Family and friends of Van Zimmerman of Traverse City are invited to help her celebrate her 100th birthday. An open house will be hosted in her honor from 2 to 4 p.m. today at Boardman Lake Glens-Highlander, 800 Centre Place.
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In 2007, Goodwill's Holiday Needs Program provided hope, gifts and holiday spirit to 974 individuals and families. Goodwill is gearing up for this year's program and needs the community's help to make sure that no child, family or homeless individual misses out on the wonders of the holidays.
Donations of hats, gloves, craft items, inspirational books, other gifts and financial contributions are needed to help brighten the holidays for those in need. For details and a list of donations needed, visit www.goodwillinmi.org or call Ruth Blick, 995-7737.
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Area residents are encouraged to remember the legacy of Fred Rogers and be a good neighbor by donating new or gently-used sweaters to WCMU's "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Sweater Drive."
Rogers, longtime host and producer of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood once said, "All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we're giving or receiving a sweater, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That's one of the things that connects us as neighbors."
Sweaters can be dropped off through November at: Glen's Market, Jay's Sporting Goods and the Women's Resource Center, Gaylord; the Woolly Bugger, Harbor Springs; Women's Resource Center, the Petoskey Public Library, Oleson's Foods, Crooked Tree Arts Center, and the Grain Train, Petoskey; and Great Lakes Children's Museum, Trains and Things, Max's Service, and Child Care Connections-Northwest Michigan 4C Council, Traverse City.
Donations will be distributed by charities in the communities in which they were collected. For additional drop-off locations, visit www.wcmu.org.
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A campaign called Warmth for Winter is collecting warm winter clothing for the homeless.
New and gently used coats, hats, gloves, boots and warm socks will be collected through Nov. 21. Drop-off boxes are at Bill Marsh dealerships on South Garfield, plus the Price Point, Saturn and Hyundai dealerships, and Bill Marsh Body and Paint Center and the Brake and Alignment Center on Barlow.
Donations will be given to the needy at Safe Harbor homeless shelters. Safe Harbor is a cooperative arrangement with area churches that open their doors to give the homeless a safe place to sleep at night and warm meals.
For details, visit www.billmarsh.com or call Justin Baynton, 360-0523.