• Douglas Anderson School of the Arts’ Visual Arts Program is inviting the community to experience “Take Two,” an exhibit of student art at the Douglas Anderson Gallery. The opening reception is from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 6. Refreshments will be served and the event is free. The exhibit will be up through Jan. 30.
• Family Support Services of North Florida is working with the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters and the Junior League of Jacksonville to collect Christmas gifts for local foster children. Unwrapped gifts and gift cards will be collected at all area fire stations through Dec. 6. The gifts will be given to the children in December at the annual Foster Kids Christmas Party at the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens. For more information about this, visit www.fssjax.org or call 421-5800.
• As part of its “More to Share” program, Cargill Meat Solutions has partnered with Winn-Dixie to donate vouchers for 3,700 pounds of its Honeysuckle White-brand turkeys to the Salvation Army in Jacksonville to assist in the task of feeding thousands of families this holiday season. Some turkeys will be served at Salvation Army locations to the homeless, and the remaining turkeys will be distributed to families in holiday food baskets. The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida is one of 30 charities across the U.S. receiving turkeys through the More to Share program. Nationwide, Cargill plans to deliver more than 120,000 pounds of turkey to help feed roughly 410,000 people this holiday season.
• The City Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee is hosting a forum to gather community input on how to improve crime prevention and deal with the problems created by crime. The first meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at Edward Waters College, 1658 Kings Road., in the Milne Auditorium on Grunthal Street. The second meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Wayman Ministries campus, 1176 LaBelle St., in the Spirit of Life Worship Center. All Council members and citizens are invited to attend.
• Three Hill Center is holding “Soiree Under the Stars” Dec. 7 from 4:30-7 p.m. The event marks the grand opening of Tree Hill Nature Center’s new 3,700 square-foot amphitheater.
• It’s a ways off, but the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation’s 4th Annual Wine Tasting Gala is set for March 14 at Independent Square. It’s from 6-9 p.m. and tickets are $85 in advance and $95 at the door. Tickets go on sale Jan. 7 either www.tcjayfund.org or 866-538-6331.
“Thanksgiving comes to us out of the prehistoric dimness, universal to all ages and all faiths. At whatever straws we must grasp, there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings.”
– J. Robert Moskin