Community news briefs for week of Dec. 11

Houseplant care tips and swap event

Join Extension’s Master Gardener Program in Churchill County for a free learning event. Houseplant Care Tips and Swap Event will take place at 10 a.m. Dec. 14.

During the class, Master Gardeners will share some likes and dislikes of houseplants and how best to care for them. Bring one of your houseplants if you wish to participate in the Swap-A-Plant Event held at the end of the class.

Call 775-423-5121 to reserve a seat. Class to be held at 111 Sheckler Road in Fallon.

Cattlemen’s Update

The University of Nevada, Reno is hosting the annual Cattlemen’s Update from Jan. 8 to 12.

Cost of workshop is $20 per ranch

For information, contact Kaley Chapin 775-467-2668 or kaleys@unr.edu

• Jan. 8: Virtual Webinar via Zoom. Register for the webinar. The presentation begins at 10 a.m.

• Jan. 9: Fallon Convention Center, 100 Campus Way. Jan. 9 at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided.

• Jan.10: Ely Convention Center, 150 W. 6th S., Ely. Jan. 10 at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided.

• Jan. 11: Great Basin College, 1500 College Parkway, Elko. 12:30 p.m. in the GBC Theater. Dinner in the GBC Reynolds Solarium

• Jan. 12: Paradise Valley Community Hall, 50 S. Main St. Paradise Valley. 10 a.m. Lunch will be provided.

Times given for the in-person sessions are registration times with the program beginning 30 minutes later.

Photos to help county residents

Memorie Boutique at 31 S. Maine St. will host photos with Santa by Taryn Lenon Photography Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Sessions are $20 with all proceeds being donated toward the purchase of meals, clothing and hygiene products for local families and senior citizens. Donations without a photo session are also accepted.

Christmas dinner volunteers

Every year volunteers help prepare, package and delivery Christmas meals as part of the Meals on Wheels program.

Volunteers are asked to report to the American Legion Post between 8-8:30 a.m. on Christmas day.

The American Legion Post 16 will also serve an in-person Christmas meal on Monday, Dec. 25. Dinner will be served from about 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for anyone who wants a Christmas dinner.

The hall is located at 90 N. Ada St.

Toys for Tots

Members of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and Marine retirees are gathering gifts for the area’s children.

The Marine Corps League Toys For Tots in Fallon has set up toy boxes around the region to provide toys for needy children and will park its truck in front of Walmart and Big R on the weekends.

Local Marines gather toys for distribution and wrapping for Fallon, and once those orders are fulfilled, he added the program will focus on the outlying areas.

Once an order is filled, arrangements will be made to distribute the toys to the requesting family.

Holiday events

• The Churchill County Museum will hold its annual free open house Dec. 16 beginning at noon with a reading by author-illustrator Zoe Bray. Copies of her children’s book “What Amatxi Whispered” will be available for purchase.

The popular handbell ensemble “Tintabulations” will perform at 1 p.m. followed by refreshments, crafts and holiday stories read by museum director, Mel Glover, at 3 p.m.

• A Fallon Christmas tradition, the Fallon City Ballet and The Studio for the Performing

Arts present “The Nutcracker.” Performances will be held in the CCHS Fine Arts Auditorium Dec. 15 and 16 at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and children 4-14 years old and free for children under 3. Tickets may be purchased at the Studio (3963 Arnold Way), Jeff’s Digitex Printing (235 S. Maine St.) or from any Fallon City Ballet Company member.

Military mail deadlines

Holiday Overseas Mail Deadlines Approaching: The U.S. Postal Service is preparing for the holiday season as many families spend holidays apart due to military service.

To ensure overseas packages are delivered before Dec. 25, it has provided the following deadlines: Dec. 15 for APO/FPO/DPO addresses using USPS Priority Mail Express (excluding zip 093).

The Postal Service offers a free military care kit to ship items.

Pennington Life Center

Stop by the Pennington Life Center in December for the many activities planned for the month.

Plenty of good eats at the Pennington Life Center: All are welcome to partake. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays. Cost is $6 for those under age 60 and a suggested donation of $3 for those 60 and older.

Rotary Club of Fallon

Rotary meets every Tuesday at noon at the Stockman’s Steakhouse. Each meeting usually has a speaker. Guests are welcome.

Donations to Support Seniors

Churchill County Social Services and the Independent Telecommunications Pioneer Association (ITPA) are joining forces this holiday season to collect donations from the community to help pay for utility bills (up to $150 initially) for local homebound seniors who use Meals on Wheels.

Social Services will verify the eligibility of seniors and keep all collected information confidential. Seniors who wish to participate will be entered into a raffle and donations raised will be distributed via raffle among those seniors who elect to participate.

Those wishing to donate should make payment to ITPA and mail to ITPA, CC Communications, P.O. Box 1390, Fallon, NV 89407.

Ballard can be reached via phone at 775-217-8773 or via email at: dawn.ballard@cccomm.co if there are any questions.

Donations accepted through Dec. 18, 2023.

Churchill County Library

Enjoy some of your holiday time at the Churchill County Library in December. After-school programs are suspended the week of Dec. 11 and there will be no story time on Dec. 21. Closed Dec. 25 for the Christmas holiday.

Special events:

• Need a career change for the new year? Let EmployNV help you with aspects of finding a new job on Dec. 14 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the library. EmployNV staff will help you with aspects of finding a new job!

• Stop Motion Animation workshop happening on Dec. 20 at 3:30 p.m.

• Drop-in 3D printing workshop takes place Dec. 27 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Using the library’s 3D printer, make objects, both useful and pretty, and learn more about this popular technology.

• Book discussion groups for adults continues on Dec. 28 at 6 p.m. This month’s topic is “winter reads,” and you are encouraged to bring your favorite winter read (think snow, holidays, etc.) to discuss and share with others.

• Elementary Book Club meets in the Library Annex building on Dec. 29 at 3 p.m. for those in elementary school. December’s book is “Me and Sam-Sam Handle and the Apocalypse” and it can be reserved to take home at: bit.ly/CCLElementaryBookClub.