Chattanooga Zoo Winter Camp
Beginning Monday, Dec. 29
Beginning Monday, Dec. 22, the Chattanooga Zoo will be offering a series of one-day education adventures covering themes such as animal adaptations, hibernation, and more. Winter Camp campers can choose to participate on chosen days or sign up for the entire series of programs (which began Dec. 22). Camp takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Winter camp dates are Dec. 29, 30, and 31, and Jan. 5 and 6. Activities will include animal encounters, wintery crafts, educational programs, age-appropriate games, and more. Snacks will be provided to campers daily. Camp is broken up into two age groups: kindergarten through second grade and third through fifth grade. Cost is $30 for members and $40 for non-members. Aftercare will be provided from 3 – 5 p.m. for an additional $15 per day. For more information and to register, visit www.chattzoo.org/education/camps.
ChattaNew Year
Wednesday, Dec. 31
Local businesses are coming together to host ChattaNew Year, a downtown New Year’s Eve event that celebrates Chattanooga and its citizens. The DoubleTree Hotel will host the event and the Coca-Cola Countdown to the New Year, which will include a 3D light show. The event will begin at 8 p.m. inside the hotel. Ticket holders will enjoy music from Deep Fried Five, a champagne toast station, and giveaways from Krystal and MoonPie. Additional food and beverages will be available for purchase. An outdoor family-friendly street party and Kidz Zone will entertain guests as the New Year approaches. Free and open to the public, the street party will include games, giveaways, and local mascots. Local food trucks, including Famous Nater’s, Bitler Bistro, and Rolling J’s, will offer specialty food items throughout the event on Chestnut Street. At midnight, Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke will be on hand to welcome the New Year. Chattanooga Firefighter Jason Greer and his 17-year-old son, Tristin, will flip the switch to begin Coca-Cola’s Countdown to the New Year, with the celebratory light show to follow. Greer recently completed the Chattanooga Ironman competition to raise money for the organizations that helped treat Tristin, who’s battling Stage 4 neuroblastoma. For ticket information, visit wgow.com, kz106.com, or wogt.com. For additional details, visit ChattaNewYear.com.
Donate blood at Blood Assurance
Friday, Jan. 2
The Blood Assurance donor center inside the Erlanger Baroness campus will be open Friday, Jan. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The donor center is located at 975 East Third Street near elevator F and Pastoral Care. Regularly the donor center is only open Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more, and be in good health. The process usually takes about 30 minutes and includes a complimentary snack and t-shirt. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids - avoiding caffeine - and eat a meal rich in iron prior to donating. For more information about donating blood, call Blood Assurance at (800) 962-0628 or go to www.BloodAssurance.org.
Master Gardener Classes 2015
Beginning Saturday, Jan. 10
Sign up now for the Master Gardener Class taking place in early January (either the evening of the 5th, or the morning of the 6th). Class space is limited. For more information, call the UT Extension Office – Hamilton County at (423) 855-6113.
Winter Films at the Jewish Cultural Center
Beginning Saturday, Jan. 10
Two award-winning Jewish-themed films will be shown on two consecutive Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. beginning Jan. 10 at the Jewish Cultural Center, located at 5461 North Terrace Rd. Tickets are $7 per person, and include popcorn and a soft drink. On Jan. 10, the Center will screen “Above and Beyond” (90 minutes, English), which follows a group of World War II pilots who volunteered to fight for Israel in the War of Independence. Return the following week to see “Before the Revolution” (60 minutes, Hebrew, English, Persian), a documentary thriller describing the last days of the Israeli community in Tehran on the eve of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. To find out about sponsorship opportunities, or for more information, contact Ann Treadwell at (423) 493-0270.
Annual Palate 2 Palette
Saturday, April 25
The Craniofacial Foundation of America (CFA) will host their 8th Annual Palate 2 Palette event on Saturday, April 25. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with the Gallery Stroll. Following the stroll, guests are invited to visit Emerald City at the Bubbles and Sweets after party at Track 29 from 8 to 10 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the CFA, a non-profit organization that supports the work of the Tennessee Craniofacial Center (TCC) at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger and Erlanger Health System. The TCC specializes in the evaluation and treatment of patients of all ages with craniofacial deformities, with services covering a broad range of operations and treatment from birth defects, tumors, and trauma. For tickets or information, visit www.p2pchattanooga.com.