December 25, 2002

Holiday dinner volunteers

Wednesday, Dec. 25, help those in need during the holidays by volunteering to serve food and clean up at Tenderloin Tessie's Holiday Dinner. Tenderloin Tessie's is an all-volunteer organization that has been serving holiday meals to the needy for close to 30 years. Food service 11 a.m.-4 p.m., cleanup 4-6 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 1187 Franklin, S.F. Free. (415) 922-0422.

Peace vigil

Wednesday, Dec. 25, join a weekly candlelight vigil and peace walk to raise awareness of and express opposition to the war on terrorism. Signs, banners, musical instruments, and candles are welcome. 6:30 p.m., downtown Berkeley BART station, Shattuck at Center Streets, Berk. (510) 528-9217.

Bilingual reading

Thursday, Dec. 26, beginning today, register and borrow books for the bilingual reading and discussion series "Family Portraits: Unity and Diversity," which begins Jan. 23. The program, part of Café Literario, consists of five sessions, from January to May, facilitated by Alvaro Sanabria. With funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the series is made possible by Human Pursuits: The Western Humanities Concern. The first work to be discussed, The Children of Sanchez, is a classic but controversial book by anthropologist Oscar Lewis. Berkeley Public Library, West Branch, 1125 University, Berk. (510) 981-6270 or (510) 981-6140.

Antiwar walk

Sunday, Dec. 29, participate in a weekly walk for peace with the Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace. The walk usually takes about an hour and a half. If you can't get there for the walk's beginning, feel free to join it along the way. 4 p.m., colonnade between Grand and Lakeshore Avenues, northeast end of Lake Merritt, Oakl. (510) 763-8712.

Clothing drive

Wednesday, Jan. 1-Friday, Jan. 31, after a two-year hiatus, the popular and successful "Together, Miracles Will Happen Clothing Drive" is back. Benefiting the St. Anthony Foundation, the past four clothing drives collected more than 400 extralarge bags of men's, women's, and children's clothes. The St. Anthony Foundation provides clothing and furniture to more than 1,600 needy individuals and families a month, while the St. Anthony Foundation Dining Room serves more than 2,000 meals a day. Drop-off locations: Marlena's, 488 Hayes, S.F.; Club Rendez-Vous, 1312 Polk, S.F.; Aunt Charlie's, 133 Turk, S.F.; Mr. Lee-Ona's, 301 Turk, S.F.; Powerhouse, 1347 Folsom, S.F.; Mr. S. Leather's, 310 7th St., S.F.; Daddy's, 440 Castro, S.F.; the Edge, 4149 18th St., S.F.; the Bay Guardian Building, 135 Mississippi, S.F. To have furniture picked up, call (415) 592-2727. Contact the St. Anthony Foundation at (415) 241-2600.

Youth writing

By Feb. 1, enter a writing contest for local high school students presented by Bamboozled.org, a youth Web site. Run out of the Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center, Bamboozled.org was created by seven teenagers to fight the stereotypes of teenage life delivered by television and movies. To enter the contest, submit your own, original writing, a telephone number, an e-mail address, and a $5 submission fee ($3 for each additional submission). First-, second-, and third-place prizes will be awarded (for prize information, go to www.bamboozled.org/contest). Send manuscripts to "Blow Up Your Television!!!" Bamboozled.org Writing Contest, c/o Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center, 3925 Noriega St., S.F., CA 94122.

Antiwar letters

Ongoing, show your support for what is arguably the mainstream media's most comprehensive, important article yet concerning the current antiwar protest, published in the Washington Post Dec. 2. The Post and Evelyn Nieves, the story's author, are now under attack by right-wing pundits and "media watchdogs" who are calling for an end to such reporting and for Nieves's dismissal. People in the United States and abroad deserve more reporting – not less – to accurately portray popular sentiment. Write to the Post to compliment the paper on its antiwar-movement reporting and urge the expansion of such coverage. E-mail letters to letters@washpost.com; mail letters to Letters to the Editor, The Washington Post, 1150 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.

Glide volunteers

Ongoing, help the less fortunate in San Francisco by becoming a volunteer at Glide Memorial United Methodist Church – whether it's just for the holidays or is a permanent commitment. Glide currently has volunteer positions in numerous areas, including meal programs, health services, employment services, youth and child services, and the Cecil Williams Community House. For more information go to www.glide.org/give/volunteer.asp. (415) 674-6080, volunteer@glide.org.

Network for Good

Ongoing, find out how you can make a difference this holiday season and beyond by visiting the Web site of the San Francisco-based Network for Good organization, which makes it easy to donate to your favorite charity, volunteer at an area nonprofit, or help a worthy cause in communities around the globe. www.networkforgood.org.