On Saturday, Dec. 15, members of the Southeast Volusia community will gather to honor veterans during the holiday season as part of the annual Wreaths Across America Day.
The Civil Air Patrol has volunteered to conduct the Wreaths Across America ceremony at noon at the Edgewater/New Smyrna Cemetery, 700. S. Ridgewood Ave.
Seven ceremonial wreaths will be placed to remember all soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who served, honor their sacrifices and teach younger generations about the high cost of our freedoms.
Specially designated wreaths for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and POW/MIA will be placed on memorials during a ceremony that will be coordinated simultaneously at more than 750 participating locations all across the country.
For more information, call (386) 405-2359.
Book reading slated
The History Book Club at the New Smyrna Museum of History will hold a book reading with Wine and Cheese reception at 4:30 p.m., Saturday Dec. 15, at the New Smyrna Museum of History, 120 Sams Ave.
New Smyrna Beach.
Sally Bayles will be reading selections from her book "Good Bones, A Pioneer Daughter Looks Back" a story of three generations of a pioneer family in Florida from the 1880s to the 1950s and William Carr will be reading from his book "I Grew Up in a Castle", a memoir of life growing up on Coronado Beach.
A "meet the authors" wine and cheese reception will follow.
Admission is by donation and books will be available for purchase.
For more information, call (386) 478-0052.
Audubon Society to meet
The Southeast Volusia Audubon Society will meet at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 19, at the Edgewater Public Library on Indian River Blvd.
The speaker will be Senior Curator of Education and History from the Museum of Arts and Science James Zacharias.
Come and learn about the amazing paleontological discoveries of the giants that roamed Volusia County during the ice age
The public is invited. For more information about programs and field trips go to www.sevolusiaaudubon.org
LOOP to offer free holiday light tours in December
LOOP-goers may sit back and let someone else do the driving to view holiday luminaries next month. Holiday light lovers may do the LOOP on a holiday light tour from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Dec. 15 and 22, in New Smyrna Beach.
'Lights on the LOOP' tours will begin at Christmas Park on the corner of Live Oak and Canal Street. The 30-minute tours will take in the lighted displays in the area's downtown business districts.
Tours are free, but seating is limited. Reservations are required.
For reservations or more information, call (386) 424-2175.
Flu shots available at health department
The Volusia County Health Department is offering flu vaccine at its health centers in Daytona Beach, DeLand, New Smyrna Beach and Deltona.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people get vaccinated against influenza as soon as 2012-2013 flu season vaccine becomes available in their community. Influenza seasons are unpredictable.
Flu vaccines are offered at all Volusia County Health Department locations.
The prices are as follows:
$25 for flu, $45 for high-dose flu zone (65 and older) and $65 for pneumonia
Medicare Part B, non-HMO is accepted.
Health Department locations are:
oDaytona Beach, 1845 Holsonback Drive
oNew Smyrna Beach, 7171 W. Canal St.
oDeLand, 935 N. Spring Garden Ave.
oDeltona- 3151 Howland Blvd.
For more information, visit www.volusiahealth.com.
Santa returns to Historic Canal Street
Jolly Ol' St. Nick will pose for photographs and make a note of the holiday wishes of children in Southeast Volusia County through Dec. 17.
To accommodate busy parents, Santa will open his doors for daytime and evening visits. His schedule is:
oFriday, Dec. 14, 6-8 p.m.
oSaturday, Dec. 15, 1-4 p.m.
For more information, contact the New Smyrna Beach Recreation Department at (386) 424-2175.
Library to host Christmas party
An after school Christmas Party will be at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, at the Oak Hill Library. All school-age children are invited. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, call (386) 345-5510.
Dine with the Doctors
Dine with the Doctors will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18, at Sugar Mill County Club, 100 Clubhouse Circle, New Smyrna Beach.
For more information or to make a reservation, call (386) 366-6100 or e-mail miranda.hill@vitas.com.
Marine Discovery Center lecture series continues
This month's Marine Discovery Center lecture will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20., at 520 Barracuda Blvd. New Smyrna Beach.
The free lecture will have four short documentaries on marine life in the Indian River Lagoon with a discussion about each one afterwards.
Topics will include Sea Stars and their fast paced battle at the bottom of the sea and the Seahorse Kingdom which takes a look at highly organized mating rituals which may ultimately lead to impregnation of the male!
For more information, call (386) 428-4828 or email mark@marinediscoverycenter.org.
Early New Year's Eve party fundraiser scheduled
An early New Year's Eve party is planned from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, at the Brannon Center, 105 S. Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach.
There will be a buffet and dancing on the large dance floor to the music of the Marc Monteson Quartet.
For those who hate going out late at night for New Year's Eve parties, this is the event for you.
When guests arrive, the party will be on the same time as Helsinki, Finland; Istanbul, Turkey; and Athens, Greece of 8 p.m., thus the midnight hour will happen at 5 p.m. New Smyrna Beach time.
Pre-sale ticket price is $25 per person and $30 the day of the event. Tickets are available at Gone Bonkers, 314 Flagler Ave.; Southern Trends, 334 Canal St.; The Pennysaver, 223 Canal St.; and TUI Pack 'n Ship, 1321 Saxon Blvd. (near Publix).
Partial proceeds of the event will benefit The New Smyrna Beach Jazz Festival and the Mayor's Golf Tournament Fund.
For more information, call (386) 423-9760.
Nominations sought for historic preservation award
The Historic New Smyrna Beach Preservation Commission is accepting nominations for the 2013 Donnadine Miller Memorial Historic Preservation Award.
Buildings at least 50 years old or sites associated with a historic event are eligible.
The nomination deadline is Jan. 31.
Past winners include the Night Swan Bed and Breakfast and 601 Faulkner Street. Winners of the 2013 awards will be presented a bronze plaque at a March City Commission meeting.
In 2009, the award program was renamed in memory of Donnadine Miller, who was an active volunteer and member of the community.
Applications are available at City Hall, 210 Sams Ave., the New Smyrna Museum of History, 201 Sams Avenue, and online at www.cityofnsb.com.
For more information, call (386) 424-2138.
No Votran service on Christmas Day or New Year's Day
Votran will not operate bus service Christmas Day, Tuesday, Dec. 25, and New Year's Day, Tuesday, Jan. 1, in the Greater Daytona Beach Area, Southeast and West Volusia County areas.
Votran night service will close two hours early Christmas Eve, at approximately 10 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 24.
For more information, call (386) 761-7700 in Daytona Beach, (386) 943-7033 in West Volusia or (386) 424-6800 in Southeast Volusia.