Borrego Springs Grief and Loss Support Group

A Night That Gives Back in Borrego Springs

Located at the Borrego Community Resource Center

Borrego Springs Art Guild Open Studios Visit the BSAG Open Studios Tour in Borrego Springs. Explore 12 artist studios February 14–15 and support local artists and arts education. The BSAG Open Studios Tour invites the public to visit 12 working studios and exhibits across Borrego Springs. Over two days, visitors can see where artists create their work, experience a wide range of styles and media, and purchase original art directly from local artists. Proceeds benefit Borrego Springs artists and students through the Borrego Springs Art Guild Arts Education Scholarship Fund. Dates and Times Friday & Saturday: February 14 & 15 Hours: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Tickets $35 per ticket Includes both days of studio visits Ticket Locations (Cash Only) Desert Lovers & Co. 583 Palm Canyon Drive, Suite D Thursday–Sunday, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM The Fudge Factory 590 Palm Canyon Drive, #202 Wednesday–Sunday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Other Purchase Options Checks and credit cards accepted at: Art Guild Luncheon at Rams Hill January 15 February 12 Art in the Park at Christmas Circle January 17 January 31 Community Impact Proceeds support Borrego Springs artists and students through the Borrego Springs Art Guild Arts Education Scholarship Fund . Click poster to download and please share!

Strengthening Health Care in Borrego Springs

An Invitation Without Conditions

Holiday Gift Event in Borrego Springs On Sunday, December 14 , families gathered at Christmas Circle for the annual Santa at the Circle Gift Giveaway , a holiday event organized by OLAX – Organización de Latinx de Borrego Springs in collaboration with community partners. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived at the event aboard a Borrego Springs's San Diego County fire truck , while the Grinch made an appearance in a decorated truck , interacting with children throughout the afternoon. Holiday music played during the event, creating a seasonal backdrop as families moved through the activities. The Event was Open to all Families Children met Santa and Mrs. Claus for photos, received a stuffed animal, and then walked through a decorated toy tunnel , where they selected a gift to take home. Free cookies and hot chocolate were provided for everyone. Volunteers assisted with greeting families, guiding children through each station, and supporting gift distribution to ensure that each child received an age-appropriate gift in an organized and efficient way. Volunteers included members of OLAX , Miss Borrego and the Princesses , and S-Interact students , a Rotary–Soroptimist youth service group. Their coordination helped the event run smoothly and safely. The Santa at the Circle Gift Giveaway reflected continued community collaboration in Borrego Springs, bringing together local organizations, volunteers, and families for a shared holiday tradition.

By Fr. Michael Plekon Every year in December we come around to a holiday that still for many is a holy day. It has different names in different languages and cultures—Yuletide, Jul, Weinachten, Noel, Navidad, Natale, Rizdvo and more. Christmas comes from “Christ’s Mass,” denoting the sacred service known in many churches and languages as the “Mass.” There are feasts of other faith traditions that often come close to the end of the year. Hannukah is the Jewish celebration of the victory of the Maccabees and the restoration of the sacred lights on the menorah or candlestick in the Jerusalem Temple. Despite not being filled with enough oil, the lamps burned for eight days. There is the Hindu celebration of light in darkness, Diwali. And the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa. Christmas also has other special days associated with it. December 6 is the feast of St. Nicholas, the original Santa Claus, a 4th century bishop renowned for his generosity to those in need. In some countries this is the day of the exchange of gifts. Likewise January 6 is the feast of Epiphany or the day of the Three Magi Kings, when in Hispanic countries gifts are given. Central to Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth. The gospel of Luke tells the familiar story of the parents, Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem to enroll in a census. While there, lodging in a stable, their son is born, wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger, a feed trough for domestic animals. Angels announced this birth to shepherds in the surrounding countryside. These herdsmen came and honored the newborn child, having heard a song from the angels: “Glory to God in the highest, peace to all people on earth.” Later, in Matthew’s gospel, three astronomers, perhaps also royalty, came from further East to visit the child, following a star which led them to where the family was. This gospel does not mention the angels, the manger or shepherds, but notes that King Herod was fearful of the newborn as a threat to his power, asking the three astronomers to report back and disclose where the child was. They did not do this and went home on another route. The male children of Bethlehem were subjected to a massacre. Thus, the birth of Jesus was not without pain and suffering also. Christmas evokes images of trees twinkling with lights and ornaments, dinner tables loaded with food, the faces of children lit up with glee, not just at their presents but also at the warmth of family and friends. Christmas is an event that was to bring peace to the world, the birth of someone who became a teacher and healer later in life, one whom his followers saw, in Matthew’s words as “God with us,” Emmanuel, God becoming a human being, part of our world, of space and time. But Jesus was born in a land under the occupation of the Roman Empire, in a society in which most people teetered on the edge of extreme hunger and poverty. The birth happened in a barn where domestic animals lived, and the first visitors were scruffy sheep herders, thought of as not trustworthy. Two thousand years later, Christmas remains a moment in a world torn apart by suspicion, hatred, violence and anger. The holiday sees millions of dollars spent on gifts, parties, decorations, and entertainment. And yet, the story of how this birth came to take place remains one that faces us with a helpless infant, loving parents, the sense of joy from heavenly beings, the welcome of very humble as well as some very elite, privileged visitors. Christmas can still stand as a sign of light in the darkness, a message of joy and goodness despite everything that might appear as opposed to this. You don’t need to be religious to see in this holiday something of hope and joy. Merry Christmas! --- The Rev. Michael Plekon, PhD Professor Emeritus: Sociology, Religion & Culture The City University of New York - Baruch College Learn More About Borrego Springs

Guadalupe Procession Honors Tradition in Borrego Springs Borrego Springs observed the annual Guadalupe Procession on Saturday, December 13, as community members marked the occasion with prayer, music, and a public walk led by Fr. Anthony “Tony” Stanonik of St. Richard’s Catholic Church. The route started at Christmas Circle, continued past the Borrego Art Institute and the Borrego Springs Post Office, and made its way to St. Richard’s Catholic Church. The observance centers on Our Lady of Guadalupe, the name given to the Virgin Mary following her 1531 apparition to Saint Juan Diego in Mexico. According to Catholic tradition, her image appeared on Juan Diego’s cloak, becoming a powerful and enduring symbol of faith, Mexican identity, and the Catholic Church. Her feast day, celebrated annually on December 12, is among the most significant religious observances in the Americas and draws millions of pilgrims to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Throughout the walk, traditional music filled the route, and several participants wore masks and attire reflecting Guadalupe symbolism. Families, longtime residents, and visitors took part, highlighting the multigenerational nature of the tradition. The gathering continued at St. Richard’s Catholic Church with Mass and an evening celebration. For many in Borrego Springs, the annual procession remains a meaningful expression of faith during the Advent season and a reflection of the area’s enduring cultural and spiritual heritage.