As often as possible, Blast strives to highlight great community events that might get overlooked (or cut due to space constraints) in our free community calendar. Listings begin on p38.

New Sutter Hospital Proposal Workshop

This public workshop will gather public input about the proposed plan to build a new hospital at the Wells Fargo Center for the Performing Arts site. Meet on Monday, Dec. 22. Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Office, Room 102-A, 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa. 10am. Free. 707.579.ARTS.

Holiday Parking Validation Program

Not that we keen to make yet another cheap poke at the city of Santa Rosa, which just chose to spend $600,000 on new parking meters for a downtown that hugely shouldn't have any parking meters at all, but allow us to point out that San Rafael is supporting its merchants in offering validation for up to three hours of free parking through Dec 31. Downtown San Rafael, Fifth and A streets. 707.458.5333.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Stir, the stylish new bar that features Dan the feverishly reading mixologist, aims to benefit local charities each night through Dec. 23. Drink up for different charities thus: Dec. 17, the Boys and Girls Club; Dec. 18, the Children's Village; Dec. 19, SSU Foundation; Dec. 20, the SRHS Foundation; Dec. 21, the Sonoma Valley Fund; Dec. 22, Sutter and Memorial Hospice; Dec. 23, the YMCA. Stir, 404-B Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.284.7480.

Solstice Candlelight Poetry

Celebrate the coming of the light and the winter solstice by joining poets reading their own or other poets' work by candlelight on the theme of Wendell Berry's poem "To Know the Dark." All is illuminated on Sunday, Dec. 21, at Point Reyes Books, 11315 Hwy. 1, Pt. Reyes Station. 7pm. Free. 415.663.1542.

Call for Entries

The Petaluma Arts Center seeks original works of art under the theme "Weather Report" for an upcoming juried show that will exhibit Feb. 6–March 23. Entries are due by Jan. 10; $25 fee. Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St. (at East Washington), Petaluma. 707.762.5600.

Film Festival Volunteers

Help the upcoming Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival during its March 6–8 run. For details, contact the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 6780 Depot St., Sebastopol. 707.829.4797.

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