Christmas in the Hills
By BEV JORDAN
If you love Christmas carols and gathering together for some festive entertainment then save the date: Wednesday, December 15th, for Christmas in the Hills.
This year’s Christmas in the Hills will be live-streamed for the second year with a packed program of entertainment from 6.30pm.
The evening starts with some family-friendly pre-show entertainment before moving into the Carols by Candlelight program which ends at 9pm. Hugh Olivier from CiTH organising committee said that with so much uncertainty about COVID restrictions the decision was made to hold an online event this year and return to Bella Vista Farm in 2022.
Last year’s online event is estimated to have reached 15,000 people.
This year the event is the 10th Christmas in the Hills and will be raising funds for The Fit Kidz Foundation at Dural, a not-for-profit Early Intervention Service supporting children with Autism or other Developmental Disabilities and The Sanctuary _ The Hills Women’s Shelter.
ABC24 newsreader and former William Clarke College student Johanna Nicholson (pictured) will again MC Christmas in the Hills and will be joined by Santa. Music Director Fiona Fitzgerald will be leading the specially formed Christmas in the Hills ensemble and community choir.
Churches involved in the service are St Paul’s Anglican Church Castle Hill and Wesley Uniting Church Castle Hill. Chairman of the organising committee Rev John Gray said the $30,000 in sponsorship would cover production costs and studio time to enable the event to reach lounge rooms, halls and churches.
“We’re very grateful to our sponsors – and more so to Dr Michelle Byrne, Jim Taggart and Darryn Capes-Davis (Spotlight and Alive 90.5). Without their significant efforts, we would not have attracted sponsors and there’d not be a 2021 CiTH,” he said. “This year we anticipate raising some thousands of dollars for our charities and bring a little joy and a message of hope and comfort to people emerging from lockdowns.
“ The event will be accessible via the Christmas in The Hills website www. christmasinthehills.com.au and via the special Facebook Event; www.facebook.com/ events/315149510047357. Donations to the two charities, The Fit Kidz Foundation and The Sanctuary _ The Hills Women’s Shelter, can be donated via the Christmas in the Hills website Donate Now button with 100% of all donations going directly to the charities.
• Major Sponsor: Karen D’Angola – Di JONES Real Estate
• Platinum: McDonald’s, Signature Projects Australia
• Gold: Capital Corporation, Castle Hill RSL Club, Riverside Oaks Golf Resort
• Silver: Insight Intelligence, Paramatta Eels
• Bronze: Linden Electric
