GOOD NEIGHBOR: JACQUIE OLIVERIUS Walnut Creek Scouts complete 10-

CONGRATULATIONS TO FIVE Walnut Creek Boy Scouts and their leaders on completing a 10-day trek through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico at Philmont Scout Ranch during the summer.

The 214-square-mile ranch was donated to the Boy Scouts in 1938 and is regarded to be the organization's premier high-adventure camp.

The boys -- Logan Besecker, Grady Hofstetter, Kevin Merhoff, Joe Wylie and Nick Zouzounis -- along with adult leader Randy Besecker and Scoutmaster Fred Hofstetter, are from Troop 216. The troop is composed of boys from Walnut Creek, Alamo and Danville, said Katie Smith, publicity coordinator.

"This group hiked 66 miles in 10 days, and climbed the highest peak at Philmont -- Mount Baldy at 12,441 feet," said Smith.

"The Scouts hiked daily from campsite to campsite, carrying all their supplies on their backs, except for two days when they had a couple of reluctant burros to share the load."

Activities during the Scouts' time at Philmont included horseback riding, archaeology, pole climbing, rock climbing, trap shooting, burro racing and a trails conservation project.

Hats off to the Troop 216 Scouts and leaders who will remember their adventure of the summer of 2008.

This and that

Those looking for things to do will have many choices:

-- Walnut Creek Seniors Club is holding its annual Holiday Boutique from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Civic Park Community Center, 1375 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek.

The handcrafted gifts for sale are the result of a year's work by the Bazaar Group at the club. Lunch will be available from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. each day, and a drawing for a free turkey will be held every hour each day, beginning at 11 a.m.

-- The Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Auxiliary's annual Christmas Bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, and Thursday, Nov. 20, in the lobby of the medical center, 2500 Alhambra Ave. in Martinez.

Baked goods will be featured on Wednesday, and decorated wreaths and trees, gift items and See's Candies will be available. Proceeds go toward projects that benefit patients and staff. For more information, call the gift shop at 925-370-5818.

Black and white

The Concord Historical Society's third annual Black and White Gala will be held Friday, Nov. 21, at the Concord Hilton, 1970 Diamond Blvd.

This year's event will honor the Concord Blue Devils, and proceeds will benefit the historical society's museum fund. The social hour will be from 6-7 p.m., followed by dinner, the Blue Devil presentation, a raffle and dancing to the Generation Gap.

"The Concord Historical Society is proud and excited to be able to honor the Blue Devils this year for their 51 years of operation in Concord. They are an important part of Concord's history, present and future," said Jan Kunz, historical society president.

Tickets are $65 per person and can be purchased by calling 925- 827-3380 by Nov. 14.

While black and white attire is suggested but not required, men are definitely not expected to wear tuxedos.

"We would like folks to dress up, but mostly we want them to come," said Aileen Gram-Reefer, first vice president.

Heavenly voices

A group of 16 excited youngsters, along with their director and several parents and family members, will be heading to San Francisco on Saturday.

The young members of the Heavenly Harmony Children's Choir of St. Bonaventure Catholic Church will be performing in the 2008 Pueri Cantores Choral Festival, to be held at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco. The choir is under the direction of Barbara Wolpman.

"Each year, the American Federation Pueri Cantores organizes choral festivals and Masses for Roman Catholic parish and school choirs, ages 8 to 18, in cathedrals and other churches throughout the United States," said Tamari Simbirdi, publicity coordinator.

The singers will join together into one large, combined choir to present liturgical music, from Gregorian chants to works of the last century.

"Internationally, Pueri Cantores includes over 60,000 singers from 30 countries worldwide," said Simbirdi.

She said that the Pueri Cantores festivals that are held all over the United States "give American youth the opportunity to share in the musical and liturgical heritage of the Roman Catholic Church."

Following the choral concert Nov. 15, there is a Eucharistic liturgy scheduled for 5:30 p.m. For more information about the concert, contact Wolpman at 925-465-4468.

Hats off to the members and leaders of the Heavenly Harmony Children's Choir.

Recovery Walk

More than 450 people gathered at Waterfront Park in Martinez on Sept. 27 to walk in support for those throughout the county who are recovering from alcohol and other drug addiction.

The fourth annual Recovery Walk and Celebration was regarded by all as a huge success. This year's theme was "Faces and Voices of Recovery: Real People, Real Recovery."