Join us for 30 Days of Hope, a San Jose service project that's physically bringing hope to Zambia, a place where over 64% of the people live on less than $1 a day. In fact, the life expectancy is only 38 years, making it one of the most difficult places on earth for a child to survive.

But we can help change that! March 6 - April 4, 2010, a 40-foot shipping container will reside in Downtown Willow Glen at the Church of God of San Jose (host of WG's Trunk or Treat). For the next 30 days, help us pack it full of needed items that will be used for community development!

Items do not have to be new and can include gardening tools, school supplies, fabric, sleeping bags, power tools, computers, etc. All donated items must be in good working condition.

Through Seeds of Hope International Partnerships, these items will be used to teach men and women trades, such as sewing, farming, carpentry, and gardening so they can lift themselves out of poverty. Some will also benefit a local orphanage and help drill clean water wells. In fact, this shipping container already includes a drill rig that will provide clean water for 500,000 people!

To view a wish list of items to donate, to read instructions on how to donate, or to obtain more information...more

Treehouse in the Glen is proud to announce the Treehouse Studio. The office and back of the store are now a quiet studio space for artists of all ages, where we'll be holding 8-week-long art and craft classes for children, giving special one-day workshops, and providing open studio time.

Our first 8-week class sessions in the Studio begin the week of March 15, featuring both "Mommy & Me" as well as After School Classes. Space is limited, so register soon! Our complete class schedule is listed below. To register, please visit our website or phone 408-294-8699.

**Mommy & Me Classes (Daddy & Nanny too!)**

Musical Munchkins
Ages 6 months - 4 years: Mondays 10:30am
8 classes, $180
A loving parent/child musical discovery class that allows the child to freely explore song, dance, instruments and rhythm with the support of their caretaker.

Watercolor Painting
Ages 2-5 years: Tuesdays 10:30am
8 classes, $109
The most beautiful art you will ever have the privilege to observe your wee one paint. With watercolor painting, magic happens before your child's eyes as, red and blue spread,...more

Treehouse in the Glen is proud to announce the Treehouse Studio. Our crafts, art activities and events have become so popular that we decided to dedicate a space for it all! The office and back of the store are now a quiet studio space for artists 0-109. Masterpieces have already started to flow out of the new space.

For a complete schedule of our Mommy & Me and our After School Classes, please click here (the 8-week class session begins March 15).

We also offer open studio time daily, 11am-5pm. Walk-ins are welcome! This is non-instruction time - an opportunity to work on projects with your kids or let the kids work on projects while you go off and shop (ages 7 & up only, 1 hr max, kids must be able to work effectively on their own and able to go find you if they need you.) Adults are always welcome to work on projects too - join in the fun!

For open studio time, there is a $5 sitting fee plus a project fee. Project fees are: watercolor painting, $3 per painting; decoupage egg decorating, $3 per egg; finger puppets, $5; and Ukranian egg dying, $5 per egg (only available March 9 - April 11). Other projects available include origami, warm fuzzies, and more.

Willow Glen Library is pleased to announce to San Jose Public Library-wide contests open to the community! The application deadline for the Graphic Novel Contest (all ages), is April 10, 2010. The application deadline for the Battle of the Bands (ages 12-18) is February 20, 2010. Please read below for details on both contests.

Make a Graphic Novel Contest!
Don't miss this fun opportunity to enter San Jose Public Library's Graphic Novel Contest for all ages. Create your own graphic novel; maximum length: 8 pages of text and black-and-white drawings, including the cover page. Enter for a chance to win a prize and see your work published and available in the San Jose library system. Winners will be notified by May 8, 2010.

Children's Group, ages 12 and under: First Prize, $50 Gift Certificate; Second Prize, $25; and Third Prize, $15. Teen's Group, ages 13-17: First Prize, $100 Gift Certificate; Second Prize, $75; and Third Prize, $50. Adult's Group, ages 18 and up: First Prize. $125 Gift Certificate; Second Prize, $100; and Third Prize, $75. Contest is open to San Jose residents only.

Please submit a copy and retain the original. Entries must be the creative work of one individual: the author/illustrator. For full details: ...more

Vin Santo Ristorante, located at 1346 Lincoln Avenue, is pleased to announce the return of our Prix Fixe Lunch Menu! Every Wednesday - Friday, 11:30am-2pm, you can enjoy soup or salad, a main course, and soda or iced tea for only $12. Main course selections include our ravioli del giorno, fusilli al pollo, panino al pollo, and more!

Hicklebee's Books presents An Ace in the Hole: Hicklebee's Card Game! Find at least five books in the Hicklebee's windows that fit the theme. Write down their titles and explain in a few words how that book fits, and drop off your entry form at the front desk of the bookstore. Our judges will announce the results on March 1, 2010, and the winner will receive a $50 gift certificate.

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Each year, across the nation, one event brings together entire communities to take part in the fight against cancer. The American Cancer Society's Relay For Life is a time and place where people come to celebrate those who have survived cancer, remember those we've lost, and fight back against a disease that touches too many lives.

Won't you gather together a group of up to 15 family, friends, and colleagues and be a part of the Relay this year? You'll join teams from across San Jose on May 15 & 16, 2010, as they raise money for the American Cancer Society, walk the track at Willow Glen High School, play games, listen to live music, camp-out, and experience the night-time candle-led walk and reading of names of local cancer Survivors and those that have lost their lives to the disease.

Your involvement will help the American Cancer Society work toward its mission of eliminating cancer as a major health issue and will support much-needed services in your community. Thanks in part to the donations from Relay For Life and other events, the Society is saving lives, helping those touched by cancer, and empowering people to fight this disease all over the world.

For more information, and to sign up to participate in the Relay, please ...more

Have you visited your local Willow Glen Community and Senior Center recently? Then don't delay, come visit us today! See the beautiful classrooms that have been painted, the new kitchen that was built, and all of the great programs and activities available for you to enjoy. Programs include: news and views, piano, computer classes, billiards, karaoke, chess, social bingo, theater group, line dancing, walking club, lapidary, and woodcarving, as well as free services such as legal assistance and health insurance counseling.

Do you have children and grandchildren that live in the area? Then please be sure to check out the great programs that our Community Center offers for them, too! We now offer programs for all ages.

We're located at 2175 Lincoln Avenue in San Jose, and are open Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4pm. For more information please phone staff member Janine Bray at 408-448-6400.

The Willow Glen Business Association is pleased to announce the winners of its 2009 Holiday Decorating Contest.

First Place: BabyBuzz
Second Place: Willow Street, Inc. Financial
Third Place: Kool Kids Couture

Thanks to all who decorated their shops so vibrantly, and to all those who voted in the contest!

Downtown Willow Glen has special holiday savings with coupons from restaurants, retailers, and professional services. Just click the link to be taken to the page where you can view and print these great deals.

Come celebrate all the good things about the holiday season with us here in Downtown Willow Glen. Alive with the twinkling of holiday lights, the melodies of cheerful carols, the unmistakable aromas of holiday specials wafting from our restaurants' doorways, more than 300 merchants are here, poised with just the right answer for your shopping list!