Main Street in Natchitoches
Fort Polk’s Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program offers a wide variety of events for single Soldiers.
For more information on BOSS events call 531-1948.
• Door decorating contest
BOSS hosts a door decorating contest until Dec. 25. Decorate your door, take a picture with your door and submit it to Facebook@FortPolkBOSS.
Submit your picture with name, rank and unit. There are prizes for first-, second-, and third-place winners.
• Holiday party
The BOSS holiday party takes place Dec. 25 at 3 p.m. at the Home of Heroes Recreation Center. There will be a white elephant gift exchange, so if you can, bring a gift to exchange ($25 limit). Enjoy free food and giveaways. Single Soldiers only.
• Festival trip
BOSS is taking a trip to Moody Gardens, Galveston, Texas, to see the “Festival of Lights.” Enjoy a cool holiday destination.
The trip also includes trips to the Aquarium Pyramid, 4D Special FX Theater, Ice Land: Pole-to-Pole and outdoor skating.
The cost is $100 per Soldier and space is limited. Single Soldiers (only).
• Lemon lot
Trying to sell your vehicle? Bring it to the BOSS Lemon Lot. Registration is $5 for 30 days.
Cars that are not registered will be towed.
Register at the Home of Heroes Recreation Center.
• Volunteer opportunity
The BOSS program encourages you to donate your time to those in need.
BOSS lends a helping hand at the DeRidder Soup Kitchen each Monday and Wednesday.
Departure time is 4 p.m. from the Home of Heroes Recreation Center.
• Christmas lights
Make plans to attend the Natchitoches Christmas Festival through Jan. 6 to create glowing memories of the holiday season. The Natchitoches Christmas Festival offers a variety of celebrations, entertainment, tours, food, music, shopping and of course, Santa.
Enjoy viewing more than 300,000 Christmas lights and the 100 lighted set pieces illuminating downtown Natchitoches and Cane River Lake every evening at dusk.
All Christmas events take place in downtown Natchitoches along the banks of Cane River Lake and the Historic District. Prices vary for admission.
For more information visit www.natchitocheschristmas.com.
• Christmas Festival
The NOLA ChristmasFest, held at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, may be decked out in red, white and green décor, but the largest indoor holiday event on the Gulf Coast, is giving half-off entries on Fridays to service members who defend and honor the red, white and blue.
Military service members and first responders who bring their official, valid ID will receive a discounted entry of just $10 for tickets purchased at the door.
This special offer may not be combined with other discounts and may not be extended to Family members or guests.
Enjoy the New Orleans area’s only ice skating rink and ice slides, holiday characters, amusement rides, themed inflatables, arts and crafts, gingerbread house exhibit, Kringle carousel, winter whirl, snowball fight area, snowy summit climbing wall and other favorites.. The festival is open every day from Thursday through Dec. 31, including special hours on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and until 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. For more information visit www.nolachristmasfest.com.
• Community dinner
Stop by New Llano’s old town hall, 211 Stanton St., Dec. 25 from noon to 4 p.m. to enjoy the 7th annual Community Christmas Gumbo Dinner. Everyone is welcome and the event is free. For more information call (337) 378-7607.
• Toastmasters meet
Toastmasters International meets from noon-1 p.m. at the Fort Polk Education Center, 7460 Colorado Ave., room 208, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. The next meeting is Wednesday. For more information call (337) 208-8557.
• Language club
Would you like to immerse yourself in learning a foreign language such as Russian, Spanish, Brazilian, Portuguese or Tagalog? If so, attend the Language Immersion Table the first Wednesday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at Tiger Hall. The next meeting is Jan. 2. For more information call (636) 577-4272.
• Lose weight
Join Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) every Thursday at the Vernon Parish Library meeting room. Weigh in is from 5-5:50 p.m. The meeting starts at 5:50 p.m. For more information call (337) 208-0896.