Justin Bevins, Author at Canyon Lake California

All Posts by Justin Bevins

About the Author

Canyon Lake resident and outdoor enthusiast who loves wakeboarding, golf, paddle boarding and living in Southern California. Licensed real estate broker, investor and developer.

Canyon Lake Recent Facility Improvements

By Justin Bevins | Featured

Canyon Lake Keeps Getting Better

Our little community of Canyon Lake, CA is currently undergoing some exciting renovations! These updates will help to improve the quality of life for all residents, making the community an even better place to call home.

One of the biggest updates happening in the community is the addition of a new outdoor patio and wedding arch to the community center (AKA The Lodge). This addition will be a huge upgrade and perfect for hosting more community events, social gatherings, and other activities.

Canyon Lake Lodge Remodel 2023

Canyon Lake Lodge Remodel 2023

Another exciting update is the Solar Project Canyon Lake is working on. This project will soon be delivering clean and renewable energy to some of our busiest facilities. Solar Panel Carport Structures are already up and running at the Equestrian Center and The Lodge. The Tee Box Solar Shade Structures are just about complete at the Country Club also. We are expected to save nearly 3 million Dollars over the next 25 Years.

Finally, the community just finished the Canyon Lake Dr. South Median Project. This project provides a brand new first impression when driving through the main gates of the community. With all new landscaping, trees, and uplighting, the re-design is a huge upgrade and adds to the beautification of Canyon Lake.

Overall, these renovations are a great step forward for Community of Canyon Lake. They will help to make the community an even better place to live, work, and play. We can't wait to see the finished product!

Canyon Lake Car Show in Pictures

By Justin Bevins | Featured

The 2015 Canyon Lake Car Show rolled into the lodge parking lot yesterday and it was an impressive display of gleaming chrome, high horsepower engines, and highly polished paint. It was a hot day on the pavement (nearly 100 degrees), but that didn’t stop car enthusiasts from coming out to look at the hundreds of […]

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What’s Happening in Canyon Lake October 2015?

By Justin Bevins | Canyon Lake Events

October 2015 Canyon Lake Events

Fall is here! But that doesn’t mean the summer fun has to stop.  Canyon Lake has your October loaded with great events for the whole family.

Canyon Lake Car Show – Next Saturday, October 10, 9 to 3:30 p.m. – The Lodge

Canyon Lake Car Show Poster Canyon Lake EventsThis will be the 10th annual Canyon Lake Car Show, a family friendly event that brings in more than 300 classic and custom pre 1973 vehicles, plus food and merchandise vendors.  Following the event there will be a Car Show Dinner-Dance with live entertainment at 6:00pm at the lodge.  Admission for the dinner-dance is $25.  As Canyon Lake Events go, this is always a community favorite.  Here’s the schedule but you can also get more information on the Canyon Lake Car Club website.

Schedule:
7-9am        Classic cars park and shine
9am           Show begins
9-11am      Judging
2pm           Temescal High School Drum Line
2pm           Live charity auction for the Progeria Foundation
3pm           Car Show awards
3:30           Cruise around the lake

Pet Parade – Sunday, October 11, at 11:30 – Towne Center

The Canyon Lake Farmers Market will hold its annual Pet Parade in the Towne Center Free to all pets as long as their in costume.  Some of the categories in the pet costume contest are Cutest, Spookiest, Funniest, Most Original and Pet/Owner Look Alike.  There will be prizes!

Renaissance Fair – October 17, 1 to 5 p.m. – Holiday Harbor

Members of the Jr. Women’s Club and the Family Matters Club are combining forces to present the inaugural Renaissance Faire at Holiday Harbor.

Waterski Tournament – Saturday and Sunday, October 17-18, at 8:00a.m. – North Ski Area

The North Ski Area will be busy with the “PB Challenge 3,” which stands for “personal best.”  Skiers will be put to the test, to beat their personal best. The slalom starts both days at 8 a.m.   Come out and cheer on your local skiers to beat their personal best.  It will be a lot of fun to watch!

Parade of Frights – October 24, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Towne Center

The annual Parade of Frights will be held in the Towne Center on  In addition to trick-or-treating for candy at local businesses, there will be carnival games and costume contests.

Musical Memories – October 24, at 7:30 p.m. – Indian Beach

Canyon Lake Community Theatre is hosting “a trip down memory lane” at Indian Beach.  In addition the Community Theater Group is hosting a benefactor dinner and concert.  This is a multimedia event showcasing 20 years of the club’s musicals.

Halloween Carnival – October 31, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Holiday Harbor

Parade of Frights Pumpkins Canyon Lake EventsThe Family Matters Club will hold its 2nd annual Halloween Carnival at Holiday Harbor. The free event will offer game booths, prizes, tattoos, costume contest and face-painting. Snacks will be available for purchase.

That is your guide to Canyon Lake Events for October, so get out and enjoy the changing of the seasons and activities in Beautiful Canyon Lake.

As a reminder, the Canyon Lake Golf Course will be closed for Maintenance – On Monday, October 5 through Friday the 23, for annual over-seeding and maintenance.  The Country Club Restaurant will also be closed Oct.12 through Oct.15.  When the course re-opens expect the fairways and greens to be ready for a great fall/winter season.

Canyon Lake ShowCal Skiers Getting Ready for Season

By Justin Bevins | Canyon Lake Recreation

ShowCal Skiers LogoCanyon Lake has a new club dedicated to the sport of show skiing called the “ShowCal Skiers”.  If you’ve ever seen a ski show at Sea World, Cypress Gardens, or Magic Mountain, then you’re familiar with the excitement and crowd pleasing action these show skiers provide.  And in fact many of the members of Canyon Lake’s newest club have performed professionally at those ski show venues.

Show Skiing has been called the most entertaining discipline in the sport of water skiing.  It is fast-moving, exciting, graceful, and most of all, fun to watch.  Virtually all aspects of the sport – barefooting, jumping, slalom, tricks, wakeboarding and kneeboarding – are choreographed into one grand performance.  Unique to show skiing are ballet/swivel skiing, adagio doubles, adagio trios, freestyle jumping and human pyramids.

It makes sense to have a club like this in Canyon Lake since it’s already considered a classic water skiing community, and home to numerous national and world champion skiers, boarders and hydrofoilers.  ShowCal Skiers bring yet another dimension to the already popular sport.  They plan to perform several Ski Shows for our community throughout the summer.

CalShow Skiers

And anyone can participate in this new club even if you don’t have any experience – the club is open to all members of the community.

“The biggest advantage to joining ShowCal Skiers, is that you and your family will have the ability to utilize Canyon Lake’s Greatest Amenity – The Lakes – without having to own a boat or water ski equipment.  It truly is an organization where all members of a family can participate together.  Age and skill are not factors since ski club performers can range from young children to grandparents and beginner to expert.”

Dry land practice is usually on Sundays at Holiday Harbor and rumor is there may be a wet practice on the jump lagoon March 23rd.  Best to check out their calendar to confirm dates and times for all practices.

If you would like to get more information about the club membership or upcoming events, you can visit their website at showcalskiers.org or contact Mary Tortomasi at 951-722-2010 or Cherie Schiafone at 239-707-6002.

Check back here for updated photos of the ShowCal Skiers in action.

 

Swimming Pool to Open for the Season

By Justin Bevins | Canyon Lake Recreation

Canyon Lake pool MaintenanceThe Canyon Lake community pool at the lodge is scheduled to open March 17th this year.  The pool is always one of the more popular attractions during the summer and fortunately for residents it stays open for an extended season.   Right now the pool area is looking spectacular.  There’s a lot of new paint, the deck is clean, and the pool water is a sparkling clear blue.

The Canyon Lake pool generally closes down in November for the winter and re-opens in early March.  The pool is heated for these early season openings and even though we’re getting uncharacteristically warm weather this year, the heated water helps a lot on those brisk mornings.

Our large L-shaped pool has Olympic lanes at one end and generally varies from 3′ deep to 6′ deep.  There is also a separate kiddie pool for the little tykes if the main pool is too deep or they want to warm up to the big pool.  There are also dressing rooms, showers, drinking fountains, handicap lift, shade areas, and vending machines for member convenience.  The view of the lake makes it easy to relax and enjoy the day poolside.

The pool opens in the spring and fall at 7:00am but is reserved until 10:00am for lap swimming and water aerobics.  After 10:00am, it’s open swimming for everyone.  The pool is open until 9:00pm Sunday through Thursday and until 10:00pm on Friday and Saturday nights in the summer and is open until 8:00pm in the spring and fall.

Canyon Lake Water Aerobics

Water aerobics classes are a great way to get some low impact exercise and socialize with a fun group of fellow swimmers .  Classes are offered Monday through Saturday at 8:30 in the morning for only $2 per class or $25 per month.  Contact the Canyon Lake POA for more information (951)244-6841 x618.

Canyon Lake Pool Rules SignPool Rules

There are a few things you need to know about the Canyon Lake pool in order to enjoy your visit and stay safe.  Here are the most important rules:

  • Bring your POA member card, you may be asked to show it.
  • Member must accompany and stay with guests, six guests maximum per property.
  • Direct supervision of children under the age of 5 is required.  Kids under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult to the pool.
  • Also note that there is a pool attendant but no lifeguard on duty so be sure to keep an eye on inexperienced swimmers.

You can download a complete list of pool rules and guidelines here.

So whether it’s for exercise or fun, head over to the lodge and enjoy one of Canyon Lake’s best amenities this year.  See you at the pool!

 

 

 

Lodge Remodel Set to Begin

By Justin Bevins | Featured

Canyon Lake Lodge RemodelOne of the key features and favorite amenities in Canyon Lake is the beloved lodge.  It’s been a central part of the community for many years.  The current lodge gets great use as a restaurant, meeting & event space, and bar for events and TV sports… and of course delicious Sunday Brunches.  But over the years, many folks have expressed an interest in remodeling the lodge to make better use of the space.  So this month, the long anticipated remodel begins.  Here are a few details from the good folks at the Canyon Lake Property Owners Association about what to expect during the remodel process and what the completed project will look like:

The Association will be starting the expansion of the bar and lounge area at the Lodge on March 3. This project has a six to eight week timeline.

The plan is to make a larger bar and lounge area at the Lodge by enclosing the covered patio, as well as remove the center staircase to create space for a new dance floor. The current “L” shaped bar will be replaced with a new expanded “U” shaped bar that will more than double the existing seating capacity of the whole bar area. The uncovered patio space outside would still remain.

The dining area will be enclosed with double doors and the existing fireplace will be removed and replaced with a sound proof wall. Enclosing the dining area and adding a soundproof wall will enable the restaurant patrons to enjoy a private dining room for quiet dinners.

The Lighthouse Restaurant will suspend services in both the restaurant and bar area beginning March 3. The restaurant will only be open for special events and holidays such as Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day.

Canyon Lake Lodge Remodel Dance Floor SiteThe kitchen, Holiday Bay Room, Pool View Room and Sunset Beach Room will still be available during the project, so banquets and parties will still be able to take place during this time. For the lower level rooms, the main access point will be through the dining room elevator located near the entry door of the facility. All restrooms will be accessible on both lower and upper level floors of the facility.

Once complete the Lodge will have approximately 1,800 square feet of added usable space. The objective of this project is to make the facility much more functional for residents and increase the revenue the facility brings in.

Once complete, there will be a festive grand opening celebration that members are invited to attend. This event will feature signature Lighthouse Restaurant entrees and drink specials. The date and more details for this event will be announced as the project completion date nears.

 If members have any questions about the closure of the facility or upcoming banquets or events should contact Jeffrey Main, Director of Food and Beverage at 951-244-6841 ext. 723.   For more information and updates on this project members are encouraged to follow the Association on Facebook.

Check back here for construction and completion photos in the coming weeks.  We’re looking forward to the remodel and we’ll see you all down there after it’s done!

2013 Real Estate Market Was Hot! Will it Continue?

By Justin Bevins | Canyon Lake Real Estate

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 6 years since the real estate market started it’s downward spiral that helped contribute to one of the worst economic downturns in U.S. history.

If you’ve been in your home that long, then you may have cringed like I did as you watched your equity and value plummet while homes were foreclosed and short sold all around you.  Many lost their homes and much of their equity.  Some have still not recovered.  Hopefully you’ve landed on your feet by now and maybe even begin to build equity again.

The good news is that real estate turned the corner in 2013 and saw it’s strongest gains in the last 6 years.

Value and Volume Up

Prices started perking up back in mid 2012 and  shot up dramatically in January of 2013.  Since then, it’s been month after month of increasing volume and price.

Median PriceA look at the 1st chart shows that in the last 24 months, the median price of sold homes  has risen from $240,000 to $336,000.  That’s a 40% increase and most of that has happened in the last 15 months since about July of 2012.

Number of Listings

The 2nd chart on the right shows that available homes for sale has steadily decreased over an 18 month period to nearly half of what it was near the peak.

This simple illustration of supply and demand really shows the increase in buyer activity that has helped bring the real estate market back

2014 Home Sales

What can we expect in 2014?  Likely the return of a more normal market with more normal appreciation somewhere in the neighborhood of 5-8%.  The days of 25-30% appreciation are probably over… and that’s a good thing for the health and longevity of the market.  -JB

 Did You Know?

You can receive our free 4 page weekly market report for Canyon Lake every Monday in your email inbox.  Sign up here

Canyon Lake Market Report 123013_001

Real Estate information and data provided by:  Justin Bevins, Realtor® – Century 21 Full Realty Services – California Properties, Ph: 951-326-0521, BRE #01407424

New Year’s Eve Celebrations Around Town

By Justin Bevins | Canyon Lake Events

Put on your party hat(s) and dancing shoes for these upcoming New Year’s Eve Celebrations!  The only problem you’ll have is picking out which one you’ll be going to!

Canyon Lake SoCal Lighthouse and LodgeLighthouse Restaurant NYE Celebration ~ Canyon Lake

Light Up Your New Year’s at the Lighthouse Restaurant right here in Canyon Lake!  From 8:00 pm until 1:00 am on the Eve of the New Year, you can enjoy libations and dancing to a live DJ’s sounds.  Hors d”oeuvres will include shrimp cocktail, vegetable crudité, pesto bruschetta, cheese plates, fruit displays, stuffed mushrooms and Italian sausage, mini beef and chicken teriyaki, pot stickers, stuffed jalapeño poppers, mini assorted dessert choices and a complimentary champagne toast.  Tickets for this event is $30 per individual.  You can pick up your tickets at the Lighthouse Restaurant and make sure to call 951.244.6841 ext 771 to make reservations.

A Senior New Year’s Eve ~ Canyon Lake

Another Canyon Lake New Year’s Eve Party is the Senior’s New Year’s Eve Party celebrating New Year’s Eve on Central Time!  The party starts at 5:00 pm and held at the Canyon Lake Senior Center.  There will be music, fun and food for a ticket price of $25 per person.  Tickets are available at the Association’s Member Services Office.

champagne

Pepe’s Mexican New Year’s ~ Canyon Lake

Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina just outside of the Main Gate here in Canyon Lake is hosting their New Year’s Eve Party where seating times are at 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm (they ask that when you make your reservations to specify your seating time).  There will be dancing music provided by “On The Roxx” so get ready to dance the night away, too!  There are 3 different packages to choose from.  Package 1 is drinks from 9:00 pm until midnight with a glass of champagne to toast in the New Year for $50.  Package 2 includes prime rib or chicken cordon bleu dinner in the dining room and reserved seating in the bar, drinks from 9:00 pm until midnight with a glass of champagne for the toast.  Price of package 2 is $75.  Package 3 is $100 per person which includes all of package 2 with your personal cocktail server for drinks in the bar.  Each of these packages does not include the price of shots.  Please note that when making reservations, your credit card will be charged and there will not be any refunds.  Call and make your reservations by dialing 951.244.7373.

The Sports Stop New Year’s Eve Buffet ~ Canyon Lake

A buffet on New Year’s Eve?  What a great idea!  Nonstop fun and nonstop food at the Sports Stop!  The buffet will include fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, shrimp cocktail, tri-tip, chicken marsala, garlic mashed potatoes, salads, desserts including cheesecake with fresh strawberry sauce AND triple chocolate brownies!  Brunch starts at 5:30 pm and price per person is $18.99.  Brunch also includes midnight champagne to ring in the New Year!  So think about partying it up at The Sports Stop for New Year’s Eve!  After all, it’s just outside the Main Gate here in Canyon Lake!

72511_352375184889293_948007991_n

An Old Town NYE Celebration at Baily’s ~ Old Town Temecula

Baily’s Nightclub New Year’s Eve Bash will be a night full of fun with two levels of people, three full bars and music from DJ Ruffnek and DJ A-Lyfe, Gogos Jazmine, Felicia & Kimmy Jayy!  There will be party favors and champagne for the New Year’s Toast.  It will be an “unforgettable experience” as their invitation states!  Presales tickets are available for $20 per person ($30 per couple as an online sale from Dec 15-28).  Click here for presale tickets if you’re interested!

Winery NYE Choices ~ Temecula

Head down to Winery Town in Temecula for a New Year’s Eve Celebration of fun!  Here are just a couple of wineries to check out for New Year’s Eve!

NYEtake3

starts at 7:00 pm with the beautiful music of Missy Andersen.  Hang out with friends and the fun Miramonte staff and close in on 2014 til midnight!  There is no cover charge for this event so make sure to come early and grab yourself a table under the stars (by a heater).  🙂  You’ll for sure have a grand ol’ time!

  • Wilson Creek Winery

disco new year

has their very own Studio 54 New Year’s Eve Celebration where you can boogie the night away with Jimmy Jones and the Disco Inferno.  There will be lots of food stations set up for you party animals as well as an open bar, live entertainment such as go-go dancers, a DJ and a countdown to midnight!  Oh, not to mention, there will be champagne, too!  We can’t forget that!  Tickets are $190 and $170 for Wine Club Members.  Check out the Wilson Creek Winery’s website to make reservations.  Please note the prices above do not include tax or gratuity.

reservedTesoro’s Italian Cuisine’s Dance and Foodie NYE Celebration ~ Murrieta

Looking for somewhere to ring in the New Year closer to Canyon Lake and enjoy a great sit-down meal?  How about Tesoro Italian Cuisine in Murrieta?  Tesoro’s New Year’s Eve Celebration starts at 8:00 pm and includes a full course special dinner and champagne to toast in 2014.  The appetizer choices are fried calamari and chorizo-stuffed dates wrapped in maple bacon.  Salad will be strawberry spinach drizzled with a champagne vinaigrette.  Entree choices are filet mignon and fresh lobster or prime rib or Chilean sea bass with champagne risotto and asparagus and to finish you off, killer dessert choices of tiramisu and pumpkin cheesecake to boot!  Dance to jazzy Motown music played by TMK and the Allstars all night.  Prices are $80 per person (prepaid), $85 at the door (the night of).  Call for reservations 951.609.1266.  $40 deposit is required to hold your reservations.  The venue is quaint and small, so make sure to get your name on the list to ensure you get a good seat!

We’re sure there are more parties around town that you can choose from, but these are the ones that we knew about and wanted to share.

Let’s keep in mind….cabride

Now, we all know the goal is to have a great time ringing in the New Year, but let’s make sure to stay safe and sound.  So, please don’t drink and drive and write down these numbers in case you need some transportation after a night of celebrating.

  • Let’s Roll Taxi ~ 951.223.8294 (Canyon Lake)
  • Blue Crown City Cab ~ 951.973.6011 (Menifee)
  • Yellow Cab ~ 951.296.0007 (Murrieta)
  • Finish Line Taxi ~ 951.473.0333 (Murrieta)
  • Blacks Taxi ~ 951.551.8847 (Temecula)
  • Red Top City Cab ~ 951.694.3333 (Temecula)

Have a great New Year, all and let’s make 2014 an even better one!

 

 

 

Last Minute & Unique Ideas for Christmas Gifts

By Justin Bevins | Canyon Lake Business

Are you a last minute shopper?  I think we all have had our share of the rush to get a present at least once or twice in our lifetimes!  So, we’ve compiled a few ideas to help you get the job done…..and fast!  We’ve also added some unique to the area gift ideas in case you are wanting to give that special person a present that is more relevant or personal to their taste(s).

Gift Card Variety Kioskgift card collection

Just outside the Main Gate in Canyon Lake, you can stop by Stater Bros.  They’ve got a huge array of gift card choices that include Disney, Macy’s, Barnes & Noble, Chili’s, California Pizza Kitchen and if you’re not able to decide; they’ve also got American Express and VISA gift cards in various amounts.

Flowers for the Ladies

manandflowers

While you’re at Stater Bros, they’ve got a floral department like no other grocery store.  There are bouquets of loose flowers, bud vase arrangements and silk floral pieces you can choose from.  You’ll also find some small potted green live plants that are decorative and appealing to the eye.  What makes Stater Bros.’ floral department unique is you’ll also find some home decorations which would make for great Christmas present ideas, too.

Themed for the Holidays

Looking for a themed present for a Christmas Tree decorating party or a themed decoration for a friend’s rooster-inspired kitchen?  Take a short jaunt over to Just 4 Gifts:  Whimsical Gifts in the Canyon Lake Towne Center just outside the Main Gate.  They have a huge collection of gifts for all occasions and they are running a 30-50% Christmas Sale which gives you more money left over for more gift-buying!

A Hole in OneProshop sign

If you’ve got a golfer on the list, then the Canyon Lake Golf Pro Shop may have just the right thing.  Golf wear for men and women of all sizes are available at the Pro Shop, golf caps, golf accessories and sometimes you’ll even find some golf-inspired decorations for the home!  Any golf enthusiast would appreciate any of the choices found at the Canyon Lake Golf Pro Shop.

Foodie Fest

Locally, the Canyon Lake Lighthouse Restaurant offers gift cards that you can present to someone on your list who’s a known foodie or food-aholic.  There’s also Kelly’s Diner and Hana Sushi at the Canyon Hills Shopping Center and they also have gift cards available.  You can’t go wrong presenting these local restaurant treats as a gift because there are times when you’re just not in the mood to drive too far and eating locally makes it so much easier on us “lazy” people PLUS when it’s a free meal, it’s even more of a treat and the food is even more delicious because it was a gift!

wine glassesWinery Membership

Know anyone who likes to dabble in a glass of wine at times?  Temecula Valley Wine Country just down the I-15 has a whole array of wineries to choose from!  Miramonte Winery has a Sangria Club that turns even the most macho wine enthusiasts into sangria-obsessed groupies.  Oak Mountain Winery is known for their award winning flavored champagne and for their first Sunday of the Month Pet Fairs.  You might want to check out their Wine Club for a pet-loving wine dabbler.

Adrenaline Junkie

Ahhh, the joy of doing something wild and crazy is a gift that adrenaline junkie in your life will never forget.  How about a sky diving package?  There’s SkyDive Perris and they’ve got these December Specials available.

  • Fly with Santa Special for $100 ~ Four wind tunnel flights and a DVD of your tunnel flights and a Christmas stocking (can be shared with two people)
  • Holiday Special $234 ~ A tandem jump and a basic video of your tandem jump
  • Then, there’s the Sensory Overload (yikes!) Special for $279 which includes two wind tunnel flights, a tandem jump and a basic video of your tandem jump
  • Santa Deluxe Package for $303 ~ Two wind tunnel flights, DVD of your tunnel flights, a tandem jump, a basic video of your tandem jum and 10% off at the Bombshelter Bar and Grill

Wow, that takes the wind out of me….  Just kidding!  Gift certificates are available at 1-800-SKYDIVE or 951-657-1664.

Alright, another physically enduring gift that’s just down the road is Pole Position Gift Passes.  If you know someone who likes to drive fast and has fantasies of driving NASCAR, then gifting a session or two at Pole Position would be a great gift idea.  What they’ll get is go-cart racing in an indoor racetrack.  You can present someone with a pass for a session(s) or a membership!  Memberships start in the $40 range which might be the way to go.  Check out their packages at their website.  There are locations close by in Murrieta and Corona, too!

So, that about sums it up for last minute and unique gift ideas!  Hope it sparks you to get out and do some shopping!  We’re headed out to finish some of our last minute shopping ourselves right after this post!

Merry Christmas all!

Volunteering During the Holidays

By Justin Bevins | Featured

So this is Christmas…  It’s the time of the year when we all start to think of gift ideas.  One idea is the gift of time, the gift of YOUR time ~ in the form of volunteering!

Neighboring areas are in need of volunteers throughout the year but this Christmas season is when events are held all around town and the spirit of giving is so very welcome!

Lake Elsinore/Wildomarpresent

Cornerstone Community Church hosts their Annual Adopt-a-Family for Christmas Program where you can volunteer to make the Holidays special for those in need.  There are four ways you can participate.

  1. The first way is to take care of a family in need by providing them with a Christmas Tree, gifts for the kids and a Christmas Dinner
  2. Another way is to select a child from their list and give that child the gift of their choice that can be found on his/her wish list.
  3. The third way to volun-gift is to purchase grocery store gift cards in denominations of $25 or $50 so they can be provided to an Adopted Family in the program.
  4. Make a monetary donation in any amount by check to Cornerstone

The adopted families in this program are the neatest people who are just down on their luck.  If you can bring some joy and spirit into their Christmas just by your humble act of giving, it’ll make all the difference in the world.

WildomarChristmas boy

Community Outreach Ministry (COM) serves the community’s at-risk kids.  This year marks the 13th Annual Angel Tree Christmas Party where COM puts together a memorable event for the kids and the children get to interact with local Police, Sheriff’s Deputies, Firefighters, California Highway Patrol, Sheriff’s Explorers, and Border Patrol Agents.  Each group will educate the children on the importance of safety.  Then, the kids will receive Christmas presents donated by local businesses such as Curves, Massage Envy, Health Professionals, Wells Fargo and Beauty Salons.  There will be face painting and entertainment conducted by middle school and high school students.

There are two parties scheduled for these kids.  The first took place today and the next one is slated for Saturday, December 21, 2013.  If you would like to volunteer, contact the ministry at 951-698-7650 or email them at info@communityoutreachministry.org.

kids giving

Menifee

The 4th Annual Menifee Christmas Dinner Group is looking for Volunteers.  On Christmas, food will be served to families and individuals in need.  Boxed dinners will also be available hot meals will be delivered on Christmas day to the homeless and seniors in the community by Volunteers.  Building up to Christmas, there will be food and toy drives resourced by Volunteers as well.  If you’d like to help this wonderful group of people either before Christmas or on the actual day of Christmas for the dinner, you can visit the Facebook page rightly called Menifee Christmas Dinner.  There will be toys and crafts for children to participate, dinner for the families; and of course, Santa may drop by.  If you’d like to help during the toy and food drives, serve dinner, help facilitate the event on Christmas or help drive the boxed dinners to the homeless and seniors in need; please let them know via the Facebook page, call 951-852-1668 or email menifeechristmasdinner@yahoo.com.

turkey dinnerTemecula

Buck Kemmis started this dinner years ago to bring the community together and now heads this year’s 19th Annual Community Christmas Dinner.  This will be the first year with the dinner held at the Mary Phillips Senior Center.  Anyone is welcome to join and celebrate Christmas.  The dinner is a completely free sit-down turkey meal, sponsored by multiple anonymous donors and the Temecula Town Association.  Volunteers help by decorating, serving and organizing the day’s event.  Santa is there to give the kids presents as well.  For those that aren’t able to make it to the actual dinner, meals can be delivered to those who have health issues and are not able to drive or leave their home.  Volunteers are also in charge of wrapping the presents and and carving the turkeys.  If you’re interested in helping out and giving your gift of time, please call 951-678-2471 or visit TemeculaCalifornia.com for more information.

You’ll make all the difference in the lives of the people you unconditionally give your time to during the Holidays….and you will spread the spirit that is Christmas for sure….

 

 

 

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