'Tis the season to help

Springs Rescue Mission

The faith-based, nonprofit Springs Rescue Mission is busy all year long, but especially so during the holiday season. Serving those in need - the homeless, unemployed, under-employed and others - the Mission provides food, shelter, other help and access to many support services.

The Mission's programs include Men's Recovery (a one-year residential program for homeless men), Food Services, Direct Services and Elevate Neighborhoods. You can learn more about all of them at www.mysrm.org.

The Samaritan Kitchen opens its doors to feed the hungry Mondays through Saturdays, at 5 p.m. A food box program enables struggling families to pick up food once a month to prepare meals at home. The mission also provides summer meals for underprivileged children, and offers the community lunch box and catering programs. Did you know that six-month and two-year certified programs in the Culinary Arts, supervised by Pikes Peak Community College, are also available through Springs Rescue to help individuals prepare for a food service career?

Help is needed this season! Financial and in-kind donations, volunteer service and more for the following events:

Dec. 18 --- Christmas Food Box distribution, 12-2:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 --- Best Christmas Ever at Mr. Biggs
             http://thebestchristmasever.intuitwebsites.com/index.html

Dec. 24 --- Christmas for All, holiday meal, gift give-aways
                   and live music

                   City Auditorium, 221 E. Kiowa, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Through Jan. 17 --- Warm Coats, Warm Hearts coat drive at Burlington Coat Factory, Chapel Hills and Citadel Malls

The full list of food, clothing, basic sundries, gift ideas and more can be downloaded at http://www.mysrm.org/images/stories/PDFpost102010/srm_needs_list.pdf.

For more information, call 632-1822.

The perfect gift

Just in time for the holidays

Actually, it's the perfect gift any time of the year, but when you're frantically trying to complete your holiday shopping, this little number may become your new best friend. 

We're talking Downtown Gift Card, good at 115 shops, restaurants, galleries and entertainment venues. Cards can be purchased in increments from $10 to $500, online at www.downtown80903.com, at the DP offices, 111 S. Tejon, Suite 309. Call us at 886-0088 for more information.

Fill 'er up

Empty Stocking Fund

The Gazette-El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking Fund is an annual fundraising campaign providing year-round support for 15 health and human service agencies in the Pikes Peak region on the front lines of helping people in crisis and assisting others in attaining self-sufficiency. The Gazette and El Pomar Foundation underwrite all administrative costs so that each dollar donated goes directly to the nonprofit partners.  With matching donations provided by El Pomar Foundation and the Bruni Foundation, every dollar donated grows up to 49 percent, ensuring the greatest impact possible. The campaign launched at Thanksgiving and runs through January 14, 2011.

Wednesday, December 15.A portion of sales at these restaurants are donated to the Empty Stocking Fund: King's Chef Diners 131 E. Bijou St. and 11 E. Costilla St.; La Baguette, 117 E. Pikes Peak Ave.

Learn about it

Downtown 80903

Have you checked us out? We've rebuilt www.downtown80903.com. The site features more information, greater functionality and, of course, a handsome new image. Take a look and let us know what you think!

Check it out

Cottonwood on Tejon

Cottonwood Center for the Arts has opened a satellite location at 8 S. Tejon! The storefront is an exclusive retail outlet for the center's hundreds of affiliate artists. Art, jewelry, glass works, stained glass, ceramics, fiber arts and more are for sale. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through the holidays. For more information, call (719) 520-1899 or visit www.cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com.

Farewell

Swigger leaving COPPeR

After four years at the helm as COPPeR's first executive director, Bettina Swigger has announced she'll be leaving on January 14 to head west. Swigger will become executive director of the prestigious Festival Mozaic in San Luis Obispo, CA. She leaves behind monumental accomplishments for local arts and culture. We wish her every success!

Revel in it

2010 Downtown Holiday Calendar

December 16

Downtown Colorado Springs

Christmas Brass

11:30 - 1:30 pm

Discover this delightful five-piece brass quintet strolling along Tejon St, performing holiday classics.

December 16 through December 19

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

30 West Dale Street

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Tim Rice

Thursday through Saturday evening at 7:30 pm, Sunday matinee at 2 pm

Based on the 'coat of many colors' biblical story, this colorful retelling of Joseph's wild adventures involving 11 jealous brothers, his uncanny abilities as an interpreter of dreams, and one very loud garment ...

Tickets online at: www.csfineartscenter.org or 719-634-5583

December 17

Downtown Colorado Springs

Band Wassail

11:30 - 1:30 pm

Discover this delightful group of Christmas carolers wandering through the heart of Downtown performing holiday classics for shoppers.

Pikes Peak Center

CS Philharmonic: Flash Cadillac: The Ghost of Christmas Past

8 pm

Legendary rock band Flash Cadillac has kept audiences dancing for four decades. Now hear them live with the Philharmonic and ignite the Christmas season.

Tickets: 719-520-SHOW, 866-464-2626 or online at www.pikespeakcenter.com. 

December 18

Downtown Colorado Springs

Christmas Brass, 12:30 - 2:30 pm

Band Wassail, 3 - 5 pm

Enjoy the cheer and goodwill of these delightful groups of musicians and Christmas carolers as they meander through the heart of Downtown performing holiday classics.

Pikes Peak Center

Brulé & Airo Holiday Concert

7:30 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Native American "Group of the Year" Brule and the American Indian Rock Opera present a groundbreaking holiday concert entitled Red Nativity.

Tickets: 719-520-SHOW, 866-464-2626 or online at www.pikespeakcenter.com.

December 19

Downtown Colorado Springs

Band Wassail

12:00 - 2:00 pm

Discover this delightful group of Christmas carolers wondering through the heart of Downtown performing holiday classics for shoppers.

Pikes Peak Center

CS Philharmonic: Christmas Spectacular

CS Chorale, Donald Jenkins, Music Director

2:30 pm

A rollicking holiday concert decked with surprises and annual favorites. Don't miss the NEW live cinema performance of The Snowman, a holiday children's classic made famous by the BBC animated film. Hear Messiah choruses, White Christmas, and a holiday sing-along to get the whole family in the mood for Christmas. Tickets: 719-520-SHOW, 866-464-2626 or online at www.pikespeakcenter.com.

December 22 & 23

Downtown Colorado Springs

Little London Wassail Society

11:30 am until the Wassail is gone ...

Hot Wassail from Jerry and Kathy White. Look for the return of the famous Victorian couple serving up the delicious hot holiday beverage on the corner of Bijou and Tejon.

December 23
Downtown Colorado Springs

Christmas Brass

11:30 - 1:30 pm

Discover this delightful five-piece brass quintet strolling along Tejon St, performing holiday classics.

December 24

Downtown Colorado Springs

Band Wassail

12:00 - 2:00 pm

Discover this delightful group of Christmas carolers wandering through the heart of Downtown performing holiday classics for shoppers.

December 31

Pikes Peak Center

CS Philharmonic: New Year's Eve Broadway in Blue

Dale Backus, Piano

8:00 pm

Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, back by popular demand! Colorado Springs Conservatory alumni ring in the New Year with your favorite Broadway super-hits brought home by some of the newest voices on the New York scene.

Tickets: 719-520-SHOW, 866-464-2626 or online at www.pikespeakcenter.com.