Howard Hanna offices plan Chow Chow events

November 30, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

BOARDMAN — Area Howard Hanna Real Estate offices will be hosting Chow Chow fundraising events to support the Howard Hanna Free Care Fund, which will benefit Akron Children’s Hospital’s Beeghly Campus. Admission to each event is a $5 donation per person for a buffet meal, holiday entertainment, raffles, silent and Chinese auctions and holiday cheer. Reservations are not needed. Dates and times follow:

• Tuesday, 3-6 p.m., Up A Creek Tavern, 4793 E. Market St. Warren. Hosted by the Howland Howard Hanna office. Contact Lisa Miller at (330) 856-7600.

Dec. 9, 6-9 p.m., Antone’s Banquet Center, 8578 Market St., Boardman. Hosted by the Canfield Howard Hanna office. Call (330) 702-8400 for more information.

Every year at this time, all 122 Howard Hanna Offices join together to raise money for the Children’s Free Care Fund. Each office has its own holiday “Choo Choo Chow Chow” luncheon/event. The public is encouraged to attend, and agents and staff invite their clients, neighbors, family, friends, surrounding businesses, news people and sports celebrities.

Howard Hanna also sponsors a new car raffle for the Chow Chow events, and this year’s vehicle is a brand new 2009 Mini Cooper. Raffle tickets are $5, or three for $10, with all proceeds going to the Free Care Fund. Tickets are available at all Howard Hanna offices.

Celebrate the season

HERMITAGE, PA. — The Stewart House, 545 E. State St., is the setting for the seventh annual “Festival of Trees” Christmas tour to be sponsored by the Hermitage Historical Society.

The public is invited to tour the home, where 20 trees have been decorated in a “Christmas Through the Years” theme. Hours for viewing will be 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 and 7 and Dec. 13 and 14, and from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. For more information call (724) 962-3266.

St. Nicholas’ Day Festival at St. James Church

BOARDMAN — Children and adults are invited to the fifth annual St. Nicholas’ Day Festival at 6 p.m. Saturday at St. James Episcopal Church, 7640 Glenwood Ave., where the life of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra and patron saint of children, will be celebrated.

The St. Nicholas’ Day festivities will include refreshments, photos with St. Nicholas and crafts after the Eucharist service. In keeping with the Dutch tradition, children are encouraged to leave a shoe or boot filled with carrots for St. Nicholas’ horse by the fireplace, and after the liturgy may find the carrots have been replaced with small gifts from St. Nicholas.

Donations of hats, scarves, gloves and mittens in all sizes may be dropped off at the church or taken to the festival. They will be blessed at the liturgy and afterward distributed to the needy through the Salvation Army. A portion of the offering will be donated to the local Shop With a Cop program,which enables children to buy Christmas gifts for family members.

For more information about the festival, contact the church at (330) 758-2727 or e-mail office@stjamesboardman.com.