As much as I enjoy the winter holiday season, I’m always ready to get a fresh start in the new year.  There are several RMA events and activities to look forward to in the early months of 2017.  Our museum trips take you  to a variety of destinations throughout Southern California in a comfortable motor coach with all the arrangements made for you.  Send in your reservation and a check and then show up at the Heritage House on the morning of the trip to be whisked away for a day of adventure and learning!  The Wednesday, February 8th trip to the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles will be a fun day spent in a remarkable newly renovated building. On March 16th (a Thursday) we will travel to Palm Springs to visit the Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium and the Palm Springs Art Museum.  Now how many people can say they’ve been to a cactarium?  Join us and you can lay claim to that distinction!

I’m also looking forward to the next RMA Lecture Series event:  a tour and history of the First Congregational Church on Mission Inn Avenue.  This church is the Museum’s next-door neighbor and has an fascinating history.  Our “out and about” visit to the church will take place on Wednesday, February 1st at 10 a.m.  We even provide refreshments and a social time starting at 9:30 a.m.   The lectures are always free and open to the public.  Check out the Events section for more information about  these and other upcoming RMA activities.  Make 2017 a year of adventure with the RMA!

“Unity in Sacred Sounds” is an appealing  title for the theme for this year’s Day of Inclusion presented by the Multicultural Council.  The program will feature performances in songs, dance and musical instruments, many of which are handmade.  The event will begin with a Native American blessing and conclude with refreshments. If you are looking for a free event to enjoy with your family and friends, you don’t want to miss this!  Mark your calendars for December 17th from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Box Theater in the Fox Entertainment Plaza.

This traditional event celebrates diversity and has been presented for the past six years by the MCC. It reflects the day created by Assemblyman Mike Eng in 2009 to “remember and learn about the sacrifices and contributions of our diverse immigrant heritage.”  Featured music includes “Indigenous Tribes” from Wells Middle School, with aboriginal Didgeridoos and African drumming; Hula Halau Ma Kahawai will perform the Hula Kahiko and chants accompanied by a Hawaiian gourd drum and Pahu drumming; Hassan Saouli will perform on the Oud, a handcrafted Middle Eastern instrument and sing traditional Arabic selections; and the Villegas Show Choir All-Stars from Yshmael Villegas Middle School in Alvord will sing three songs with African rhythms, accompanied by instruments and drums.

For more information, contact rmonge@aol.com

Docents Roberta and Bruce Spieler

Sometimes just as you are feeling the stress from the hustle and bustle of today’s world,  something pleasant comes along to take your mind off things.  This morning I attended the RMA Lecture Series “Out and About” trip to Heritage House.  What a delightful morning it was!  The weather was perfect:  a cool start that warmed up gradually as we enjoyed the beautiful gardens and learned about the house.  The Heritage House Hospitality Committee served a delicious array of pastries, fruit, coffee and tea for us to enjoy as Sharon Marvin, Docent Trainer, talked about the history of the house and its owners through the years.  We felt like Mrs. Bettner would come out any minute to welcome us and show us around.  While Mrs. Bettner may be long gone, the Heritage House Docents were there in force to graciously escort us through the house, plying us with a mixture of pertinent history and fascinating stories.   None of us were eager to leave such a lovely setting to get back to the demands of today’s world.  A big thanks to Peggy Barnhart for organizing this event for us.  Another big thanks goes to the Heritage House Docents for hosting the morning with their usual grace and charm!  The Heritage House is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the last tour starting at 3:15 p.m.