This holiday season Old Town will transform into a Victorian scene for the fourth annual Dickens Village. On December 4^th from noon to 8pm family friendly activities will be taking place throughout Old Town.

To kick off the day OTCA (with help from Riverview Fitness) will be putting on its first 5k race! The "Scrooge Scramble" will begin at 10am so be sure to register. The race map, registration and other race information will be available on our website soon!

The Turner Dodge house will be hosting a Holiday Tea. (Reservations can be made through the Turner Dodge House, call (517) 483-4220) The tea will begin at 3pm and each ticket is $8. There is limited seating available so hurry to make sure you can take part and explore the historic Turner Dodge House!

And even if you don't register to run, or sign up for the Dickens Tea at Turner Didge, there will still be plenty of free activities going on throughout Old Town to keep everyone busy. Local choirs will be performing throughout the day in various locations. Don't worry Santa Clause is coming to town too! The Girl Scouts will be hosting Santa again this year so that he can collect everyone's wish lists and take pictures between 1 and 4pm at 1223 Turner Street.

The Greater American Fierce Beard Organization (GAFBO) will be on hand showing off their beards, taking pictures of those entering the moustache contest, and giving tips on how to get the perfect moustache.

The Old Town Commercial Association's fifth annual Old Town Oktoberfest held Friday, October 1 & 2, was a great success due to the wonderful support of so many volunteers. The festival attracted over 3,000 people to Old Town over the course of the weekend and raised money for Old Town's continued revitalization.

In addition to bringing thousands of people to Old Town, Oktoberfest serves as one of the three largest fundraising-events for the OTCA. The event raises money to continue Old Town's revitalization, historic preservation and community outreach. This year the OTCA was able to double the revenue from last year, by at least 1,000 festival-goers.

The OTCA would like to thank our generous sponsors for their continued support and for making this event possible. Thank you to MessageMakers, Portland Federal Credit Union, Mike Stein Farm Bureau Insurance, Spiral Video and Dance Bar, Kincaid-Henry Building Group, Rizzi Designs, Lansing State Journal, Two Men & a Truck, Dan Henry Distributing, Group 230 Design, Hranilovich Illustration, City Pulse, Events to Rent, Spartan Printing, Text Ripple, Capital City Reprographics, Lansing Teen Challenge, Schupan Recycling, Friedland Industries, WMMQ, the Media Advantage, Michigan State University German Club, Uncle John's Cider Mill and Tallulah's Folly.

The OTCA would also like to thank the 258 volunteers and planning committee members who helped work, plan and promote Old Town Oktoberfest.

As a program through the Greater Lansing Food Bank, Food Movers has been collecting food since 1992. Food Mover volunteers go out into the community to collect extra edible food in the Lansing area. Restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, and other food service companies donate the food that is then delivered to local shelters, community kitchens and other charity locations.

In the last year 747,569 pounds of food was donated and collected in refrigerated trucks to be transported during over 7,038 volunteer hours. This year Food Movers is donating one of their refrigerated trucks to hold the turkeys and other refrigerated food for our Compassionate Feast event on November 22.

Food Movers also includes the Neighborhood Partnership Program, which distributes food within seven neighbors. This program provides food for 330 families a month in the Lansing area.

By connecting organizations with excess food and those in need Food Movers is working to end hunger in the Lansing area.

"My favorite part of the job is getting to meet so many great people volunteers, other food banking staff, donors and people receiving our services" says Phyllis Handley, Food Movers Director.

For more information on the Food Movers program or information on getting involved visit their website.

We all know we love our quirky, creative, cluster of galleries, restaurants, shops, and funky lofts that make up Old Town. But we all have our own personal reasons that we love, work, and play in Lansing's original downtown district. So our fearless intern Sarah hit the streets one beautiful Fall day and talked with people about just WHY they love Old Town so much! Check out what one guy had to say:

Daren Hudson, a frequent Old Town visitor, explained that he loves Old Town and taking pictures of the downtown area, mainly on Grand River Ave and Turner Street. Hudson lives in Mason, but often travels to Old Town to take photography classes at Perspective 2 Studio, located at 319 E. Grand River Ave. He works on the Lansing's North side and has been coming to Old Town for more than 15 years. He said he really enjoys the atmosphere, the jazz music and the fact that he can take pictures of all the scenery in Old Town. He said he would describe Old Town as a "fun" place, maybe even the best part of Lansing, to someone who had never been to Old Town before.

Really love Old Town? Well keep an eye out for the OTCA interns on the street every month to find out why. You could be featured next month. And remember, if you love Old Town, tell someone about it!

Between thinking of great gift ideas and the crowds it can become quite frustrating. This year take a gentle walk through the galleries of Old Town on November 13 and skip the traffic and noise of the shopping mall during the second annual Art of Gift Giving.

The Art of Gift Giving was created to give people gift ideas that showcase the ambiance of Michigan and avoid the hectic atmosphere of the malls. Start your holiday shopping without wanting to pull your hair out. All of the galleries will be decorated to kick off the holiday season as well.

Each year dedicated Old Town volunteers and board members strive to create the most vibrant community for businesses and residents alike. Though many of the services that our organization provides is geared toward the betterment of the community as a whole, a handful of the most visible services is set aside for members of the organization.

Though the OTCA has several funding streams, none are more important than the membership dues that are collected each year, growing grassroots support, identifying stakeholders, and ensuring the sustainability of the organization.

As we come upon another year of volunteer driven success stories for our neighborhood, we'd like to highlight some of the more recent member benefits available through the OTCA.

Free membership to the Small Business Association of Michigan including;

Group health insurance benefits through Blue Cross Blue Shield and COBRA Administration. 401k Retirement Planning through Nationwide Financial Services and 25% off packages delivered across the state, country or world with special volume rates.

Opportunity to receive support through Old Town Business Assistance Team

A variety of business professionals available at your fingertips for one on one peer to peer counseling, providing you with the knowledge and community support to succeed as a small business.

Old Town discount cards for you and your staff

Opportunity to promote your business to the over 300 OTCA members through the Old Town discount cards and hundreds of dollars more in savings for you and your staff.

Eligibility for Main Street Design Services

Free Design Services from a State Historic Preservation Office Architect which includes one on one consultation, schematic drawings, budget information, product information, timelines and color samples.

Inclusion in maps, directories, website

Business listing in thousands of maps, directories as well as detailed business information on www.iloveoldtown.org, Old Town's premiere resource for business and event information.

Join today or renew your membership for 2011 by filling out the below information and membership dues based on the number of employees and drop it off or mail it to 1232 Turner St. For more information about how to come a member of the Old Town Commercial Association, or if you are already a member and looking to capitalize on the services listed feel free to visit the website at www.iloveoldtown.org or contact Brittney at 517.485.4283.