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Morgan Hill trainer Rhonda Heiner, who recently nabbed top honors at one of the largest equine events in the country, is showing her clients and the world that the expensive hobby of horse showing can be done on a budget.

Garlic Festival Celebrity Chef Michael Giletto, who performed live food demonstrations onstage at the 34th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, is lending his talents to help feed emergency services personnel and displaced victims of October's Hurricane Sandy.

Of the 14 nominees contending for the California League of High Schools' Region V “Educator of the Year” award, Phil Robb, 60 – renown choir director for Gilroy and Christopher High Schools – tied for second place. The results were revealed at a celebratory dinner Wednesday evening at the Elk's Lodge in Santa Cruz.

The Gilroy Interim Center for the Arts is hosting its popular Arts Alliance Holiday Boutique Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 7341 Monterey St. downtown.

St. Mary School is hosting a toy drive for St. Joseph’s Family Center in Gilroy through Dec. 11. Spread the Christmas joy this holiday season by donating a new, unwrapped toy for a disadvantaged child.

A pair of neglected sheep that were abandoned Nov. 14 at the Gilroy FFA Farm on Kern Avenue are grazing in greener pastures at the Orland Farm Sanctuary alongside their fellow four-legged refuge from Morgan Hill – Noel the goat – who almost became dinner on Christmas Eve 2011.

Are you looking for an entertaining and time-honored way to enrich your holiday season? Tickets are still available for the final weekend of the San Jose Youth Ballet production of “The Nutcracker,” which happens to feature Gilroy ballerina Megan Doyle. The 13-year-old teen dances the role of “Snow Fairy.”

On Dec. 19, Veterans of Foreign Wars will host stroke risk screenings in Gilroy.