Beth Keyes restocks toys during the Dec. 18 Toys for Tots giveaway at Cliff Temple Baptist Church.

Cliff Temple Baptist Church on Sunset does a toy drive and giveaway every year. That sounds pretty typical, right? What’s interesting is that it’s the most popular volunteer event for members of the church.

Cliff Temple member Greg Leftwich has volunteered at the giveaway, dubbed “Christ in Christmas,” as long as he’s been a member. “It’s just one of the highlights of our church calendar year,” said Leftwich, a Kessler Park resident. “It’s a way for us to give back and to connect with our neighbors.”

If you are still in the giving spirit, Cliff Temple is still accepting donations of winter coats and other necessities. Contact Wes Keyes, the church’s minister of missions, at 254-722-1802 or wes.keyes@gmail.com.

You can also check out our story on the event in this week’s issue of Oak Cliff People.

The staff of Oak Cliff People will be on break until Jan. 3, so posts and updates will likely be few and far between until we get back. In any case, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and plenty of egg nog and champagne.

See you in 2011!

On New Year’s Day at noon, personal trainers Natasha Renette and David Raposa are going to have a free cardio boxing class at Lake Cliff Park, Renette said.

The class will be at the the tennis courts at the park near the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Blaylock Drive.

If you’re interested, further classes cost $10 a class, or $35 for four. For more information, call Renette at 214-455-7851

Steve and Paula Russell start their 1 mile walk at the Dash for Beads on Feb. 6.

Last year’s first ever Bishop Arts District Dash for the Beads 5K on earned a Spotlight on Oak Cliff Event of the Year nomination from the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce.

Here’s hoping that next year’s Dash for the Beads is a success, too. You can sign up and volunteer for the event by visiting the event website here. The fun run and walk will be on March 5, which gives our very own Georgia Fisher plenty of time to get in shape so she can run the race and then write her own account of it, no?

Monica Greene, owner of Monica’s Aca Y Alla in Deep Ellum, is behind a new a la carte enchilada concept called Best Enchiladas Ever (or BEE, for short). Her new restaurant, which will open at 202 West Davis St. (better known as the former site of the sadly closed Quinn), received the first mixed beverage permit yesterday.

If you’re wondering, the hearing regarding Andy Siegel’s lawsuit that hopes to invalidate the Nov. 2 local option election is slated for Jan. 18.

In other boozy news, I was intrigued by this analysis from Jeff Siegel (no relation to the aforementioned Siegel) of the Oak Cliff Advocate on why the new permits may not even help most private club permit holders.

Here’s something for those who’s New Year’s resolution is to write about making food…

Alex Burton, Kessler Park resident and former long-time radio newsman, is holding a course at Mountain View College from Feb. 3 to April 7 on how to write for publication.

Students will write a story of 750-1,500 words on a memorable or fantasy dish, explaining how to prepare it.

Then, the students will prepare an outline, a rough draft, and ultimately a final draft for presentation for peer critique, Burton said.

Burton added he’s going to take all the stories, copy them, and the students will get a book.

For more information, call the college’s continuing education department at 214-860-8835.