What’s Happening for Dec. 30

Wednesday

Girls Empowerment Day: 12 workshops for middle-school girls, 11 a.m. -5:30 p.m., South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Road SW, Natural Sciences Building, No. 35. Cost is $30, lunch and snacks provided. Information: Lanessa Inman, 360-352-0593 or ywcaofolympia.org/calendar.

Thursday

Mason County Senior Center fundraiser: Buffet dinner followed by dancing, 6 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at the Mason County Senior Activities at the Pavilion Event Center, 190 Sentry Drive W., Shelton. Open to people 21 and older. Membership isn’t required. Ample parking. Cost is $20 per person. All proceeds support senior center operations. Tickets on sale at the center or by mail: Mason County Senior Activities Center at the Pavilion Event Center. Mailing: P.O. Box 1066, Shelton, WA 98584. Information: 360-426-7374 or email info@mcsac.net.

Noon Year’s Eve Party: Events are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Hands On Children’s Museum, 414 Jefferson St. NE, Olympia. Activities include a ball drop every hour, dance party, ice science activities, noise makers and photo booth. Registration is recommended online hocm.org/noon-years-eve or call 360-956-0818 Ext. 0. Member child: $8; nonmember child: $10; accompanying member adults: free; nonmember adults: $4.

Friday

Swedish Pancake Breakfast: The traditional New Year’s Day breakfast returns to Fords Prairie Grange from 8 a.m.-noon. The menu: authentic Swedish pancakes served with lingonberry butter and hot strawberry preserves, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee. Adults $7; kids 12 and younger $4. Ford’s Prairie Grange is at 2640 W. Reynolds Ave., Centralia. Take Interstate 5 to Exit 82; go west on Harrison Avenue to Reynolds Avenue and turn south. The Grange is behind Ford’s Prairie Elementary School. Information: 360-918-1356.

Jan. 7

Panorama Republicans: The group meets at 2 p.m. in the Quinault Auditorium on the lower level of the Quinault Apartment Building, 1835 Circle Lane, Lacey. Sharon Hanek will discuss Common Core, the federally mandated school curriculum. Meetings are one hour long and open to all. Information: Call Ron Bax at 360-438-5641 or email ron.ck722@gmail.com.

Jan. 9

Plant holiday trees: Stream Team hosts a restoration party at Woodland Creek Community Park. The event is 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Live holiday trees will be planted. To register, go to streamteam.info, email streamteam@ci.lacey.wa.us or call 360-438-2672.

Jan. 21

Olympia Tumwater Foundation Noon History Talk: Free monthly talk features author Dennis Larson speaking about the 1852-54 building of Naches Pass at noon at the Schmidt House, 330 Schmidt Place SW, in Tumwater. Seating is first-come, and doors open at 11:30 a.m. Information: olytumfoundation.org, 360-786-8117.

Jan. 23

Oshogatsu in Olympia: Japanese New Year Celebration is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. SE, Olympia. Live entertainment showcases traditional Japanese dance, music, taiko drumming and vocal performances. The event includes cultural activities, make and take crafts, demonstrations and an art exhibition. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $2 per person or $5 per family. Proceeds benefits the Olympia-Kato Sister City Association.

Jan. 30

Lunafest film festival: Soroptimist International of Olympia’s film festival is at 6:30 p.m.at South Puget Sound Community College, Building 26, Room 105 Lecture Hall, 2011 Mottman Road SW, Olympia. Films by female filmmakers highlight women as leaders. Tickets can be purchased at siolympialunafest.bpt.me or at the door. Space is limited. Information: soroptimistolympia.org and facebook.com/SoroptimistOlympia.

This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 9:47 PM with the headline "What’s Happening for Dec. 30."