On Tuesday, check out the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center for their first Christmas in the East open house from 4-7 p.m.

The exhibit display area will be open, Santa will be by the fireplace for photo opportunities, enjoy a cookie and hot refreshments that will warm you up.  You can even make a pine cone birdseed tree ornament and paint a holiday nature rock.

Volleyball club

Parks and Recreation is partnering with Austin head volleyball coach Lauren Cost to offer her JO Victory Volleyball Club for those wanting to join the competitive sport of traveling youth volleyball.

This Sunday, at the Ellis Middle School gym, there will be a skills assessment from 3-4 p.m. for fifth and sixth grades, 4-5 p.m. for seventh and eighth grades and 5-6 p.m. for freshman through seniors.

Bring a clean pair of gym shoes and your knee pads to show your skills on the court.  Registration information will be available at the gym.

Camps and leagues

Girls in grades seven and eight can sign up for the Riverland Volleyball Clinics on Sundays.

From 1:30-3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2, participants will learn passing and serving. Dec. 9 will focus on setting and Dec. 16 will focus on hitting.

Email helen.jahr@riverland.edu or call her at 507-279-1266 and she can answer your questions.  Watch for information on other girls’ volleyball opportunities.

Do you have your team ready for the Winter Roll adult volleyball league?

Team deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7. You must register in our office.  The team fee is $185 plus an $8 per player fee with a roster limit of 12 players.

Teams play at Ellis Middle School. Women play on Wednesday evening and co-ed play is on Friday evening. League begins Wednesday, Jan. 2, and Friday, Jan. 4,  and will last for 10 weeks.  For more information call our office at 507-433-1881.

There will also be Adult Flag Football offered and played in the Wescott Dome beginning Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, running for eight weeks.

Deadline to register your team is 5 p.m. Dec. 21, 2018 in our office.

The team fee is $477. Players must be 18 years of age by July 1 of 2018 with a minimum of seven players needed and a roster limit of 20 players.

Games times will be 6:15 p.m. or 7:15 p.m. start.

Those youth 9 to 18 years of age interested in archery league –— sign up online by Dec. 29.  League will be offered again on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6-7:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 2-3, in the 4-H building at the fairgrounds.

Cost is $60 for 11 weeks, sign up early as it tends to fill up fast.

For the young baseball enthusiasts Dome Baseball will begin on Monday, Jan. 7, for those 7 to 9 years old and Tuesday, Jan. 8, for those 10 to 12 years old.

This pitching machine league is designed for skill development and live game experience.  Deadline to register online is Dec. 31. Go to http://cityofapr.maxgalaxy.net or follow the link on the City of Austin’s website at www.ci.austin.mn.us, City Dept, Park & Rec — online registration.

Did you know that you can go play pickleball?

Matches will be held Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Ellis Middle School in the auxiliary gym on the following dates: Dec. 5, 12 and 19.  Watch for more dates starting in January.

Nature center

Mark your calendar for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 19, to see the Association Jazz Combo program with our former nature center intern Jacob Burkhart. This free event will take place in the Interpretive Center.

Looking for a spot for a family gathering?  Check out the Izaak Walton Cabin in Todd Park at www.ci.austin.mn.us or the venues at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center on their site at www.hormelnaturecenter.org.

Packer Arena

Public Skate: 3-5 p.m. Saturday and 1:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday.

There will be two weekends of tournaments so please watch our Facebook page as we will update the calendar as they happen.

Having a birthday party or getting your friends and family together? Rent the arena. Call our office for times at 507-433-1881.

Riverside Arena

The Austin Bruins host  Minot tonight at 7:05 p.m.

The Austin Packers girls host Windom at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The girls then host Mankato West at 1 p.m. on Saturday.