Through Dec. 15 at a variety of drop-off locations, including:

The Law Offices of John M. Phillips, 4230 Ortega Blvd.; Edible Arrangements, 3651 St. Johns Ave.; Duval Motor Company, 1616 Casset Ave.; Hassell Commercial Insurance, 4250 Lakeside Dr.; Edward Jones Investments, 4466 Hendricks Ave.; Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Cemetery and Funeral Home, 4801 San Jose Blvd.; Sherwood’s, 1105 San Marco Blvd.; Thigpen Heating & Cooling, 2801 Dawn Rd.

Join the U.S. Marine Corps in the annual Toys for Tots drive to collect new, unwrapped toys for needy children. Last year toys were given to more than 15,000 Jacksonville-area children. Visit jacksonville-fl.toysfortots.org for more information or additional drop-off locations.

Jaxsons Night Market is a local, downtown market held every third Thursday of the month in Hemming Park from 5:30 – 9 p.m. This free event for Jaxsons by Jaxsons, showcases what makes our community unique including local makers, food artisans, fashion vendors, food trucks, craft beer, live music, live demos and more!

Harriet Beecher Stowe was not the only notable North Florida female face who moved between Jacksonville and Mandarin with impact. Other women, if not physically, were emotionally tied to the two St. Johns River villages. Stowe, along with Jacksonville Founding Mother Nancy Hart, Commodore Rose, Eleanor Pritchard and Hester James McClendon are other names of interest in the early North Florida story.

Speaker: Emily Lisska, a Mandarin resident and Jacksonville native, is Executive Director of the Jacksonville Historical Society. She is  a Past-President of the Mandarin Community Club and a member of the Mandarin Museum and Historical Society.  Emily is also President-Elect of the Florida Historical Society.

Third Thursday Lectures are held in partnership with the Mandarin Community Club. This event will be presented on Thursday, November 17 at the Mandarin Community Club, which is located at 12447 Mandarin Road. Refreshments are at 6:30 pm with the presentation at 7:00 pm. It is free and all are invited and encouraged to attend. For more information, call 268-0784.

Join other local readers on the third Thursday of the month as we discuss interesting books for everyone to enjoy.

May reading selection: The Wangs vs. the World, by Jade Chang

Stop in at the Willowbranch Library or call 904.381.8490 for this month’s book selection.

You can make a big impact on the community this holiday season by volunteering to ring a bell at a Salvation Army red kettle at Publix and Winn Dixie locations across Jacksonville. Funds raised through the kettles stay local and help those in the most need with food, shelter, clothing, and emotional/spiritual support. Contact Kettle Coordinator Kathy DeSiena at (904) 301-4852, [email protected], or text JaxKettle to 41444 to sign up.

Through Dec. 15 at a variety of drop-off locations, including:

The Law Offices of John M. Phillips, 4230 Ortega Blvd.; Edible Arrangements, 3651 St. Johns Ave.; Duval Motor Company, 1616 Casset Ave.; Hassell Commercial Insurance, 4250 Lakeside Dr.; Edward Jones Investments, 4466 Hendricks Ave.; Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Cemetery and Funeral Home, 4801 San Jose Blvd.; Sherwood’s, 1105 San Marco Blvd.; Thigpen Heating & Cooling, 2801 Dawn Rd.

Join the U.S. Marine Corps in the annual Toys for Tots drive to collect new, unwrapped toys for needy children. Last year toys were given to more than 15,000 Jacksonville-area children. Visit jacksonville-fl.toysfortots.org for more information or additional drop-off locations.

This program is for children birth to 5 years with an adult caregiver. The program includes stories, books, fingerplays, nursery rhymes, and songs that promote language development, vocabulary building, and comprehension.

This is an ongoing class that meets every Friday for all artists levels. The class will focus on pastels, materials and techniques.

Students will work from a live model and still life setups on a rotating basis using various types of soft pastels and supports. Check our website for the recommended supply list.

Questions can be directed to Kevin Arthur @ 904-327-7439

Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library will hold a “big bag” sale of books, DVDs and CDs. Members-only deals on Nov. 18, join at the door for just $5. Open to the public.

The Oyster Roast supports the effective advocacy, outreach and education programs of St. Johns Riverkeeper. Enjoy delicious oysters and seafood from Fisherman’s Dock, other taste treats from Biscottis, live music from Cloud 9, and silent auction. Visit www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org for more information.