Events Calendar
Venice Neighborhood Council -The Great Venice Toy Drive & Holiday Festival
Venice, Calif., November 13, 2015 — The Great Venice Toy Drive & Holiday Festival, a project of the Venice Neighborhood Council, Vera Davis McClendon Youth and Family Center, and the City of Los Angeles, kicks off on November 13, 2015. The Great Venice Toy Drive & Holiday Festival is a two-part holiday event for Venice stakeholders. The first part is the toy drive. The Venice Neighborhood Council (“VNC”) and the Vera Davis McClendon Youth and Family Center (“Vera Davis”) will collect new, unwrapped, non-violent toys at various locations in Venice from November 13, 2015 through December 17, 2015. Then, on Saturday December 19, 2015, the VNC and Vera Davis will give the toys away to local kids, during a fun-filled day at Oakwood Recreation Center.
Toys can be dropped off through December 17, 2015 at: (1) Abbot's Habit, 1401 Abbot Kinney Blvd.; (2) HUZZAH!, 2010 Lincoln Blvd.; (3) Le Cellier Wine Bar & Restaurant, 417 Washington Blvd.; (4) Oscar’s Cerveteca, 523 Rose Ave.; (5)Superba Food & Bread, 1900 Lincoln Blvd.; (6) the VNC booth at the Venice Farmers’ Market (Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.), intersection of Venice Blvd. and Venice Way; and (7) the VNC’s Board meetings on November 17 and December 15, 2015, Westminster Elementary School, 1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd. (Make sure to look for the bin with the reindeer riding the bicycle!)
The toy drive will then culminate in a free holiday festival to be held at Oakwood Recreation Center on December 19, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. At the festival, children up to sixteen years of age present with a parent or guardian will be able to select a toy. (First come, first served.) Santa will be available for photos. Kids will be able to engage in arts and crafts or play on a moon bounce or in the snow. There will be facepainting as well as a caricature artist and deejay. Food will also be provided.
This is the fifth year that the VNC has sponsored The Great Venice Toy Drive. The VNC created the event in response to community concerns about the lack of a toy giveaway in the Venice area. Mariana Aguilar, one of the toy drive’s team members, said: “Last year, The Great Venice Toy Drive ensured that over 500 Venice kids not only had a toy for the holiday season, but also had a great day at Oakwood park with their families and community. With the help of our Venice neighbors, we hope to make this year’s event the best one yet.”
The Great Venice Toy Drive is still looking for volunteers. Please contact thegreatvenicetoydrive@gmail.com if you are interesting in helping.
Date and Time
Saturday Dec 19, 2015
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM PST
Holiday Festival
Saturday - December 19, 2015
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Toy Drive November 13th through December 17th at select locations - see above for details.
Location
Oakwood Recreation Center 310.452.7479
767 California Avenue
Venice 90291
Toy donations until Dec 18:
Abbot's Habit, 1401 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Oscar's Cerveteca, 523 Rose Ave.
Superba Food & Bread, 1900 Lincoln Blvd.
VNC booth at Venice Farmers Market (Friday's from 7:30-10:30am)
VNC Board meetings on Nov. 18 & Dec. 16, Westminster Elementary School, 1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Holiday Festival on Dec 20:
Oakwood Recreation Center