Saturday, Dec. 8

COMMUNITY · Holiday Candlelight Tours at the Marsh House in LaFayette will be offered each Saturday and Sunday in December from 6-8 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $1 for children. This year’s theme is "Christmas 1880: At Home with The Marsh-Warthen Family." Hot cider and gingerbread will be served at the end of the tour. For more information, call 706-638-5187. For group tours, call 423-503-3843.

COMMUNITY · The Rossville Library will host a Grinch Coloring Contest: Submit a holiday coloring sheet for a chance to win holiday treats. Pick up a coloring sheet at the library starting Saturday, Dec. 1. Fill out the form on the back. Open to ages 1 –18; Categories: Ages 1 – 5, 6 – 12, and 13 – 18. All submissions must be turned in by Dec. 18. One winner will be chosen from each category on Dec. 19.

ENTERTAINMENT · The Scenic City Chorus will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Walker County Civic Center off Highway 27 in Rock Spring. General admission is $10. Children younger than 12 will be admitted free.

COMMUNITY · The La Fayette Optimist Club is hosting the first annual Reindeer Run, a 5K Fun Run/Walk & 1 Mile that will take place Saturday, Dec. 8, beginning at 9 a.m. at Joe Stock Memorial Park in downtown LaFayette. Proceeds benefit the LaFayette Police Department’s Shop with a Cop program. Not a runner? Spirit Team Registration is available at no cost. For more information or to register, contact Race Coordinator, AJaye Brown at 706-996-8788 or visit optimistdeerrun.com.

COMMUNITY · The City of LaFayette’s annual “Amazing Christmas” light show will continue through Jan. 2, 2013, at Joe Stock Memorial park. The synchronized musical light show is held from 6-10 p.m. nightly through most of December. Tune to FM 89.5 to hear the music played in the light show. For more information, call the city parks and recreation department at 706-639-1590.

COMMUNITY · The City of LaFayette will host a traditional and large-scale Lionel model train and village display inside a decorated Chattooga Academy/Gordon Hall. The display coinincides with the “Amazing Christmas” light show daily from 6-10 p.m., through Jan. 2, 2013.

ENTERTAINMENT · Berry College Theatre Company’s annual Christmas show is “Uh Oh, Here Comes Christmas.” The play is also a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Santa will available for photos at no extra charge. The play is family-friendly, but more suited to older children. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 with two matinee performances at 2 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 9. Reserved tickets are $15 and include a catered dessert. If no dessert is desired, admission is $10. For more information and reservations, please call the box office at 706-236-2263 or email Richard Bristow at rbristow@berry.edu.

COMMUNITY · On Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m.-11a.m. crafters can learn how to make memories through scrap booking with Kathy at the Ringgold Wedding Chapel, 7683 Nashville Street in Ringgold. Call 706-935-8199 to reserve a space.

COMMUNITY · Limestone Valley Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council will host workshops where residents of Ringgold and Tunnel Hill can build (and take home) their own rainbarrels to be attached to house-hold gutters on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. (and potentially on other dates after the new year) at the park along South Chickamauga Creek next to the ballfields. The actual barrels have been donated by Coca-Cola, and the workshops are free. However, donations will be accepted to help cover the cost of the additional rainbarrel compo-nents to allow the workshops to continue.

COMMUNITY · The Holiday Starlight Parade and the Lighted Boat Parade will take place in downtown Chattanooga on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, followed by a fireworks finale at 8 p.m. For more information, visit chattanoogapresents.com.

ENTERTAINMENT · Ruby Red Christmas returns to Ruby Falls at Lookout Mountain from 5-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in December. The last tour goes at 8 p.m., shops and carriage rides are open until 9 p.m. Tickets cost $17.95 for adults and $15.95 for children (child’s ticket includes a photo with Santa and foam craft-gingerbread house or photo frame at the North Pole workshop). Carriage rides (capacity six people) with tour cost $14.95 flat rate per carriage ride; without tour, $19.95 flat rate per ride. Enjoy snow at Cavern Castle, costumed characters and holiday music. For more information, visit rubyfalls.com/christmas.

COMMUNITY · The race for Catoosa Stocking of Love and the Chattanooga Food Bank will be held Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Brainerd Optimist Dragstrip, 745 Scruggs Road, Ringgold. Gates open at 10 a.m. Admission is $10 per person, children age 12 and younger are admitted free. Bring a new unwrapped toy and/or canned food. For more information, call 706-891-9831.

ENTERTAINMENT · “The Nutcracker” will be performed by Chattanooga Ballet and the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra at the Tivoli Theatre Friday and Saturday, December 7-8, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. Call 423- 265-0617 for ticket information.

ENTERTAINMENT · The Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga (ETC) will perform an original piece, “Gods & Disasters,” through Dec. 16; Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. Performances will take place in the St. Andrews Center, 1918 Union Avenue in Chattanooga. Tickets are $10 and are available at www.ensembletheatreofchattanooga.com or by calling 423-987-5141. Doors open 30 minutes before each performance. Free parking is available behind the St. Andrews Center.

ENTERTAINMENT · The Santaland Diaries and Season’s Greetings, two holiday pieces by popular humorist David Sedaris will be held on the CircleStage at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., now through Dec. 8. The Chattanooga Theatre Centre is located at 400 River Street, Chattanooga, on the NorthShore. Parking is available for $2 in the lot next to the Theatre Centre. Tickets are available by calling (423) 267-8534 or they may be purchased online at tickets.theatrecentre.com.

COMMUNITY · Catoosa Citizens for Animal Care, Inc. is selling Adventures in Dining Coupon Books for $35. The books contain 87 buy-one-get-one free coupons for dining and entertainment in Chattanooga, north Georgia and Cleveland. The total value of the book is over $1,100. The group receives a $10 commission for each book sold. Books are available at the following locations: Ringgold Telephone Company and Tille Town in Ringgold; and The Animal Medical Center in Ft. Oglethorpe. CCAC is a non-profit volunteer organization formed to improve animal care awareness in Catoosa County. Its mission is to promote the humane treatment of animals through responsible pet ownership by: 1) reducing animal over-population through a spay/neuter program; 2) educate the community about the humane treatment of animals; and 3) help connect animals in need of homes with families. Call 24-hour Help Line (706-937-2287) or visit www.catoosacitizensforanimalcare.org.

Sunday, Dec. 9

RELIGIOUS · The Salvation Army has coordinated a free public Christmas concert as a way of saying “Thank You” to the community for its outpouring of support this season. “Ring the Joyous Bells, A Gift of Christmas” will be presented on Dec. 9, at 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 401 Gateway Avenue, in downtown Chattanooga. Performing are The Jericho Brass Band, First Baptist Church Choir, The Scenic City Choir, The Metropolitan Bell Choir and songs from The Salvation Army production of “Behold the Lamb of God.” For more information, visit csarmy.org

CHURCH · The Second Baptist Church Choir will present their Christmas Cantata "Hope for the Broken World" on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. at the church in LaFayette.

CHURCH · Crosspointe Church in Ringgold will present a modern, realistic Christmas play “of faith, hope, love, and joy,” with two showings at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. each Sunday in December, beginning Dec. 2. and running through December 23. A choir and band will add to the performance. For more information, call 706-935-2000 or visit my-crosspointechurch.org.

COMMUNITY · A Victorian Christmas will be presented by the Victorian Christmas Guild in downtown Summer-ville from 3-6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9. A Christmas tour with a costumed narrator will be at each decorated window to explain how the scene fit into the Victorian Era. The Victorian Christmas Guild is a non-profit group and volun-teers that work together to bring the Victorian Christmas to life by decorating the windows in downtown Summer-ville. Along with the tour there will be a Victorian costume contest, games, prizes, food, and musical entertainment. Costumed narrators, carolers, music, games, prizes, peddlers, and a Victorian Costume contest. A Victorian Santa also will be in town for pictures. For more information, call Jeannie Chesley at 706-734-2463 or Linda Espy at 706-857-2560 or email daveches1@windstream.net.

COMMUNITY · Walker County Schools’ Smith Planetarium will be open to the public on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 2:30 p.m. The program entitled "Season of Light" is about Yuletide customs, seasons, solstice celebrations, and the centuries-old traditions of bringing light to a cold and dark time of year. The planetarium is at 409 Pond Springs Road south of Chickamauga. No admission is charged for public programs.

COMMUNITY · Planet Altered will host CAFE, a Community Arts Funding Event, on Sunday, Dec. 9 from 6- 8 p.m. For more information or to apply, please visit planetaltered.com.

COMMUNITY · The annual Holiday English Tea and Open House at the Houston Museum for Decorative Arts will take place on Sunday, Dec. 9 from 1-4 p.m. For more information or to make reservations, call 423-267-7176 or visit thehoustonmuseum.org.

COMMUNITY · Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will close the following monuments for the winter season starting Saturday, Dec. 1: Wilder Brigade Monument, the Highway 27 picnic area, the Sanders picnic area and the Signal Point restrooms. These areas will reopen in mid-March, pending weather conditions. For more information, call 706-866-9241 or 423-821-7786 or visit nps.gov/chch.

COMMUNITY · The Chattanooga Zoo’s 12 Days of Christmas for the Animals will begin on Saturday, Dec. 1. For 12 days, the Zoo will feature a different animal on its Facebook page and what he or she would like for Christmas. Guests of the Zoo can bring their gift to the Zoo Gift Shop anytime during the month of December and receive a small gift in return from the Chattanooga Zoo. To view the list, visit www.chattzoo.org/support/12-days-of-christmas. Guests can watch the animals open their gifts during the Zoo’s annual Holiday Lights on Dec. 14, 15, 21 and 22. For more information call 423-697-1322.

Monday, Dec. 10

EDUCATION · There will be a called meeting of the Catoosa County Board of Education on Monday, December 10, at 4 p.m. The primary purpose of this meeting is to discuss personnel.

COMMUNITY · A Santa’s Workshop will be held inside of the Ronald McDonald House (in Chattanooga) from Dec. 10-24 for families to choose gifts for their seriously sick children without having to spend much time away. Groups and individuals around the Chattanooga area are collecting items from Santa’s Wish List (available at rmhchattanooga.com) to stock the Workshop in full by December 10. Groups collecting items for Santa's Workshop are asked to contact Tiffany Cobb to schedule a drop-off time/date at tiffany.cobb@rmhchattanooga.com or 423-778-4338.

COMMUNITY · A Bariatric Support Group will be offered from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10, at Erlanger Chattanooga Lifestyle Center in Chattanooga. Bariatric Support Group meetings are for individuals scheduled to have Bariatric surgery or who have already had weight loss surgery. Call Erlanger’s HealthLink at (423) 778-LINK (5465) for more information.

COMMUNITY · AARP Tax-Aide, a free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance service, is seeking volunteers in Walker County to help taxpayers who are seeking assistance preparing and filing their 2012 tax returns. Volunteers do not need to be an AARP member or a retiree to participate. AARP Tax-Aide volunteers should have some computer experience, such as e-mail and internet browsing. Also needed are volunteers who have management experience. AARP Tax-Aide volunteers receive free IRS-certified tax training and are reimbursed on a limited basis for qualified program-related expenses. For more information, visit aarp.org/tavolunteer8 or call 1-888-OUR-AARP. Deadline for application is Dec. 15.

COMMUNITY · A Diabetes Education Class will be offered from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10, at Erlanger Chattanooga Lifestyle Center in Chattanooga. This class will explore ways to manage diabetes. Call 778-9400 for more information on physician referral and insurance reimbursement.

COMMUNITY · Calhoun Composite Squadron #134 of the Civil Air Patrol-U.S. Air Force Auxiliary currently has openings available for a safety officer, communications officer, and emergency services officer, among others. Cadet slots (ages 12-17) are also open. The Calhoun Composite Squadron meets at Calhoun Airport on Saturdays from 8-10 a.m. For more information, contact Capt. Hayden Collins at htcollins@earthlink.net.

COMMUNITY · Starting Jan. 1, 2013, Georgia Farmers will need to apply and obtain a GATE (Georgia Agriculture Exemption Card) from the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture. This is the result of HB 386 which was passed this year by the legislature which allows Georgia farmers to take advantage of additional sales tax exemptions. If you are a farm producer with $ 2,500 in Ag income, you need to prepare to obtain a GATE card. Contact the Walker County Farm Bureau Office at 706-638-3237 if you have questions concerning the Georgia Agricultural Exemption Card.

COMMUNITY · Registration deadline for the North Georgia Community YMCA Christmas Break Camp (Dec. 26-28 and Jan. 2-4, 2013) is Tuesday, Dec. 18. The camp is for children ages 5-12. Cost is $25 per day for members, $30 per day for non-members. The camp will be held at Fort Oglethorpe United Methodist Church gym. To register, call 706-935-2226 or go to ngaymca@ymcachattanooga.org.

COMMUNITY · Registration deadline is Jan. 8, 2013, for North Georgia Community YMCA Homeschool P.E. The course is for ages 5-15. Classes are held daily from Jan. 15-Feb. 21, 2013, at Fort Oglethorpe United Methodist Church gym. Cost is $15 per session for YMCA members and $40 per session for non-members. For more information, call 706-935-2226 or visit ngaymca@ymcachattanooga.org.

COMMUNITY · Registration deadline for the North Georgia Community YMCA Father/Daughter Dance (Friday, Feb. 8, 2013) is Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. for girls ages 5-11. Cost is $75 per couple, $35 for each additional daughter. The dance will be held at the Colonnade in Ringgold. To register, call 706-935-2226 or go to ngaymca@ymcachattanooga.org.