Teens making holidays special
It will be a lean holiday season for some, but a group of local high school students are working to make sure families around the Valley will be able to put gifts under the Christmas tree.
Mount Si High School’s Key Club has organized a local toy drive, along with a special holiday concert to benefit the cause.
AlpenFolk, an Austrian-style folk ensemble, led by Mount Si counselor Thomas Tilton, will play a concert at the school’s auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. AlpenFolk will use authentic alpine folk instruments to play traditional seasonal music sung in German and English. The Mount Si Yuletide Singers, an offshoot of the school’s choral music program, will accompany the band on some songs. Audience members will enjoy holiday treats at intermission.
“It should be a great family event,” said Key Club member Kayla McLain, the concert’s organizer.
Admission is one unwrapped toy worth at least $10. All toys will be distributed to Valley families by The Giving Tree, a Seattle-based non-profit organization.
Donors may also drop off toys for teenagers and younger children at Mount Si High School, Opstad Elementary, Snoqualmie Elementary, Snoqualmie Middle School, Fall City Elementary and Chief Kanim Middle School between now and Friday, Dec. 12, said Key Club member Amy Smith.
“We are hoping to collect enough toys to help all the families in need,” said Smith, who is in her third year coordinating the toy drive.
Casino hosts charity auction
Snoqualmie Casino is host to the “Rock and Jock Charity Auction,” Saturday, Dec. 6, benefitting the Snoqualmie Tribal Food Bank, Special Olympics Washington and Youthcare.
The event features both silent and live auctions, and culminates with “The Dream Match,” boxers Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao facing off, broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, supported by a cast of Seattle-area celebrities, will emcee the affair, which gets underway at 5 p.m. with a silent auction and happy hour. The live auction, beginning at 7:30 p.m., features bid-packages sure to bring top dollar for area charities. The De La Hoya/Pacquiao fight is expected to begin around 8:30 p.m.
Auction items up for bid include a Mariners VIP package with four commissioner box seats; a Seahawks VIP package including four seats in the Snoqualmie Casino suite for the Dec. 21 game versus the New York Jets; a table for 10 to the New Year’s Eve Extravaganza at Snoqualmie Casino; and a variety of music memorabilia including a guitar autographed by Jessica Simpson, Billy Ray Cyrus and Blaine Larson.
Tickets to the Rock and Jock Charity Auction can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster at (206) 628-0888 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.
