Christmas dinner

JOHN DAY – A traditional Christmas meal with both turkey and ham served, will be held at the John Day Senior Center 12:30 p.m. Christmas Day, Thursday, Dec. 25. The meal is free and open to the public.

More info: Glenn or RoseAnn Palmer, 575-2831.

Horse fossil workshop

DAYVILLE – Have you ever wondered about horses and their family trees? Come to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, for a three-hour, hands-on workshop and study fossils from the surprising horse family tree.

The workshop is designed for students 14 and older; younger children should be accompanied by an adult.

Meet at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center, located nine miles west of Dayville. The workshop is limited to the first 20 people; to RSVP call 987-2333.

Firemen’s Ball

MT. VERNON – The Mt. Vernon Firemen’s Ball will be held at from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, at the Mt. Vernon Community Center.

The choice of prime rib or chicken dinner will begin at 7 p.m. and breakfast, catered by Shcarol’s will be served at 1 a.m. There will also be a no-host bar available and music will be provided by Half Fast Productions.

Presale tickets are $45 per couple, $35 for singles, and $5 more at the door.

The People Mover will also be on hand for transportation to and from the ball.

Tickets are available at Mt. Vernon City Hall, Les Schwab Tire Center and from any Mt. Vernon firefighter.

MVMS fund-raiser

MT. VERNON – Mt. Vernon Middle School will hold a can drive fund-raiser at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, to support the eighth-grade field trip. More info: Jeremy Adair, 575-9800 or Dee McConnell, 932-4332.

Diabetes class series

JOHN DAY – A new five-week series of diabetes classes will start up Monday, Jan. 5, at Blue Mountain Hospital. Classes will be held on Mondays, 10 a.m.-noon, through Feb. 2. The class is free and open to the public.

Classes will cover the basics of diabetes, exercise, nutrition, meal planning with the dietitian and foot care.

More info: 575-4157.

Fossil beds closures

The staff of the Thomas Condon Visitor Center of the John Day Fossil Beds would like to remind everyone that the center is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. seven days a week during the winter months.

However, the center will be closed on Federal holidays through February, including Christmas Day and the day after, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 25 and 26, as well as New Year’s Day, Thursday, Jan. 1.

All park trails and overlooks are open daily during daylight hours. For more information, call 987-2333.

Donkey basketball

JOHN DAY – Enjoy an family-oriented evening of donkey basketball, sponsored by the Seneca School PTA, Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Grant Union High School gym. The event starts with a taco feed at 5:30 p.m. and the competition at 7 p.m.

Advance tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for students in grades 7-12 and $4 for children grades K-6. Add $1 each for tickets purchased at the gate. Call Cori for advance tickets or for more information, 541-477-3816.