Seasoned greetings

The neighborhood of Northgate has been putting on its annual holiday dinner for more than 10 years to show locals that the area is “their home,” said Annette Emery, president of the Gardenland Northgate Neighborhood Association. Starting at 6 p.m. on December 14 in the Stanford Settlement Senior Center (450 West El Camino Avenue), the free meal will include potluck contributions from neighbors, plus carnitas, tamales, rice and beans from local businesses like El Mercadito Mexican Market, 524 Mexican Restaurant and La Superior Market. To go with the food, holiday songs will be played by the Natomas School of Music, Santa Claus will visit and 20 raffle baskets will be filled with donations from Home Depot, Blue Diamond Growers and Emery herself, who contributed some homemade jam from the abundant fruit trees in the neighborhood. The funds will finance youth sports programs, neighborhood cleanups and scholarships for local students.