5 things to do in the Mat-Su: Weekend of Dec. 1

Silent auction for Meals on Wheels

The Palmer Senior Center will be hosting its silent Auction this Friday from 11 a.m. To 12 p.m. There will be a variety of items to try and outbid for, including a Roku device, a Rainbow vacuum, Christmas decorations, a crock pot, and so on. This is a regularly occurring event, as the Center tries to host an auction once a month to raise funds for their Meals on Wheels service. The Meals on Wheels programs began in 1980 and has since provided meals to seniors with disabilities across the Valley. Volunteers drive out to seniors in need and provide one fresh and nationally balanced meal each day.

“Meals on Wheels is wonderful and needs the community support. No one needing a meal will be turned away,” said Palmer Senior Center Executive Director, Rachel Greenberg.

When Greenberg began working at the Palmer Senior Center in 1993, she said that the Meals on Wheels serviced about five seniors a day. Now, it reaches 192 seniors daily. She said the need for the food service has steadily grown over the years. She said that the senior population is the fastest growing age segment in the Valley. The center has a grant for the program but Greenberg said it doesn’t come close to covering the cost of the service. It is entirely volunteer ran. That is why the auction and their other events and services are necessary to fund their mission to feed seniors unable to leave their house.

The Palmer Senior Center holds Bingo every Thursday at 1 p.m. for 25 cents a card. They also will hold their annual Christmas Bazaar during Colony Christmas from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center has a gift shop that sells locally made goods and art from the community. All of these efforts support the Meals on Wheels program. They are always looking for donation items for the auctions and monetary donations.

To learn more please call the Palmer Senior Center at 745-5454.

Handel’s ‘Messiah:’ a free community choir and orchestra concert

Handel’s “Messiah” will be performed by choir and orchestra Sunday Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Glenn Massay Theater. The performance features 15 soloists and a 25-piece orchestra, and a choir- with Terri Pontius conducting. This will be the 26th annual community Messiah performance in the Mat-Su. Since 1990, musicians from throughout the Mat-Su valley have joined together to perform the “Messiah” in celebration of the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Terri Pontius is the conductor for this year’s production. She lived in Alaska from 2000-2010 and currently resides in Utah. This event is organized by the Church of the Ladder Day Saints but the event is non-denominational. Several branches of Christians participate in this event each year under the shared adoration for the Messiah. There will be homemade cookies and hot cocoa available. Admission is free. Seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The traditional performance was written by written by George Frideric Handel in the 1800s and is celebrated all over the world. The songs start with Old Testament prophesies and go through the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ. Event organizer, Beth Wright, said that this has been a community event that brings people together each year. The LDS church has been the driving force for the production the Valley for 26 years, organizing the event, providing manpower, funding and networking for many years. Wright said that the LDS church is seeking other organizations to participate in the event.

Big Lake Christmas tree lighting and parade

The Big Lake Chamber of Commerce is hosting a spree of holiday activities for their Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade this Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Staring at 6:30 p.m., the parade will begin at Big Lake Elementary School and will go down Big Lake Road and finish at the Big Lake Lion's Club Rec Center. The community will gather for the tree lighting ceremony at Jordan Lake as the parade passes by. There will be an open skate and hot cocoa will be served. There will be a chance to meet Santa Claus. There will also be a tree auction to raise funds for a local charity. Stick around for the best parade float contest. The Big Lake Lions Rec Center is located at 2942 S. Lions Ct., Big Lake. Call 907-892-6109 for more information.

37th Annual Talkeetna Bachelor Auction and Ball

TALKEETNA — The Talkeetna Bachelor Society is hosting their annual Bachelor Auction and Ball this Saturday at 7 p.m. The event will be at the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar and the doors open at 6:30 p.m. These men come from all walks of life, including mechanics, firemen, loggers, pilots, miners, guides, businessmen, carpenters, geologists, teachers and more. Even the unemployed men have a chance to shine. Bachelors range in age from 21 to 70. The Talkeetna Bachelor Society is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1980. Its focus is to raise awareness for women and children in need, through donations, outreach and volunteerism. At the end the night, you can dance the night away at the Fairview Inn. Tickets: $25 general, $55 reserved VIP. For more information, visit www.talkeetnabachelors.com

Vintage toys and model train show

This Saturday and Sunday, the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry will be hosting a Vintage Toys and Model Train Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is an event geared for the whole family. Toys and models from many generations will be showcases for nostalgia and wonder. There will be toy planes, trains, and automobiles dating back over a century. Tickets cost $5 per person.

The museum is regularly open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Alternate route to bypass road construction: heading north on Parks Highway, take a left on South Clapp Road then right on Aviation Avenue, take the right onto Beacon Street to Museum Drive.