The annual Dancing With the Stars will be Saturday at the Lazzara Performance Hall at the University of North Florida.
A reception starts at 6:45 p.m., followed by the competition at 8 p.m.
This year’s celebrities are Alexandra Ackerman, John Azar, Stephanie Cost, Jacob Long, Gary McCall, Debbie Moreland, Cheryl Riddick, Kerri Stewart and Jesse Wilson.
Proceeds benefit the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus. For information, including how to vote, visit jaxdwts.com.
St. Augustine man to donate 100th gallon of blood Monday
The Blood Alliance and The Bolles School will celebrate Harold Green, 74, of St. Augustine, who will reach his 100th gallon of donating blood at 9 a.m. Monday at The Blood Alliance at Southside, 8013 Beach Blvd.
He gave his first pint in 1963 when he and a couple of Army buddies donated blood for the reward of getting the rest of the day off.
Green will be the 10th 100-gallon donor in Northeast Florida and will join a group that includes Bill Conroy (March 28, 2011), Dean Willis (Dec. 12, 2011), Kelly Williams (Jan. 10, 2013), David Crews (Nov. 19), Carroll Sharp (Jan. 8), Sandy Moore (April 30), Binion Williams (Aug. 12) and Frank Frazier (Sept. 4).
Get your pet’s picture taken with Santa Paws this Sunday
Santa Paws is coming to town and she’s bringing Santa with her.
Bring your family and furry ones to the Crosswater at Pablo Bay Clubhouse, 3800 Crosswater Blvd., from 1-3 p.m. Sunday to meet and have photos taken with Santa and Santa Paws.
Donations are welcome. Proceeds go to First Coast No More Homeless Pets.
For information or to RSVP, call Kathy Timmons at (904) 463-5671.
Mellow Mushroom raising cash for Movember Foundation
This November, Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers will host a series of events to raise funds and awareness for the Movember Foundation — an organization devoted to bringing attention to prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health.
To kick off the month, the national restaurant franchise will invite enthusiasts nationwide to Instagram their hard earned ‘staches in the name of a noble cause.
For every moustache photo hashtagged #MellowMovember, Mellow Mushroom will donate 25 cents to the Movember Foundation.
Customers also will have the chance to drink for donations, with beverages like the “Trimmed Stache” (Minute Maid Lemonade and Lipton sweet tea) and the “Full Stache” (Minute Maid Lemonade, Lipton sweet tea, St. Germain elderflower liqueur and Jameson black barrel whiskey). For every drink downed, Mellow Mushroom will donate another 25 cents to the foundation.
“We’re always looking for ways to both engage and enhance the communities we serve,” said Annica Kreider, the vice president of brand development at Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers. “That’s why we love Movember. Not only are we able to support a good cause, but we’re able to incorporate our customers and employees into enjoyable activities and get them genuinely excited about giving back.”
Other opportunities for participation and donations include ordering a tie-dye pint glass online at mellowmushroom.com/stache with a custom-etched name or message, and shipped to the location of choice.
Proceeds from those orders will benefit the Movember Foundation as well.
Funk surprises USO with $10,000 check from Players
The Players volunteer leadership — the Red Coats — hit the road for what has become a Giving Back Month tradition: the Red Coat Ride Out.
To kick off the ride out, the Red Coats, accompanied by PGA Tour player Fred Funk, visited the Greater Jacksonville Area USO at Mayport, which was a recipient of a 2014 Players Championship Red Coat grant.
The Greater Jacksonville Area USO received a $5,000 grant from the Red Coats this year. The local USO helps 250,000 active-duty military and their families each year. It also provides more than $1 million annually of in-kind services through a variety of programs.
The Red Coats hosted dinner with the family members of the service men and women stationed on the USS Fort McHenry. The event included a surprise check presentation of $10,000 to the USO.
“The men and women of our armed forces put their lives on the line to protect the freedom of this country every day. They sacrifice time with their loved ones while serving abroad,” said 2005 Players champion Fred Funk
Other Giving Back Month events include Billy Horschel visiting Feeding Northeast Florida on Thursday and a visit to the Police Athletic League on Nov. 20.
The 2014 tournament generated $7.5 million for charity. About $67.5 million has been donated since the event moved to Ponte Vedra Beach in 1977.