Santa, song: many reasons for the season all weekend long

Tis the season ... lots of good things to go to starting this week. Carson High will be putting on "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus," by L. Frank Baum (of "Wizard of Oz" fame), at the Brewery Arts Center Friday through Dec. 10. Call 883-1976 for details. St.

Teresa's will be showing the "Christmas Star" at the church on Lompa Lane, directed by Carolyn Tate (whoever she is), on Saturday at 11 a.m. A fundraiser for the school, you will get to see the show and have lunch for $10 (children are free), and sing along with wonderful Christmas music (882-1968 for information). They will both be lots of fun.

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It doesn't stop there ... Bella Voce will be at the BAC this weekend to entertain you in song (883-1976); and "The Peanutcracker," Sierra Nevada Ballet's 45-minute version of "The Nutcracker," will be at the Community Center on Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m. Again, you can call the BAC at 883-1976 for information. On Sunday, the Capital City Band will be performing holiday music at the Community Center (887-2290, ext. 101, for details). You now have no excuse to be bored this weekend.

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You also have the chance to give this week to help some very good causes. Tom Greco tells us of a free Xerox site that sends thank-you cards to soldiers serving in our armed forces. Go to www.letssaythanks.com and send a card to one of them. And Andy Harvey told us of a Web site that sends USO Care packages to our service men and women: www.operationusocarepackage.org. They would appreciate your help, too. Also, go to www.americasupportsyou.mil, a Department of Defense Web site that supports our military at home and abroad. Just remember, they need you as much as we need them.

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Since Hanukkah is just around the corner, Rex Baggett furnished us with the following: "One night, a horrendous fire broke out in a local chemical plant, and an alarm was sent out to all departments ... local departments, out of town groups, and volunteers all showed up to help. The owner of the company pleaded with them all to help save their secret formulas. He would give $50,000 to the group that could save them.

"Unfortunately, all attempts were for naught. By this time the owner had upped the ante to $100,000, but still the flames held them back. All of a sudden, a lone siren was heard, and an old fire truck hove into sight. It was the nearby Chasidic Jewish rural township volunteer fire company, and, to everyone's amazement, their little broken-down fire truck roared right past all the newer fire engines that were parked nearby. Without even slowing down, it drove straight into the inferno, and as the other firemen watched, the Chasidic old timers jumped off into the fire and fought it back on all sides.

"It was a heroic performance never seen before. Within a short time the Chasidic fighters had extinguished the fire and saved the secret formulas. The president was so impressed, he upped the reward to $200,000 and thanked each man personally. The local TV reporters captured the event on film and rushed to the chief asking, 'What are you going to do with the money?' 'Vell,' said Moishe Goldberg, the 70-year-old fire captain, 'Da foist ting ve gonna do is fix da brakes on dat rotten truck!'"

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Happy birthdays to: Carolyn's nephew Jason Fuller today; Deborah Greco (still "39"); and Pete Lusich (?) ... may you have your cake and share it, too. And congratulations to Judge-to-be Todd Russell ... he will be replacing retiring Judge Mike Griffin soon.

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Someone asked us why Thanksgiving was on the 23rd this year, instead of the 30th. Seems President Lincoln did name the fourth Thursday in November, and it was celebrated that way for many years. But when Franklin Roosevelt was president, he changed it to the third Thursday (which is now law), in order to have a longer shopping season. If that's the case, we should probably celebrate it before Halloween, since that's when the Christmas decorations and sales are showing up. CW Craven thinks people should be publicly flogged if they put out Christmas things before the great turkey chow-down. Amen, brother ... we agree.

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Pat, of Woody's Diner, tells us about the old lady on a cruise ship ... "An elderly lady visits the bar and asks for a scotch with two drops of water. The bartender complies and gives it to her. She thanks him and says, 'I'm celebrating my 85th birthday today.' 'Well,' says the bartender, 'This drink's on me.' The lady sitting next to her hears the conversation and also buys her a drink. Again, it's scotch with two drops of water. As the bartender serves her the drink he asks, 'Why only two drops of water?' She looks at him and says, 'At my age, Sonny, I know how to hold my liquor. But water, that's a different story.'"

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If you like wine, don't forget the Old Town Wine Walk on Saturday (the first Saturday of every month). You can get a variety of wines for $10 (and your very own glass) from 1-5 p.m. This month there will be a holiday theme. Call 883-2211, ext. 107, for the aromatic details.

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Kay Bunch, of Minden, wrote to us to tell us that Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons attended the funerals of Pvt. Williams and Sgt. Kenny Bostic. Our thanks go out to him for doing so, and for not just paying lip-service before the election like so many others did.

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In case you are tired of sending the same old gifts each year, here is a recommendation for "gifts" that really help people. Heifer International gives chickens, goats, water buffalo, bees, you name it, to families around the world so that they can sustain themselves and become self-reliant. Go to www.catalog.heifer.org, or call 1 (800) 422-0755. For example, they will get a sheep to a family for $120 in your name (or whomever you designate) or part of a sheep for $10 (noooo, they don't cut it up ... they add your portion to what someone else sends and send a LIVE sheep to help out). Someone will be very grateful, and you will have made a life-saving contribution to them. Have a great week.

• Carolyn Tate and Maizie Harris Jesse are longtime Carson City residents. Write to them at editor@nevadaappeal.com.