one goes to the live auction? That’s Turcotte's decision, and we won’t know until the auction.

Tickets for this usually soldout event are available from Middletown Florist & Gifts, 707-987-9500.

Tickets are $50 per person, and the event is held at the Middletown Lions Club on Central Park Road, Middletown.

Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner starts at 6 p.m.

If you wish to donate to the Auction, contact Thanh Fults at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

It’s a great way to support your community, and all proceeds go to humanitarian projects.

For information regarding the Middletown Rotary Club, contact this year’s president, Duane Barnes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In November 2004, Lake County Tribal Health Consortium received a grant from First 5 Lake County to help prepare American Indian preschool-aged children for public school kindergarten.

Before receiving the First 5 Lake County grant, 85 percent of local American Indian preschool-aged children were not prepared to enter public school kindergarten.

Today, as a result of the First 5 grant, 86 percent of the county's American Indian preschool-aged children are now ready to enter kindergarten in Lake County.

In 2004, Tribal Health developed on the Big Valley Rancheria a location for parent and child preschool activities to help prepare the children for kindergarten.

At this first location, during the parent and preschool activities program, a nurturing parenting class was started. In 2007, a parent relapse prevention group and GED class also were started.

In 2009, a women’s wellness group, along with a pregnancy support group, which encourages no drug or alcohol during pregnancy, began.

All the groups and classes have been very successful due to the First 5 Lake grant funding and the parents’ involvement in all the above mentioned activities.

This year, Tribal Health started a men and women’s job skills class and program which will enable the parents of preschool-aged children to find permanent jobs.

Tribal Health appreciates the First 5 Lake grant and their continued support which has been a cornerstone for all the other programs surrounding the Parent & Child Development Center, which supports American Indian families in making positive life choices for their children and themselves.

This is the first in a series of articles recognizing the 15th anniversary of First 5.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Time Bank of Thrive Lake County will hold its holiday meet-up on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Spring Valley Community Center, 3000 Wolf Creek Road.

This fun and educational event is for members and potential members of the time bank.

The agenda includes an activity designed to get you started in time banking and time for questions. You'll also learn how to get your needs met while helping others, and meet fellow time bankers with whom you can exchange time.

To get into the holiday spirit, attendees are asked to bring an optional gift exchange item – a wrapped recycled or inexpensive item suitable for gift giving that is nongender specific.

All ages are welcome. Admission is free, and you can earn hours from the Time Bank from this event in the following ways:

• One hour will be provided for every guest you bring to the event.
• Two hours will be provided to anyone who stays for the entire event and completes the orientation.
• One hour will be provided for bringing a festive potluck dish that serves eight
• One hour will be provided for bringing a gift exchange item.

The Time Bank of Thrive Lake County helps Lake County residents get necessary services through allowing the exchange of time instead of cash. Time banking creates connections that strengthen the community and its local economy.

For more information, visit http://timebanklakeco.org , send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 707-413-0220.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Girls’ Circle, a local Lake County youth group serving girls ages 11-18, is hosting a holiday bake and craft sale on Saturday, Dec. 14, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Grocery Outlet in the Burns Valley Mall in Clearlake.

The sale will feature cookies, cupcakes and reindeer ornaments made by the girls.

Hot dogs also will be available for those wanting a bit more to satisfy a lunchtime appetite.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to stop by the Girls’ Circle Holiday Bake & Craft Sale. Grocery Outlet is located at 1406 Olympic Drive, Clearlake, CA.

All proceeds will benefit the Girls’ Circle, a satellite of Lake Family Resource Center and run by center volunteers.

Girl’s Circle seeks to serve the youth of our community by giving them the experience of belonging to something that is whole and healthy while they make their natural and challenging passage from puberty to adulthood.

For information, call Denise Jones at 707-994-1839 or Vicki Crystal at 707-994-8143.