Margaret Thomas Connor of Clearlake, Calif., won a national art contest with this painting. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Margaret Thomas Connor, resident at Orchard Park, a senior living community in Clearlake, Calif., has won a national art contest held for the 500,500 Emeritus Senior Living residents around the country.

More than 250 Emeritus residents entered the contest by submitting a winter-themed piece of art created in any medium.

Through a public Facebook contest, Connor’s painting was chosen among the five that are being featured on the company’s holiday cards.

“We are astounded by Margaret’s talent and creativity, and we are thrilled that her work was chosen for the Emeritus card,” said Denise Frane, executive director at Orchard Park. “Margaret is a treasured member of the community. Not only is she a talented painter, Margaret is also an accomplished organist and singer. We are very proud of her.”

Margaret Thomas Connor of Clearlake, Calif., has painted for many years. Courtesy photo.

Margaret Thomas Connor was born in Canon City, Colorado, and moved to Southern California at the age of 2.

She met and married her husband of 52 years, Charles Connor, while working at Pacific Aeromotive as a "Rosie the Riveter" during World War II. They raised two daughters, and settled in Glendora, Calif.

Connor was a very active member of the Lake County Historical Society, and the co-founder of the Lake County Redbud Audubon Society, which she started in her living room. She started painting in the 1970s and did so for many years.

To view or order the 2011 Emeritus Holiday Cards that feature are winning resident artists, go to www.emeritus.com/holidays.

The show airs from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and can be heard on www.kzyx.com, and is hosted by Janie Rezner.

Brangen and Heddle co-direct the Ecological Options Network, www.eon3.net, a nonprofit media service for progressive organizations and campaigns.

Their videos have been broadcast internationally, on PBS, Link TV and Free Speech TV, and screened in the US Congress, many Parliaments and at the United Nations, as well as used by activists worldwide.

EON collaborations include the international Nuclear Free Zone; stopping electromagnetic pollution from wireless technologies; stopping proposed radioactive waste dumps in California and Texas; as well as California's Community Choice Energy, the Election Protection and the Stop the Pesticide Spray campaigns.

By broadcast time they will just have returned from a three-day public conference and strategy meeting on the great emerging issues of the Asia-Pacific Region, and their effects on island nations of the Pacific, and countries of the Pacific Rim.

There may be time for call-ins.

Doors open at 12:30 p.m., with food served at 1:30 p.m.

Join the group and relax and enjoy a full course turkey dinner. The price is more than reasonable: members, $12, and guests, $15. It would be hard to match that price even if you cooked it yourself, and if you join us you will also enjoy good friends and a great talk. Plus, you won’t have any dishes to wash at the end.

The speaker will be Anita Crabtree of the Lake County Genealogical Society. She will tell the fascinating story of “The connection between Lake County and Daytona Beach, Florida.”

Reservations will be needed so the center has enough food.

To get to the center: Going east on Highway 20 turn left on Ninth Street, go to Country Club Drive; the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center is on 10th and Country Club Drive. Going west on Highway 20 turn right on 10th Street and go to Country Club.

For reservations or questions please call Patricia Wilson, 707-274-8472, or Val Onellion, 707-928-4515.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “The Law Show” on KPFZ 88.1 FM will host the widow of a young soldier who died last month in Iraq.

The show will air from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Host Herb Gura will speak with Adele Shapiro, wife of Steven Shapiro, the 29-year-old soldier from Hidden Valley Lake who was killed in Iraq on Oct. 21, the day President Obama announced the troops will be coming home.

They will talk about Shapiro and his sacrifice, what now for his wife and their infant son, and the war that cost Shapiro his life.

The program will provide such home modifications as wheelchair ramps, widening doorways, bathroom accommodations for mobility improvements, and other accessibility issues that might be needed.

To inquire about the details of the program or if you know of a veteran who might be served by the program, please telephone Tammy at 707-994-1100. Partial funding of this program is provided by State Farm Insurance.

The post is helping veterans and the families of veterans who are in need this coming Christmas by providing a turkey and all the fixings for making Christmas dinner.

In addition, the post will help with presents such as winter coats, hoodies, boots or shoes, and toys for the children of the families.

This is the fourth year that the post has been able to provide this program because of the help of donations though their yard sales and fundraisers.

Last year the post was able to help 60 families and this year, because of the economy, they plan on helping 80 to 100 families.

If you are a veteran in need or know a veteran who needs assistance please contact Kirk Macdonald at 707-263-8449 or Nancy at the Lake County Veterans Service Office, 285 N. Main St., Lakeport, telephone 707-263-2384.

The post thanks the community for its support, which makes it possible to help local veterans.

If you are a veteran of a foreign war and would like to help the post with local projects like this join them at their monthly dinner and meeting, which will be this Monday, Nov. 14, 6 p.m. at the Lakeport Senior Center, 427 Konocti Ave.