Charlotte.com: Catawba Community
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• Giving Tree at library
  The Giving Tree, a project sponsored by Friends of Catawba County Library, allows library patrons to buy a book ornament in honor or memory of a loved one.The book is then placed within the library system. Prices range from about $8 to $30 and are special requests from the library staff. About half are for children's books, the other half adult fiction and nonfiction.Several of the titles can be examined under the library's tree. Adult titles include "America, An Illustrated History,""Finding Father Christmas" by Robin Jones Gunn and "Garden Spells" by Sarah Addison Allen.Available children's titles include "Gimme Cracked Corn and I Will Share" by Kevin O'Malley; "Around the World in 80 Tales" a collection of traditional stories from six continents by Saviour Pirotta; and "Delicious," an illustrated story of pumpkin soup, by Helen Cooper.Friends of the Library also has navy blue zippered canvas book bags available for $10 at any county library location. Also available are signed copies of "Black Shawl" and "Catching Light," poetry collections by N.C. Poet Laureate Kathryn Stripling Byer. Each is $16.95.The library also has two volumes of recipe books from county employees, "Tastes from the County," available for $12 each or two for $20. Proceeds benefit Catawba County parks.Libraries announce holiday closingsThe Patrick Beaver Memorial Library and the Ridgeview branch in Hickory will be closed for the Christmas holiday from Saturday to Dec. 26.The libraries will reopen at their regular hours on Dec. 27. The libraries will close at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and will remain closed Jan. 1 for the New Year holiday. The libraries are open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Patrick Beaver library is open 2-6 p.m. Sunday. The Ridgeview Branch is closed on Sundays. For information, call 828-304-0500.Libraries will be closed for holidaysCatawba County libraries will be closed Dec. 24-26 and resume regular business hours Dec. 27. The system will also be closed Jan. 1.Library materials can be picked up before or after those closing dates. Materials may be returned in book drops at any time.The Main Library is at 115 W. C St. in Newton. Other facilities include Claremont, Conover, Maiden, St. Stephens, Sherrills Ford and Southwest branches.Auditions set for children's playThe Hickory Community Theatre has announced auditions for the second production in its RugBug Theatre series for children, "The Really Truly Story of the Three Little Pigs."Fifteen boys and girls ages 5-18 are needed for the production, which will be presented Feb. 9, 10, 16 and 17. Young actors must be at first-grade reading level or have a dedicated adult helper.Auditions are at 5:30 Dec. 17-18 at the Hickory Community Theatre complex, 30 Third St. N.W. in Hickory.The RugBug Theatre is a starter program for young audiences and actors. These fully staged productions are an introduction to live theater, ideal in length for pre-K to third-grade children.Digital shows, star talk at planetariumThe Catawba Science Center, 243 Third Ave. N.E. in Hickory, is showing two digital presentations in its planetarium, "Enchanted Reef" and "Black Holes." A live star talk, "Catawba Sky," also is showing.The seasonal laser show, "Laser Holidays," is scheduled regularly this month.In January, Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" will be shown set to laser lights as a special show in conjunction with the Science Center's "Science After Dark" event.Also showing in the planetarium in January, will be a new digital presentation, "S.E.T.I.: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence."For details and show schedules, call 828-322-8169.Girl Scouts attend etiquette workshopMore than 50 Girl Scouts in grades three-six participated in an event designed to teach them about etiquette, financial planning, adolescence and hygiene.Girls attended the event, held on Nov. 3 at First United Methodist Church in Hickory, with a female troop leader, mentor, guardian or mother.Workshops were presented by representatives of area businesses and agencies including Council on Adolescents of Catawba County, Edward Jones Financial Services, Mary Kay Cosmetics and the Catawba County Chapter of the National League of Junior Cotillions.The event was open to girls from Alexander, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell and Watauga counties.For more information about Girl Scouting, contact the Council Service Center at 828-328-2444, toll-free at 800-328-8388, e-mail to info@cvgirlscouts.org or visit the Council Web site at www.cvgirlscouts.org.Speakers address safety programThe Home Safety Council, a nonprofit organization, selected Catawba Valley Community College and Hickory Fire Department to make presentations during the pilot test of the Home Safety Literacy Project, held Nov. 29-Dec. 1 in Charleston.Debbie Saine of Catawba Valley Community College and Terri Byers of the Hickory Fire Department attended the conference and spoke to teams from South Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee about their success with the Home Safety Literacy program, which was implemented in 2006.The Home Safety Literacy program is designed to help adults with low English literacy skills understand how they can protect their family at home.The project communicates basic home fire safety and disaster preparedness through the use of photographs, illustrations and text written in plain English.Catawba Valley Community College and Hickory Fire Department were among 15 community partnerships nationwide that helped implement the project locally and test the effectiveness of the fire safety materials.
• Holiday Calendar
  Happenings"A Christmas Carol": 2:30 p.m. Dec. 16. Hickory Community Theatre, 30 Third St. N.W., Hickory. Based on the novel by Charles Dickens about Ebeneezer Scrooge. $16 adults; $14 seniors or students; $7 youth 18 and younger. 828-327-3855. www.hct.org."A Little House Christmas": 3 p.m. Dec. 16. Green Room Community Theatre, 60 W. Sixth St., Newton. Based on the story by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Join the Ingalls on Christmas Eve, when they invite their neighbors to their new home and with help from a special visitor, Laura and Mary learn the true meaning of Christmas. $12 adults; $10 for seniors and high school students; $8 for children 12 and younger. 828-464-6583.Holiday Open House: 4 p.m. Dec. 16. Humane Society of Catawba County, 3476 Valley Arbors Drive, Hickory. The open house includes caroling to the animals and lighting of luminaria. 828-327-3878.Silent, Holy Night, a Christmas Musical: 4 p.m. Dec. 16. Abernethy Laurels, 102 Leonard Ave., Newton. The musical features familiar Christmas carols sung by a choir of residents under the direction of Walter Gessler and accompanied by Carolyn Singleton. Free. 828-464-8260."Cricket County City Christmas": 6 p.m. Dec. 16-18. Fellowship Advent Christian Church, 835 Icard Ridge Road, Taylorsville. The wealthy Tippenhimer family plans to teach their country cousins about the meaning of Christmas. $12, includes a meal and performance. 828-495-4096.Christmas Light Display: 6-9 p.m. Dec. 16-24. Trail of Faith, 152 Main Street East, Valdese. Display includes more than 10,000 lights displayed throughout the trail. Free. 828-879-2126.North Pole Hotline: 7-9 p.m. Dec. 16-21. Neill W. Clark Jr. Recreation Center, 3404 Sixth St. N.W., Hickory. Want to talk to Mrs. Claus? Call the hotline at 828-322-2188. Leave a message if the line is busy. 828-324-6990."A Christmas Carol": 7:31 p.m. Dec. 16. J.E. Broyhill Civic Center, 2855 Hickory Blvd., Hudson. The Nebraska Theatre Caravan touring company's production of the Dickens' classic about mean old Ebeneezer Scrooge and his journey and discovery of the true meaning of Christmas. $18 children; $22-$29 adults. 828-726-2407."Santaland Diaries": 8 p.m. Dec. 16. Hickory Community Theatre, 30 Third St. N.W., Hickory. Performed in the Fireman's Kitchen, "Santaland Diaries" is David Sedaris' irreverent look at holiday traditions. Note that an additional 8 p.m. show on Dec. 16 has been added. $10. 828-327-3855. www.hct.org.Christmas Lights Celebration & Food Crawl: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 17. Exodus Homes, 122 Eighth Ave. Drive S.W., Hickory. Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright will light the rooftop nativity scene. Live nativity scene with children of Exodus, the Chick-fil-A Santa Cow, white and black Santas and a juggler. Crawl to the other houses and eat for free. Food sponsors are Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden, J & S Cafeteria, Domino's, Taste Full Beans and Delectable Morsels by Val. Free. 828-324-4870.Ye Olde Madrigale Feaste: 7 p.m. Dec. 17 and 20. Hiddenite Center Education Complex, 70 Hiddenite Church Road, Hiddenite. Performed by the Alexander Central High School Madrigal and Chamber Choirs, the program will be set in the manor of a Lord and Lady a