Thursday, Dec. 2

Art Exhibit

The Carter Burden Center for the Aging presents Works on Walls II, a group mixed media show featuring the work of 20 New York based older artists including photos, paintings & sculpture, thru Dec. 30, Tues. - Sat., 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Gallery 307, 307 Seventh Ave., Ste. 1401, N.Y. For information, call (646) 400-5254.

Comedy

Harlem born comic-actress Marilyn Torres presents her solo project Snap Shots featuring humor & humanity to an array of characters facing serious issues, 12/2-4 @ 8:00 p.m. & 12/5 @ 5:00 p.m. at the Teatro Latea housed in the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center, 107 Suffolk St. between Delancey & Rivington streets in Manhattan. Tickets $20 general admission seats & available at www.smarttix.com. For information, call (212)529-1948.

Saturday, Dec. 4

Reggae

Reggae Retro, the longest running, biggest & best reggae dance in N.Y.C. presents tributes to Beres Hammond & Glen Washington featuring Point Blank Sound & Hypeman Guidance at Littlefield Performance & Art Space, 622 Degraw St., between 3 & 4 avenues, Park Slope, Brooklyn. Doors open: 10:00 p.m. Admission: $10 before 11:00 p.m.; $15 until 1:00 a.m. No smoking; 21 & over; ID required; coat check required. For information (718) 930-1316.

Basketball

Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) presents the 2010 Big Apple Classic featuring Virginia State Univeristy vs. Virginia Union University at 4:00 p.m. & Howard University VS. Hampton University at 7:00 p.m. at Madison Square Garden, Seventh Ave. between 31 & 33 streets. N.Y. Tickets on sale now & available at MSG Box Office, on line at Ticketmaster.com or by calling (866) 858-0008.

Art & Gift Festival

Casa Frela Gallery, 47 West 119th St., between Lenox & 5th Ave., N.Y. presents the Made in Harlem Art & Gift Festival, featuring 23 local artisans whose work is chosen especially with holiday shoppers in mind & includes handcrafted jewelry, procelain ornaments, hand-bound journals, one of a kind T-shirts, handmade quilts & more, Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Admission: free. For information, visit www.casafrela.com or call (212) 722-8577.

Sunday, Dec. 5

Holiday Concert

The Bronx Concert Singers presents their 29th Annual Holiday Concert featuring sacred classical music & holiday favorites performed with chorus, professional soloists & chamber orchestra, 4:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1891 McGraw Ave., Parkchester, The Bronx. Tickets: $20; two for $35; seniors & students w/ID $15 & children through high school $5 & may be charged through Brown Paper Tickets by phone at (800) 838-3006 or online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/133131.

Tuesday, Dec. 7

Business Workshop

CAMBA Small Business Services, 884 Flatbush Ave., 2nd Fl., corner Church Ave., Brooklyn, is offering a free workshop, Starting a Home Based Business, featuring the steps involved in the planning & execution of a business based out of the home including office software, hardware, equipment & legal & tax considerations, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration required; call (718) 282-2500 or email smallbiz@camba.org.

Business Workshop

CAMBA Small Business Services, 884 Flatbush Ave., 2nd Fl., corner Church Ave., Brooklyn, is offering a free workshop, Surviving Debt & Rebuilding Your Credit, featuring information on how to repair & rebuild your credit, how to read a credit report & deal with debt collectors, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Registration required; call (718) 282-2500 or email smallbiz@camba.org.

Wednesday, Dec. 8

Business Workshop

CAMBA Small Business Services, 884 Flatbush Ave., 2nd Fl., corner Church Ave., Brooklyn, is offering a free workshop, How To Buy A Home, featuring information on the steps needed to find & pay for a home, credit issues, places to look, how much you can afford & mortgage options, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Registration required; call (718) 282-2500 or email smallbiz@camba.org.

ONGOING

Holiday Gift Drive

The Westchester County Dept. of Social Services is organizing a gift drive for local youngsters living in foster homes or residential centers. Unwrapped gifts can be brought to seven locations throughout the county, donors can sponsor a child, cash donation or contribution will be accepted as well as gift bags to help with wrapping, through Dec. 10. For more information & drop off locations, call Ms. Sabater at DSS (914) 995-5545 or email bms7@westchestergov.com.

Toy Drive

The Brooklyn Music School is sponsoring a holiday performance & toy drive for the children of Fort Greene & residents are encouraged to send a tax deductible donation payable to Brooklyn Music School, Frank Alvarado, 126 St. Felix St., 11217. The performance is on 12/18 for children & families from the PAL Quincy Head Start Program & the Auburn Family Shelter. For more information, call Mr. Alvarado at (718) 638-5660.

Police Athletic League

PAL provides boys & girls with recreational, educational, cultural & social programs & is asking for tax deductible donations of books, art materials or sports equipment or giving the gift of time by volunteering. Donations may be sent to PAL, 34 1/2 East 12 St., N.Y. 10003 or by logging on to www.palnyc.org & clicking on “Donate to PAL under the About Us tab. To become a volunteer click on Get Involved under the same tab for an application. For more information, contact Mr. Sumpter-Delves at (212) 477-9450 ext. 390 or visit volunteer@palnyc.org.

Toys for Tots

Edward Mangano, Nassau County & the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve is collecting toys for needy children at locations in East Meadow, Mineola, Hempstead, Westubry & Uniondale thru Dec. 20. For exact locations, visit www.nassaucountyny.gov.

Toy Drive

MAG & N.Y.S. Senator Shirley Huntley are holding a Tots-2-Seniors Toy, Book, Clothing & Coat Drive calling for donations to be taken to the office of the senator at 133-24 233rd St. in Laurelton, N.Y. as well as the Rochdale Village Senior Center, 169-65 137 Ave., Jamaica, in preparation for the Tots-2-Seniors Holiday Celebration on Sat., Dec. 11, in the senator’s office, 12 noon - 2:00 p.m. Refreshments, entertainment & gifts for all. For information, call (718) 949-1601 or (718) 712-2061.

Toy Drive

Help the Ina Dillon TV Show & Simms Tax Services put smiles on needly children’s faces in the Flatbush neighborhood for the holiday season by donating a toy today to be dropped off at Simms Tax Services, 1478 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn. For information, call (917) 349-8948 or (718) 859-5800.

Donations for Seniors

The Carter Burden Center for the Aging is asking for donations for its senior citizens in the way of craft supplies, especially yarn & knitting supplies, unopened holiday gifts for men & women such as sweaters, socks, hats, gloves & scarves, large print edition books, etc. as well as volunteers to assist with filing, telephone coverage & delivering meals to the homebound. Donations can be sent to the center at 1484 First Ave., N.Y. 10075. For information, visit www.burdencenter.org or call (212) 879-7400 ext. 204.

Holiday Food Drive

Hilltop Hanover Farm, 1271 Hanover St. in Yorktown Heights is holding a Holiday Food Drive, Tuesday thru Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. in November & December where you can drop off non-perishable canned & dried goods for distribution to local food pantries at the Farm Stand or Building C. For information, visit hilltophanoverfarm.org or call (914) 962-2368.

Holiday Fair

The annual Grand Central Holiday Fair, featuring vendors of one-of-a-kind jewelry, handmade women’s & children’s clothing, holiday ornaments, home accessories, glass sculptures, hand loomed knitware, art & books, imported African crafts, toys & more, will be open thru 12/24, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Monday thru Saturday (except Thanksgiving Day) at Vanderbilt Hall & Bridge, Grand Central Terminal, Lexington Ave., at 42 St. For information, call (212) 340-2345.

Art Exhibit

TRA Gallery, 35 Claver Place, Brooklyn presents the third annual Represent Brooklyn Art Exhibition featuring the works of 27 Brooklyn artists on display thru Dec. 11. Gallery hours: Mon. - Thurs. (by appointment) & Fri. 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. & Sat. 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. For information, visit www.therisingartsgallery.com or call (718) 498-6082.

Compiled by

Ida Eisenstein

©2010 Community Newspaper Group