On December 7^th and 8^th, the zoo is hosting a festive morning for children to bring their wish list to Santa and take a photo or two (don’t forget to bring your camera!).  Attendees will enjoy a hot breakfast buffet in the Rainforest Grill, sweet treats from Mrs. Claus and talking with Santa.  After breakfast, visit Santa’s Elves in the Amazonia Research Station to make a holiday craft and experience up close animal encounters.   Registration is required and a sell-out crowd is anticipated.

Registration is now open for one of the four offered sessions at www.meskerparkzoo.com.  Each session is limited to 60 participants.   Cost and session details are listed below and attached.

Zoo Members: $10

Non-Members: $12

Children 2 & Under: $5

Available Sessions:

Saturday, December 7th

Session A: 8:00 – 9:00 AM

Session B: 9:30 – 10:30 AM

Sunday, December 8th

Session C: 8:00 – 9:00 AM

Session D: 9:30 – 10:30 AM

Breakfast at the Zoo with Santa and Mrs. Claus is made possible with support from Romain Subaru.  Special events help the zoo meet its mission by connecting people to the natural world through a unique and quality experience.  Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden’s mission is to foster the preservation of the Earth’s diverse species and living systems through an active role in education

The Brown Bag Performance Series is a free program offered to the community by the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana. The series runs weekly from October through April at the Arts Council’s BSF Gallery, located at 318 Main Street in downtown Evansville. The Brown Bag Performance Series is every Wednesday at noon. It is encouraged to bring your lunch and a friend and enjoy the free local performances. The Brown Bag Series is made possible in part by the Mesker Music Trust, managed by Fifth Third Investment Advisors. Below is the weekly schedule for December.

12/4/13 –Jane and Jeff Harmon Jazz: Jane Harmon is a jazz vocalist and pianist, as well as the on-stage leader of her husband’s jazz group, Jeff Harmon Jazz. She brings a deliciously pure voice and swinging style to his group and performs with the enthusiasm and warmth when doing solo, duet, or trio gigs.  Jane began singing and playing the piano as a young child; she accompanied the church choir sitting atop hymnals at the age of four.  She sang with her high school jazz band; however, her first true jazz experience began when she met Jeff.

Jeff Harmon has been playing and leading a band in the Evansville area for more than 60 years. He began playing at the professional level at age 16 – some 72 years ago. While Jeff is currently doing duties on upright bass, he also played trumpet and valve trombone through the years and distinguished himself on both. Jeff is the 2012 recipient of the Jazz Musician of the Year award at the Kenny Kent Lexus Wine and Jazz Fest.

12/11/13 – Bob Minnette: Bob Minnette will round out the December line-up for the Arts Council’s Brown Bag Series. Minnette will be entertaining the audience with his skills on trumpet and vocals. David Schnerr will accompany him on guitar. This program will include fun Christmas music for the audiences’ enjoyment.

Evansville Civil Air Patrol’s RiverCity Cadet Squadron is partnering with Wreaths Across America to hold National Remembrance Day Ceremony to Honor American Heroes

What: Wreaths Across America (WAA) is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to Remember, Honor, and Teach about our nation’s veterans. This mission is carried out each year in part through the laying of wreaths on veterans’ graves during the National Remembrance Day ceremony each December. The 3rd annual local Remembrance Day Ceremony will be held at the Veterans’ Plaza of Evansville’s Oak Hill Cemetery at 11 A.M. on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013, and will coincide with the national ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Roughly 800 other ceremonies will take place nationally and overseas, all observing a moment of silence simultaneously.

Evansville Civil Air Patrol’s (CAP) RiverCity Cadet Squadron is responsible for bringing the WAA Program to Oak Hill Cemetery. The 25-member squadron is comprised of cadets, ages 12-18, and 8 senior members. As the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, Civil Air Patrol’s three main missions of Aerospace Education, Emergency Services, and Cadet Programs are underscored by its core values of Integrity, Excellence, Volunteer Service, and Respect.

Who: Wreaths Across America and Evansville’s Civil Air Patrol

When: Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 11 A.M. CST

Where: Oak Hill Cemetery Veterans’ Plaza, Evansville, Indiana

Contact: Betsy Fulton, Lt, CAP at fultons11@sbcglobal.net or 812-473-3361; or Sierra Parsons, C/Col, CAP at rubygem4110@gmail.com.

Additional Info: This event is open to the public. Participants include Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, VFW

Post 1114, Evansville Firefighter Pipe Band member Adam Bigge, students from Oak

Hill School, and cadets and color guard from CAP’s RiverCity Cadet Squadron.

Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WreathsAcrossAmericaEVV.

About Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman, Morrill Worcester, in 1992. The organization’s mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as over 800 cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. For more information, to donate or to sign up to volunteer, please visit www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.

By

Roy M. Arnold MD

From Mayo Clinic Health Online http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/MH00030

Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression.

The holiday season often brings unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it’s no wonder. The holidays present a dizzying array of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, to name just a few. But with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.

Here are some tips:

When stress is at its peak, it’s hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past.

Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can’t be with loved ones, realize that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief. It’s OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can’t force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season.

Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.

Be realistic. The holidays don’t have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can’t come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videos.

Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don’t live up to all of your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they’re feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.

Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don’t try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives: Donate to a charity in someone’s name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.

Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That’ll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.

Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every project or activity. If it’s not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.

Don’t abandon healthy habits. Don’t let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don’t go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity.

Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.

Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

Take control of the holidays

Don’t let the holidays become something you dread. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend during the holidays. Learn to recognize your holiday triggers, such as financial pressures or personal demands, so you can combat them before they lead to a meltdown. With a little planning and some positive thinking, you can find peace and joy during the holidays.