Worthy Cause For Celebration This Weekend

• Join Santa and his reindeer at the Marin Country Mart farmers market on Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Christopher Smith will get the good times rolling with holiday music and then Scott the Storyteller joins in the fun. Get a tasty sensation with latkes and Klezmer music with the Jubillee Klezmer Band and Old World food truck.

Drop by the Patch table to say hi and help us celebrate our first anniversary in the Larkspur-Corte Madera area. It's been a lot of fun to work in the same community where I spent a lot of time as a kid and we're looking forward to an exciting 2012.

So, let us know what you'll remember most about 2011 and what you're looking forward to in 2012.

• Join the Twin Cities Police Department for its "Things for Teens and Toys for Kids" holiday drive at any of the following locations through Sunday:

Twin Cities Police Department, 5725 Paradise Dr, Suite 900, Bldg E, Corte Madera
Corte Madera Fire Department, 342 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera
Concierge Office at The Village, Redwood Highway, Corte Madera

There will also be a collection site at The Village Shopping Center in the center court, hosted by Twin Cities Police, Larkspur and Corte Madera Fire Personnel and Corte Madera Lion’s Club on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 12-5 p.m.

All items will be distributed to our local youth and children in Marin Health and Human Services. Some suggestions are movie passes, gift cards to music, book stores and clothing stores, or eating establishments. Monetary donations will be used to fill wish lists. For more information contact Officer Patty Monge, Twin Cities Police Authority, 927-5150.

• Santa is recruiting elves to help spread charity and good will throughout the comunity. He'll be at the Corte Madera Town Center through December 24. Bring the kids for a free photo with Santa at the holiday gift wrap center, located in the 770 Office Building Lobby next to Barnes & Noble. After you’ve found the perfect gifts at any of the Town Center retailers, bring it to the holiday gift wrap center for a free gift wrap by volunteers from Hospice By The Bay.

And don’t forget that Town Center’s “World’s Largest Turkey” will be accepting donations throughout the holidays to help needy families in Marin. Donations are collected and distributed by Marin Food Bank. For a directory of retail shops for your holiday needs, visit the Town Center website.

• Mimi The Sardine is hosting a handful of local artisans in the Corte Madera shop's Trunk Show on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The event will include Fairfax’s Blue Flame Studio jewelry, Mill Valley painter Karen Smith, Novato knitter and felter Nicole Kure Hill, and Mill Valley wood artisan Michael Carabetta. Enjoy cheese and wine and a 20% discount on all Mimi products.