Humanities efforts net grants

GREENSBORO — The N.C. Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit organization and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has awarded $59,581 in grants for public humanities projects.

Two local projects in the funding mix are:

- $10,300 to The Conservation Fund/Resourceful Communities Program of Chapel Hill for the “Tyrrell County Folklife Project,” to document by video a centuries-old public arts celebration, the Fiesta de la Posada. The county’s public school Spanish teachers will help develop a La Posada companion curriculum guide for regional distribution. The project will also produce a CD of the Brothers in Praise, a traditional African American gospel choir of the Zion Grove Church of Christ, and feature the musical quartet in a free public concert. A multimedia Web site will carry the celebration and music to an audience beyond Tyrrell County.

- $5,400 to the North Carolina Collection at UNC for “Worth 1,000 Words: Essays on the Photographs of Hugh Morton,” to commission a series of multidisciplinary essays based on the Hugh Morton Collection of Photographs and Films, a rich visual record of North Carolina heritage and culture and one of the core holdings of the North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives at UNC. The essays will be presented at two public forums, integrated online as part of the blog “A View to Hugh,” and linked to the Morton digital library and archival finding aid.

Carolina Blood Drive is Dec. 15

CHAPEL HILL — UNC campus and local community members are invited to give the gift of life this holiday season at the 11th annual winter Carolina Blood Drive.

The drive will be from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 15 at UNC’s Fetzer Gym on South Road. Parking will be free in the Cobb Deck off Country Club Road.

To give at the drive, you must be healthy, at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and not have donated whole blood since Oct. 19 or double red cells since Aug. 25. Individuals 18 and under must also meet specific height and weight requirements. Participating takes about an hour. To make an appointment or for information, visit www.unc.edu/blood.

Breakfast benefit at Spice Street

CHAPEL HILL — UNC Hospitals resident physicians will host the second annual Charity Breakfast Buffet with Santa at Spice Street restaurant at University Mall in Chapel Hill, 201 S. Estes Drive, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday.

Proceeds will be used to support four charities: Ronald McDonald House, SECU Family House, N.C. Food Bank and Toys for Tots. The cost to attend is $5 for children and $10 for adults. Attendees will be able to take pictures with Santa and make crafts, and are asked to bring new toys to donate.

Southern Village to light tree

CHAPEL HILL — Southern Village will host its holiday tree lighting from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, featuring entertainment by the Scroggs Elementary School chorus, light refreshments and Santa Claus lighting the tree on the Village Green, 400 Market Square

Call (919) 969-7301 or visit http://www.southernvillage.com/ for information on the free event.

Stories, songs for kids

CHAPEL HILL — “Seasoning of Stories and Song” is the theme of the 17th annual winter stories program for children of all ages on Thursday.

The fun will begin with refreshments in the lobby at 5 p.m. and continue with seasonal tales and music at 5:45 in Wilson Library’s Pleasants Family Assembly Room on the UNC campus. Storytellers, instrumental music and sing-a-longs will be part of the fun.

Call (919) 962-4207 or click on http://www.lib.unc.edu/blogs/news/ for more information about the free event.

Jazz concert at UNC Thursday

CHAPEL HILL — The North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra presents “My Favorite Things: Holiday Jazz Concert,” at Memorial Hall on the UNC Campus at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Call (919) 843-3333 or go to http://music.unc.edu/ for information.