<center><b>Upcoming Events</b></center>

Ballet company

performs this week

GC VILLAGE — The Grand Canyon Ballet Company will present its annual holiday production of “Christmas at the School of Charm,” Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.

Each show will be staged at the Grand Canyon Community Recreation Center in the village.

The original story was written and directed by Grand Canyon Ballet Company artistic director Sonja Rojas. Along with ballet company dancers, other performers include guests Dawn O’Sickey and Steve Burning.

Jackie Wren, a soloist in the company, plays the character of Porcha in the production. Visiting nieces will be played by soloists Sommer Silva, Hannah Littleboy and Lizzy Tobin.

Monique Streit also joins the visiting nieces and is paired with Tobin. Christina Wier plays the school maid and Sandy Pittenger, Fabienne Guiessaz, Shannon Harris, Kelsey Olsen, Natalie Martinez and Chloe Phillips are all students at the School of Charm.

The dancers are now selling tickets, which will also be available at the door. Adult tickets are $12 and children under 12 are $6.

The Grand Canyon Association donated a 2002-03 season poster for the ballet company to increase awareness here in the park for the arts. The poster will be available for purchase at both performances for $5 each.

All proceeds help the nonprofit ballet company continue to perform and bring arts to the Grand Canyon community.

The ballet company will also perform Thursday at 1:30 p.m. for Grand Canyon School students.

For more information, call 638-9788.

Silent auction

to raise funds

GC VILLAGE — The Grand Canyon Parent-Teacher Association and Kaibab Learning Center will be holding a theme basket silent auction during the elementary school’s winter program on Dec. 19.

The silent auction table will be set up outside the multi-purpose room starting at 6:30 p.m.

Proceeds from the auction will help cover the PTA’s donations toward the Artist-in-Residence program and other activities. Kaibab Learning Center will use proceeds to help cover various expenses for the nonprofit day-care center.

Santa to visit

village store

GC VILLAGE — Santa Claus will stray away from his duties at the North Pole for a couple of hours Saturday to visit children at Canyon View Marketplace in Grand Canyon Village.

Delaware North Parks Service’s Jennifer Premoshis said Santa will be on hand from 10 a.m.-noon at the store. Children can sit on Santa’s lap to share their wishes for Christmas and get their picture taken.

In conjunction with Santa’s visit, Delaware North will be marking down all items in the store by 15 percent on that day.

Christmas Eve

service scheduled

GC VILLAGE — The Grand Canyon Community Christmas Eve Service will be Dec. 24 at 9 p.m. in the Shrine of the Ages chapel.

The community choir will be performing, with its opening carol to be “Lift Up Your Eyes,” by Fettke.

The Grand Canyon Community Church will also stage its Candlelight Midnight Christmas Service, beginning at 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 24. That service will also be at the Shrine of the Ages.

Christmas choir

prepares for event

GC VILLAGE — All are invited to be a part of the Community Christmas Choir that will perform on Dec. 24 at the Community Christmas Eve Service.

Choir practice will be Monday nights this month, at the home of Marker Marshall, 360-D Sunset. For more information, call 638-2340.

Mammogram tests

available Thursday

GC VILLAGE — Grand Canyon Walk-In Clinic will be hosting Well Woman Exam Day Thursday.

Mobile On-Site Mammography will be at the clinic from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., to provide breast cancer screenings. The clinic’s Dr. Jason Wesley also urges women to come out for their yearly physicals.

Ruth DeBoard of Flagstaff Medical Center will be at the Canyon that day to provide service for women who prefer a female health-care provider.

For breast cancer screenings, a certified female technologist will be on hand. Low-dose equipment is used and readings are done by a board-certified radiologist.

One in eight women get breast cancer in their lifetime. Those detected by feeling the breast are nearly 50 percent fatal at five years. By using mammography, women have a 91-percent survival rate.

Mobile On-Site Mammography accepts several health insurance plans. For those without health insurance, the cost will be $98.

To schedule a mammogram appointment, call toll free, 1-800-285-0272.

School's winter

concert tonight

GC VILLAGE — Grand Canyon’s high-school and middle-school bands will stage the annual winter concert today at 6:30 p.m. at the Shrine of the Ages.

The holiday performance will differ from past years with traditional songs such as “Jingle Bells,” “God Rest Ye Gentlemen,” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” arranged in blues, swing and zydeco styles.

Band director George Haughton said the new approach will show off tremendous versatility and talent of this year’s 20-member band.

Students will also demonstrate “circle drumming,” followed by the debut of their original composition for percussion entitled “Storm.”

Small groups and soloists will perform with a special guest artist to close out the evening.

Middle-school

play Thursday

GC VILLAGE — Grand Canyon Middle School students will put on their annual holiday season production Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s multi-purpose room.

Grand Canyon Elementary School students will stage their musical shows on Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m., in the multi-purpose room. That evening, K-3 students will present “A Gingerbread Christmas.” Band teacher George Haughton will direct students in grades 4-6 in a musical performance.

In conjunction with the Dec. 19 elementary program, Santa Claus will be making an appearance through the efforts of the Grand Canyon American Legion John Ivens Post No. 42.

The Grand Canyon Parent-Teacher Association and Kaibab Learning Center will also be cooperating on a holiday basket silent auction on Dec. 19.