A past Umpqua Wish Tree loaded up with Christmas gifts. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Take the opportunity to make a child’s dream come true.

Umpqua Bank is once again promoting the Christmas Wish Tree for children under the care of Child Protective Services in Lake County.

These children range in ages from 2 months to 17 years. There are approximately 160 names on the trees located at the Lakeport and Kelseyville branches of Umpqua Bank. Hurry in to get your choice of tags!

The bank is reaching out to the community with the hope that community members can help achieve the goal of giving a child their wish this Christmas season.

What a great way to teach your kids the gift of giving by getting them involved. It is so easy to do and very rewarding.

Simply come into either of the banks, pick a child’s tag and sign the register. Then return your gift by Dec. 9, wrapped and with the tag on it. If you don’t have the time to purchase a gift, you can make a monetary donation and the bank will be happy to do the shopping for you.

Umpqua Bank is located in Lakeport at 805 11th St. and in Kelseyville at 4280 Main St.

For more information call 707-262-3342.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Traffic Safety Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 17.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

Items on the agenda include approval of minutes from the Oct. 27 meeting and recommendations for the Highway Safety Improvement Program projects.

Citizen members include Chair Ann blue, Vice Chair Bill Knoll, Vicki Cole, Steve Jones, Kermit Knudson and Max Mulder, and staff members include City Engineer Scott Harter, acting Police Chief Brad Rasmussen and City Clerk Janel Chapman.

For more information call Chapman at the city of Lakeport, 707-263-5615, Extension 12.

NICE, Calif. – Come enjoy a Sons of Italy Italian-style dinner and dance on Friday, Nov. 12.

The group will serve up Alfredo sauce linguini with shrimp, cooked up by Deb and Duane Clarke.

The meal will include peas, salad and French bread plus homemade cake for dessert.

There will be a raffle with assorted wines from Lake and Sonoma County wineries.

The bar is open for socializing at 5 p.m. then dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.

Enjoy dancing to music of John Zimmerman right after the meal.

All tickets cost $15 at the door.

Everyone is welcome.

The club hall located is at 2817 E. Highway 20 in Nice.

The lecture, planetarium experience and astronomical viewing will take place from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the observatory, 5725 Oak Hills Lane.

Observatory staffer Janis Traub will lead the event.

The suggested donation is $3.

For more information, visit http://www.taylorobservatory.org or call 707-262-4121.

The new date is Saturday, March 5, 2011, at Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino in Nice.

The Stars Committee is actively seeking nominations from throughout Lake County for 21 award categories.

The program is co-sponsored by the Lake County Record-Bee, Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino and more than 30 Lake County businesses.

It provides recognition for the hardworking volunteers, businesses and organizations that do so much for Lake County.

“It is the only recognition program of its kind in the county,” said Armand Pauly, Lake County Chamber of Commerce president.

Pauly said that without those sponsorships the program could not take place.

More than 260 Star Awards have been given in the past 13 years of this program.

It is only through the residents of Lake County that the Chamber learns of nominees.

Look around at the people, businesses and organizations you deal with daily, for potential nominees. Who will your nominee be?

The nomination form for Stars of Lake County 2011 is online at www.lakecochamber.com.

For more information, contact the Lake County Chamber at 707-263-5092.

The dinner, for youth between the ages of 14 and 24, will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, at 14130 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.

Lake Center for Support (LCS) is a drop in center for youth ages 14-24. The center provides free daily activities, life skills training and after school homework help.

For more information call 707-994-5486.