School bands
concert Thursday
Sweet Home’s school bands will perform their winter concert at 6:30 Thursday, Dec. 18, in the high school auditorium, 1641 Long St.
Performers will include the sixth-grade, junior high and high school bands, including the jazz band.
There is no charge, but donations are accepted.
Christmas Singalong
Friday in Foster
A Christmas Singalong will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, at RezRock church, 1621 53rd Ave.
Join in a fun night of singing favorite carols, and indulging in cookies, hot chocolate and some hot coffee. There is no charge.
‘The Innkeepers’
on Stage this weekend
“The Innkeepers,” a drama based on the story of the Nativity from a fresh perspective, will be staged four times on Dec. 20-21 at Sweet Home High School Auditorium, 1641 Long St.
The musical play is written by local resident and author Satina Tolman and features music composed by local artists. Show times are 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20 and 21.
The Sunday afternoon show will include ASL interpretation.
Admission is free but donations are accepted. The event is sponsored by SHOCASE.
Fundraiser dinner
at Sweet Home VFW
Sons of AmVets will host a fundraiser dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, at the VFW, at 580 Main St.
The community is welcome. Cost is $20 per person for a menu that includes a choice of smoked brisket or pulled pork, with baked potato and cowboy beans.
Proceeds will go toward the maintenance of the Veterans Club and assistance programs for local veterans and the community. For carry-out orders, call (541) 972-8556.
Holiday lights
Raffle drawing
Decorate your home — or nominate a festive favorite — to be included on a Holiday Lights Map produced by the Chamber of Commerce.
Each home entered is automatically added to a raffle for a gift card from local Realtor Karla Hogan. A raffle drawing will be held Dec. 20. No judging, just community cheer!
Register on the Chamber of Commerce website at
at www.sweethomechamber.com/events/eventcalendar.
Christmas bell
ringers needed
Sweet Home Emergency Ministries is seeking bell ringers to staff Salvation Army donation buckets during the holiday season in Sweet Home.
Individuals, businesses, churches, civic groups or school groups are invited to sponsor a Tuesday or Saturday, through Dec. 20, at the Sweet Home Bi-Mart (west-end exit) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Four-hour slots can be divided up as sponsors wish, but they must be staffed during that period.
Proceeds go to SHEM programs that provide backpacks and supplies to local children in the fall.
SHEM staff will deliver and pick up the bell and kettle stand for each stint. Ringers are free to wear holiday attire, sing carols and generally provide festive cheer. Sponsors are welcome to bring a modest sign to display their group or business name.
For more information or to reserve a date, contact Cindy Rice at (541) 409-2803 or Julie Dedman at (541) 409-9093.
Saturday Market
returns Dec. 20
Third Saturday Markets are returning this year, starting Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Church of the Nazarene, 415 Holley Road.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The monthly event will run through April, featuring local vendors and all sorts of goodies.
Miracle of Christmas
Drive-Thru at Chapel
Community Chapel at Ames Creek will host The Miracle of Christmas from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, at 42250 Ames Creek Road.
Participants will drive through the free lighted event in their vehicles as volunteers serve up cookies, hot chocolate, candy canes and pillowcases for kids 12 and under, as well as Bibles. The focus will be the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.
DAR accepting
scholarship applications
The Santiam Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Scholarship Committee is now accepting scholarship applications for graduating high school seniors, and college and graduate students in specific areas of study who plan on or are already attending an accredited college or university in the United States.
The 2026 DAR Scholarship application portal is now open, and applications are being accepted through Jan. 31 at DAR AcademicWorks. To learn more about the different scholarship opportunities and to apply, visit the online application portal found on the DAR website at https://dar.academicworks.com/.
The DAR administers more than two dozen scholarships in fields including medicine, nursing, science, education, law, music, English and horticulture, and several of the scholarships are renewable for up to four years of study.
In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the America 250! Scholarship has been expanded for the 2026 award year. Ten one-time awards of $25,000 each will be granted to students majoring in American History. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, hold a minimum 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale), and submit a one-page essay on either the founding of our nation or their personal volunteer service to community and country.
Christmas bell
ringers needed
Sweet Home Emergency Ministries is seeking bell ringers to staff Salvation Army donation buckets during the holiday season in Sweet Home.
Individuals, businesses, churches, civic groups or school groups are invited to sponsor a Tuesday or Saturday, through Dec. 20, at the Sweet Home Bi-Mart (west-end exit) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Four-hour slots can be divided up as sponsors wish, but they must be staffed during that period.
Proceeds go to SHEM programs that provide backpacks and supplies to local children in the fall.
SHEM staff will deliver and pick up the bell and kettle stand for each stint. Ringers are free to wear holiday attire, sing carols and generally provide festive cheer. Sponsors are welcome to bring a modest sign to display their group or business name.
For more information or to reserve a date, contact Cindy Rice at (541) 409-2803 or Julie Dedman at (541) 409-9093.
Seedling sale open
through Jan. 31
Linn County Small Woodlands Association has opened pre-orders for its annual seedling sale until Jan. 31.
LCSWA offers seedlings for seven types of conifers and one deciduous tree. Nordmann fir, a popular Christmas tree, is available. The shrub and perennial offerings are focused on native and pollinator-beneficial species, as well as adding interest to woodland gardens and landscaping.
Narrowleaf buck brush, blue elderberry, oceanspray, birch leaf spirea, red flowering currant, lemonade sumac, meadow checkermallow and narrowleaf mules ear are a few of the 14 shrubs and perennials available.
There are typically additional tree and shrub seedlings for purchase on the day of the sale.
This year, most of the conifer seedling selections will be offered as greenhouse grown plugs rather than bare root stock. Seedlings grown as a plug have a soil mass surrounding the roots, are easier to plant and have a higher survival rate.
Prices are reasonable and are a fundraiser for LCSWA to offer college scholarships to Linn County students with forestry and conservation majors. It also provides annual funding for 4-H scholarships. These local 4-H students, their parents and LCSWA members provide a volunteer workforce to make the sale a success.
Buy online at https://linncountyswa.com/shop.
Cultural grant
applications open
The Linn County Cultural Coalition is accepting proposals for grants to fund projects involving the arts, humanities and heritage activities in Linn County.
The LCCC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization affiliated with the Oregon Cultural Trust, a statewide entity established to promote and strengthen cultural activities in Oregon. The Trust distributes funding to all 36 Oregon counties and nine federally recognized tribes through coalitions like the one in Linn County.
The Coalition will have $27,500 to distribute. Grants typically range between $250 and $2,500. Applicants may be awarded less than the full amount requested.
The grants are available to nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status. An organization or individual sponsored by a qualifying nonprofit may also apply. Full guidelines for applying are available at LinnCulture.org.
The deadline for completed grant applications is Feb. 1. The Coalition board will review the applications and decide on awards within a few weeks of that date. Grant applications must be submitted online or sent by email to [email protected]. The application form is available at LinnCulture.org.
For further information, contact Rebecca Bond at (541) 928-0911 or Linda Ziedrich at (503) 707-1539.
Urgent need for Meals
on Wheels delivery
Meals on Wheels of Sweet Home is in urgent need of volunteer drivers, delivering free meals to local seniors and disabled adults in the Sweet Home area.
Delivery days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. The role is best suited for people available in the mid-day, as meals go out at noon. Volunteers work one to two days a week for about 2.5 hours each shift.
Meals on Wheels is managed by Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments and operated by local volunteers. Volunteers package fresh meals in the kitchen and the drivers deliver them. Many local people count on this food as a primary source of nutrition.
Email to [email protected] or call Heidi at 541.812.6015. Each volunteer must fill out an application and complete a background check.
Museum needs
help from locals
East Linn Museum is seeking volunteers and items that are needed for the operation of the museum.
The museum needs volunteers for its operations to replace retiring volunteers. New volunteers are not required to know anything about the museum or how to operate a computer. The museum operates three days a week from Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Supplies needed by the museum include: copy paper, postage stamps, legal size envelopes, paper towels, toilet paper, glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner and Ajax.
For more information, call the museum at (541) 367-4580.
Free dinners on Mondays
Sunshine Industries invites the public to a free dinner every Monday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at 1333 Clark Mill Road. Because everyone matters.
Free health
clinic Tuesdays
The East Linn Community Clinic is held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 1600 Main St. in Lebanon.
This is a medical clinic that provides primary and acute medical care for under- or uninsured individuals. On select nights, Western U COMP-NW offers osteopathic manipulative medicine to treat chronic and acute pain. Patients may walk in or schedule appointments.
For more information, call (541) 758-3000 ext. 115.