holiday

RENO — Christmas week through New Year’s, Reno-Tahoe International Airport will see the highest passenger numbers since COVID significantly impacted air travel in March, and the airport will be working diligently to provide the safest, most sanitary travel experience possible.

Thin Veil Investigators, an investigative team which is based in Carson City, hosted two fundraisers for the “Do Drop In” this month. DeeDee Foremaster is the owner of this non-profit organization, first established November 17, 1998.

The Rotary Club of Carson City is helping spread holiday cheer to many Carson City families this holiday season. This week club members donated $2,650 to the Salvation Army serving Carson City and Douglas County.

This week's Senator Square features guest writers Ananda Campbell and Bridget Gordon-Johnson who explain Monday homeroom academic strategies. Campbell is a CHS Library Media Specialist and Carson City School District Library Coordinator. Gordon is a CHS counselor. This is their report:

On Friday, December 18, 2020, the Carson City Democrats delivered $686 to Joyce Buckingham, coordinator at Ron Wood Family Center for the Carson City Toys for Tots program.

In recognition of the fact that many families in our community, especially those with children, are struggling in this holiday period, the Carson City Democrats conducted a blazingly fast appeal to its members to support a cash drive for the Toys For Tots program.

"With this past year challenging our families, businesses and educational systems with historically unforeseen trials, we want to wish everyone the best of holidays. While we give our condolences to the families and friends that have lost loved ones this year and have an empty chair at the table, we likewise give our hopes, dreams, and prayers for a better and prosperous new year.

Nonprofits greenUP! and Friends In Service Helping (FISH) are coming together around the topic of food waste and food insecurity this holiday season. It is estimated that a staggering 30-40 percent of all food produced in our country winds up in the landfill.

One solution for reducing waste is to donate extra food to feed the hungry: despite the high volumes of wasted food, over 13 million Americans lack regular access to a meal.

In our state, it is estimated by the Department of Health and Human Services that one in eight Nevadans does not know where their next meal is coming from.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office is joining forces with other Nevada law enforcement agencies during this 2020 holiday season to enforce impaired driving laws and keep impaired drivers off of Nevada roadways. Officers will be out in force from Dec. 21 through Jan. 4, 2021.

Youth Theatre Carson City is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of Macy’s "Yes Virginia: The Movie Musical," which will be available to view On-Demand from Dec. 18-31.

The Brewery Arts Center has teamed up with local arts enthusiast Michael Tedesco once again to organize Carson City’s "Unsilent Night." The event is an original composition by Phil Kline, written specifically to be heard outdoors in the month of December.

Science has always been a passion of mine, partly because I flunked science in high school and have never understood why. But I stumbled upon a gemstone of science the other day that would make the most lettered academic in the world smile.

As the risk for COVID-19 transmission continues to increase, Carson City Health and Human Services is encouraging residents to avoid attending or hosting holiday celebrations with those outside of your household and utilizing lower risk activities to celebrate the holiday with those outside of your household.

The Carson City Symphony Association presentation of “Joyful Noise — A Holiday Treat” concert is available for viewing on the Carson City Symphony channel on YouTube here and from Facebook.com/CarsonCitySymphony here. The concert features John and Cherie Shipley with their Joyful Noise Chorus and Band. They have been performing "Joyful Noise" concerts each December since 2002.

Pick out your favorite ugly holiday sweater for Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space's first ever ugly sweater hike. The hike will take place on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Empire Ranch.

Feeling blue during the Holidays? You are not alone. The First United Methodist Church in Carson City welcomes all community members to a Blue Christmas service, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m.

NEW WASHOE CITY — Enjoy some holiday cheer at Washoe Lake State Park with a sparkling drive-through festival of lights. Campground Loop B will be decorated with a jolly display of twinkling lights and holiday scenes. Stay warm and merry as you listen to your favorite holiday music while driving through the campground, enjoying the cheerful decorations.

Editor’s Note: Margarita Portillo-Hernandez is a school social worker and safe school professional at Eagle Valley Middle School in Carson City. The following is her report:

This year has been extremely challenging and with the impact of Covid; many of our families are struggling to ensure they can celebrate Christmas. However, generous community members have come together determined to help these families have a Christmas celebration not even Covid can stop.

In our region, as well as in many areas across the country, there have been massive spikes in COVID-19 transmissions over the past few months. Even as restaurants and bars were reopened, daily positive cases were generally staying within single digits inside the Quad-County region.

However, between October and December, both test positivity rates as well as overall cases — and deaths — have seen a massive increase. Local health organizations are now not only fighting against the disease, but against misinformation campaigns as well.

Heading into the weekend, there’s a bevy of activities around the Carson City region. Several fundraisers, including the annual “Share Your Christmas” Food Drive will be available throughout the Carson City, Minden and Reno areas on Friday. You can visit the North Pole safely as part of a drive-thru Santa's Village experience at V&T Railway in Carson City, beginning Friday into the weekend. A living nativity scene will be featured at First United Methodist Church on Saturday and Sunday. Combined with train rides in Virginia City, the state capital will be buzzing with excitement. Read on for more information.

KTVN will host its annual Share Your Christmas Drive-By Food Drive this Friday, Dec. 11 with food drop-off locations in Carson City, Minden and Reno beginning at 6 a.m. and running until 6 p.m.

Two Carson City leaders have teamed up to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and provide information on how families can protect themselves and others during the holidays.

Greetings, The Charlie B Gallery located at 114 West Telegraph Street, Carson City, Nevada will be having a 20 percent sale for store owned merchandise and 10 percent sale for all consigned merchandise. Our hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday 11am to 6pm and now Sundays from 10am to 4pm.

Carson City Elks Lodge No. 2177 held a raffle drawing recently for a wooden American Flag. Proceeds from the raffle benefitted Holiday With a Hero, which is a local program that buys gifts for children and delivered by our first responders.

GARDNERVILLE — RE/MAX Realty Affiliates of Gardnerville, Realtor Ginger Easley is working once again to raise funds for the Carson Valley Food Closet.

Easley has raised thousands of dollars for the food closet, along with hundreds of pounds of food through annual client gatherings and online fundraisers since 2016.

Santa and Mrs. Clause, along with the jolly residents of the North Pole, will be putting on a dazzling and safe show this year with a drive-thru Santa's Village at the V&T Railway in Carson City.

‘Tis the season for a fun outdoors holiday adventure. Join us for our annual Holiday Hike at Silver Saddle Ranch this Saturday, Dec. 12 at 11 a.m. We will hike around and learn about the history of the Holidays. This hike will be socially distanced, and everyone is required to wear a mask. We can’t wait to see you there!

Sometimes to make things happen, you must just reach out and ask for help. With so many unusual challenges and disappointments facing us this year, the thought not being able to light up our capitol or the Governor’s Mansion for the holidays due to the pandemic was unacceptable.

Many in Carson City do everything they can to help the less fortunate, and those opportunities never cease being opportunities. With this in mind, the holidays are here, the semester at Carson High School is almost over, Christmas vacation, also known as winter break, begins Dec. 19, and there is another opportunity to be generous for those who have plenty.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Putting gratitude into action by helping others is an authentic way to express an attitude of thanksgiving. Students at Pioneer High School (PHS) “lost themselves” in service by assembling Thanksgiving dinner baskets for those in need.

Heading into the weekend, there’s a bevy of activities around the Carson City region. The annual Silver and Snowflakes Festival of Lights holiday celebration goes virtual on Friday. Santa Claus will arrive virtually at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada and in-person at Battle Born Harley Davidson on Saturday for pictures with families and kids of all ages. Combined with live music and dinner specials at Living the Good Life, the state capital has events lined up for the holidays! Read on for more information.