Garden of Lights at the Botanic Gardens

Visit the Garden of Lights at the Mon- trose Botanic Gardens from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on December 9-10, December 16- 18 and December 26-27. Enjoy illumi- nated garden paths and displays, horse- drawn wagon rides, music-activated light shows and the new Community Tunnel of Lights. Visit www.montrose gardens.org for more information

Montrose senior activities

The Montrose Recreation District has the following activity scheduled for seniors 50 and older. Register one week ahead. Events take place at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Dr., or transportation departs from the Montrose Pavilion. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early. For more information, call 249-7705.

• Holiday Lights and Dinner at Trattoria di Sophia 5–7:30 p.m., December 14

The evening begins with an Italian dinner at Trattoria di Sophia, followed by a viewing of the holiday lights around Montrose. If you are not able to drive, or do not drive at night, you can arrange to be picked up. Cost is $26, including dinner.

Blizzard Boxes for the homebound

Senior CommUnity Meals, a program of Volunteers of America, is assembling emergency “blizzard boxes” to distribute to their homebound older adult clients. The emergency food boxes will contain enough food for five meals in the event a storm hits the Montrose, Delta and San Miguel counties service areas. They include such nonperishable items as individual cans of chili, spaghetti, ravioli, tuna, fruit cups, juice boxes, packs of peanuts, sunflower seeds and crackers. Over the past year, approximately 75,000 hot and frozen meals have been provided through Senior CommUnity Meals to the senior citizens of Delta, Montrose and San Miguel counties. The program serves lunches at seven community meal sites from Olathe to Paonia to Norwood and Nucla and delivers meals to seniors’ homes utilizing a network of staff and volunteers covering approximately 4,600 square miles. Senior CommUnity Meals is principally funded by the Region 10 Area Agency on Aging. For more information on Senior CommUnity Meals or to make a donation to support the blizzard boxes project, visit www.seniorcommunitymeals.org or call 835-2670.

Montrose Recreation District offers Silver Sneakers classes

Beginning December 6, the Montrose Recreation District will offer Silver Sneakers classes at the MRD Aquatic Center Apex and Omni rooms. To sign up for Silver Sneakers and for more information, call 249-7705.

Silver Sneaker Classic

Class starts at noon, Tuesdays, Decem- ber 6-27 and January 3-24

Silver Sneaker Cardio Fit

Class starts at noon, Thursdays Decem- ber 8-29 and January 5-26

Advent events at the United Methodist Church of Montrose

• December 1-24: Daily Advent Prayer The sanctuary is open for prayer and contemplation from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
• December 7: Music at Noon - Robin Freed and harp ensemble. Bring a brown bag lunch and a friend.
• December 8: Taize Worship - Share a contemplative worship time with meditation and musical litanies at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary.
• December 11: Third Sunday in Advent Worship - “Waiting for Christmas, Waiting for Christ” advent wreath candle lighting. Services at 8:15 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
• December 11: Hodge Podge Christ- mas Pageant - Share the Christmas story told by children at 9:45 a.m.
• December 11: Dr. Ronda Parker and Bethany Ward - Share in the musi- cal talents of these two remarkable women at 3 p.m.
• December 14: Music at Noon - Dr. Ronda Parker and Bethany Ward. Bring a brown bag lunch and a friend.