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Daisy Scouts collects Toys for Tots
ROCHESTER HILLS — Daisy Scout Troop 77820, which includes 20 first-graders at Long Meadow Elementary, recently partnered with North Oakland County Toys for Tots to host a multi-neighborhood toy drive after reading about how donations to the organization had declined the last few years.
Organizers said they hoped the collection would make it convenient for those in the neighborhood to donate, give the Daisies a chance to help other kids, and introduce community service as part of earning their “be a sister to every Girl Scout” petal. The Daisies distributed flyers about the toy drive to their neighbors by going door to door with physical copies and working with their parents to post on neighborhood social media pages.
When a neighbor had an item to donate, the girls would go pick it up. Altogether, they collected 565 items from their neighbors to donate to Toys for Tots.
Yard waste pickup ends week of Dec. 11 in Rochester Hills
ROCHESTER HILLS — Yard waste pickup for Rochester Hills residents ends the week of Dec. 11. Residents with yard waste must place it in brown yard waste bags or in plastic 32-gallon containers clearly marked “X” and facing the street. Branches are to be no more than 2 inches in diameter, no longer than 4 feet in length, and must be bundled. Bundles and containers must weigh less than 50 pounds. No tree stumps or trunks are accepted. No compost will be accepted in plastic bags.
Drexelgate Parkway open to two-way traffic
ROCHESTER HILLS — Just before Thanksgiving, Drexelgate Parkway reopened to two-way traffic, and the pedestrian pathway was ready for use. Looking ahead, project cleanup and final restoration activities, including seeding, grass and more, will continue over the next few weeks and into the spring of 2024.
City officials said they are excited for the successes of the safety path and water main projects along Drexelgate.
Museum hosts holiday drop-in hours
ROCHESTER HILLS — The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm is open for drop-in hours noon-3 p.m., with a guided tour of the Van Hoosen farmhouse at 1 p.m., Dec. 9-10, 17, 23, and 27-30. The 1840 Van Hoosen farmhouse is decorated with boughs of holly, old Christmas cards, family gifts, community cookbooks and a 10-foot Christmas tree. People will also find the seasonal interactive “All Aboard: Model Railroad Exhibit!” on display in the calf barn. Included with admission is a guided tour of the farmhouse and Red House, access to all exhibits, and a self-guided tour of the bull barn, the milk house, the equipment barn and Stoney Creek Cemetery. The event is free for museum members, $5 for adults, and $3 for seniors and students. No registration is required.
Enjoy holiday lights at Innovation Hills Park
ROCHESTER HILLS — The city of Rochester Hills invites the community to enjoy a snowy spectacle of lights at Innovation Hills Park through Jan. 15. Hours at the park have been extended to 7 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 8 p.m. Fridays-Sundays. The lights will come on by 5 p.m. every night. On Dec. 8, the first 100 visitors will get free hot cocoa and doughnuts.
“We are thrilled to provide this unique holiday experience to our community,” Mayor Bryan Barnett said in a statement. “These holiday lights, combined with the beautiful glow-in-the-dark sidewalks, create an outdoor experience unlike any other in southeast Michigan.”
Parking is available at the park, as well as in a parking area across the street. A designated crosswalk with flashing lights ensures safe passage for those on foot. Innovation Hills is located at 2800 W. Hamlin Road in Rochester Hills. For more information, call (248) 656-4673.
Rochester Community Concert Band presents ‘Ring Them Bells!’
ROCHESTER HILLS — The Rochester Community Concert Band will present its ‘Ring Them Bells’ concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 in the auditorium of Stoney Creek High School, 6755 Sheldon Road. The concert is open to the public and free to attend. Donations are accepted and appreciated.
The band will be joined by the hand bell choir Reveille Ringers from St. Mary of the Hills Catholic Church, directed by Bob Sheldrick, and the Wesley Ringers from St. Paul United Methodist Church, directed by Al Fisk.
Santa Claus will make a special appearance and will be available for pictures following the concert.
To donate or for more information, visit rochestercommunityconcertband.org, text (248) 462-9043 or email rochestercommunityconcertband@gmail.com.
Motor City Chorale plans ‘The Songs of Christmas 2023’ concert
ROCHESTER — First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Rochester, is hosting the Motor City Chorale as it presents “The Songs of Christmas 2023” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8. The church is located at 1315 N. Pine St. in Rochester.
Originally founded in 1933 as the General Motors Chorus, the Motor City Chorale is celebrating 90 years. The Dec. 8 concert will feature many familiar Christmas songs to celebrate the season. Open to the public, the concert is free of charge.
Old-Fashioned Christmas
ROCHESTER HILLS — Join the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm for old-fashioned holiday fun noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. Farm wagons will transport guests to all museum buildings for musical entertainment, crafts, snacks, theater groups, live music, and chestnuts roasting over an open fire.
The event costs $8 for museum members and $10 for nonmembers. Register at rochesterhills.org/musprograms. Advance tickets are preferred, but not required.
The Rochester Hills Museum is located at 1005 Van Hoosen Road, off of Tienken Road, between Rochester and Dequindre roads.
Library presents ‘Smart Towns Returns’
ROCHESTER HILLS — Smart Towns, a community partnership between the library, the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, Rochester University, Oakland University and Ascension Health, promotes lifelong learning by inviting experts from a variety of fields to offer free lectures and research-based presentations.
The 2024 series kicks off with two lectures, “Pearl Harbor Revisited — 82 Years Later” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7; and “Where Have All the Children Gone? Youth Sports and the Slow Demise of Unsupervised Play” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14. The events are free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register, visit calendar.rhpl.org or call (248) 656-2900. For more information about Smart Towns, community partners and upcoming events, visit smart towns.rhpl.org.
Model railroad exhibit, model train workshop planned
ROCHESTER HILLS — The “All Aboard! Model Railroad Exhibit,” presented by the Stoney Creek Model Railroad Club, will run noon-3 p.m. Dec. 9-10, 17, 23, and 27-30 at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm. The event is free for museum members, $5 for adults, and $3 for seniors and students. No registration is required.
The museum is also hosting local model train enthusiast Rick Horn, who will take people through the process of building a model train layout 10-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at the museum. The Rick Horn event is free for all, but people must register, as limited seats are available. Register at rochesterhills.org/musprograms.
