Help is needed again at the “Chess Cadets” club that meets every Monday, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Walnut St. West Library (40th and Walnut). The club is in real need of volunteer coaches. You don’t have to be a Chess Master, just patient when working with kids.

If you would like to help please call Joe Clarke at 215-626-7332 or Susan Ben at 215-685-7671.

Recently, the Chess Cadets were invited to play chess at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as part of the Marcel Duchamp exhibition opening, where they played not only each other but museum visitors, children and adults alike. See more here.

In an effort to help schoolchildren affected by the Sandy Hook tragedy, neighbor Eva Jacobs and her daughter are collecting handmade snowflakes for the new school building where Sandy Hook kids will resume classes in January. Connecticut PTSA and parent volunteers are planning to create a winter wonderland at the school by decorating the whole building with as many unique snowflakes as possible (see announcement below). Eva is accepting snowflakes until January 3.

“[Let’s] see how many snowflakes we can get from West Philly… It’s the least we can do as a community,” says Eva. If you want to be part of this effort, please contact Eva at evamjacobs@gmail.com and she’ll let you know where to drop off your snowflakes.

This upcoming weekend Milk & Honey Market is throwing two holiday celebrations: a Holiday Pop-Up Shop on Sunday at their West Philly store at 45th and Baltimore and Winterfest on Saturday at their Center City location at Sister Cities Park (18th St. and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway). Annie Baum-Stein, the owner, invites her West Philly neighbors to both events.

Winterfest will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes a lot of fun holiday activities for the whole family – a Treasure Hunt, Karaoke sing-a-long with Frosty the Snowman, and holiday arts and crafts. The event will kick off with a choir performing songs of the season. Throughout the day children will enjoy Story Art, Snowflake Science, Cold Weather Creatures, and cookie decorating. This page has a full schedule.

For Sunday’s Pop-Up Shop held at 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in West Philly, Milk & Honey partnered with local artist/craft team Fennec Designs (many will recognize their wares from VIX Emporium or Go West Craft Fests) who have invited their neighborhood artisan friends to participate. In addition to the pop-up gift shop, Build-Your-Own gift baskets and Cookie decorating kits will be on tap at the event.  You can purchase anything in the store for a gift basket and receive the gift packaging and a custom gift card free.

And here are some examples of locally grown or made gift items:

Urban Apiaries Honey, unusual bitters, shrubs and syrups for cocktailers, Beer Kits for Home Brewers, local artisan made kitchen accessories, art works and beeswax candles, a great assortment of cookbooks and of course lots of delicious edible gifts!

Many kids in the Philadelphia area will be cold this winter because their families can’t afford heat or warm clothes. To help local children stay warm, neighbor Jeannette Bennicelli is organizing a winter coat drive for Cradles to Crayons, a local non-profit that provides children living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need. If you have new or used winter clothing or coats for children aged infant through 17 years old that you would like to donate, please email Jeannette at: jbennice2@gmail.com to arrange the donations.

UPDATE: Jeannette sends many thanks to all those who responded to this post and donated coats and says that she welcomes more donations (deadline is Monday, Dec. 17).

More than 100 Henry C. Lea Elementary students have been invited to spend a day at the University of Pennsylvania this Saturday (Dec. 1) when they become honorary college students during College Day 2012. The goal of this event (held three times each year) is to “excite students about the college experience, so they will be motivated to work hard in middle and high school and strive for a college education.”

Lea students are expected to come in the morning and stay until about 4 p.m. Penn students will be mentors throughout the day, sharing their college experiences with the kids and showing them around the campus. College Day participants will also take a mock Wharton management course and complete a class project – working in groups, they’ll design products that college students would want to purchase. At the end of their visit, Lea students will see a performance of Penn dance and singing groups.

Check out these awesome holiday events for the whole family coming up at Walnut West Library. Thanks to volunteer group Friends of Walnut West Library for organizing many of them!

• A Zoo on Wheels is coming to the library on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 3:30 p.m. and bringing Outrageous Reptiles. It’s a great chance to come face to face with snakes, turtles and crocodilians to learn about diverse reptilian lifestyles and the importance of these animals in a variety of ecosystems.

• On Saturday, Dec. 1, from 1:30-3:30 p.m., Lauren Leatherbarrow will lead a wreath making event at the library. This event is being co sponsored by the Friends of Walnut Street West Library and the University City Garden Club. Frames and fresh balsam will be available as well as pine cones. Donation is $10. If you want a bow on your wreath you need to bring 10 feet of wire edge ribbon. Lauren will teach how to make the bows. Attendance is by pre-registration only with the head librarian, Heather Sparks. Space is limited since each person needs a large work area. No previous experience is necessary. Pre-register by calling 215-685-7671 or by email at: sparksh@freelibrary.org.

• On Saturday, Dec. 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the library is holding a Big Holiday Book Sale. Books for all ages will be available, so come and find the perfect gift!

• On Wednesday, Dec. 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., the library invites neighbors to the Children’s Holiday Concert featuring piano students of David Shunskis.

For information on other upcoming events and to see how you can support the library, visit: http://www.wswlibraryfriends.org/