Communities plan concerts, 400 care packages for troops

Across several communities, holiday events are offering opportunities to celebrate and connect. Volunteer Kansas is preparing about 400 care packages with food, toiletries, holiday items and children’s cards for Kansas service members deployed far from home. In Cleveland, a free holiday concert at the art museum will pair seasonal classical music, including selections from “The Nutcracker,” with dance performances. West Plains will host a free Christmas concert featuring choir, orchestra and jazz, followed by cookies and cocoa, while a San Diego workshop invites children to make geology-inspired holiday ornaments.