Community Services

Portland – September 22, 2026 -- Bob's Red Mill is marking National Good Neighbor Day on September 28 by encouraging people to bake a homemade treat for someone nearby, teaming up with actor and author Lauren Graham for the occasion.

Lauren Graham shares a gluten-free muffin recipe designed for sharing

Graham, known for her roles in close-knit on-screen communities, created a recipe for Gluten Free Banana Coffee Cake Muffins using Bob's Red Mill's Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. The flour works as a direct swap for wheat flour, making the treat easy to bring to a new neighbor, a longtime friend, or a coffee table gathering.

"I don't think being a good neighbor requires a grand gesture. Making something you love and sharing it with someone is a simple way to say, 'I'm thinking of you,'" Graham said, noting that she is gluten free herself and appreciates recipes more neighbors can actually eat.

Temple, Texas – September 21, 2026 -- Historic dance halls across Texas continue to function as active community gathering spaces, according to insights from Lorinda Baum of Bos Barn Dance Hall in Temple, Texas.

Small towns built dance halls as shared community spaces

Many of these buildings were constructed when towns needed simple venues for families to gather. Dances, celebrations, and fundraisers held there gradually tied the structures to the people and towns around them.

Live country music keeps neighbors connected today

Residents still visit dance halls for live music while spending time with friends and neighbors. Baum notes that songs performed at these venues can bring back memories of earlier dances, family celebrations, and evenings spent with familiar faces.

Santa Rosa – September 20, 2026 -- Canine Companions, the nation's first and largest service dog organization, will livestream its puppy nursery from September 22 to 30 as part of National Service Dog Month, giving viewers a free daily window into the earliest days of future service dogs.

The Puppy Cam will run from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT (9 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET) each day, showing seven Labrador/Golden Retriever mix puppies as they play, learn and take their first steps toward becoming service dogs. The iconic character Snoopy will make a special appearance during the livestream to interact with the puppies.

Viewers can sign up for a free Canine Cam Kit before the stream begins

The kit includes early access to exclusive puppy content, a Meet the Puppies preview video, downloadable extras and updates on when Snoopy will appear on camera.

Las Vegas – September 19, 2026 -- Fans can donate blood and walk away with limited-edition Metallica merchandise at a new pop-up opening Sept. 28 at Fashion Show Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Red Cross x Metallica Blood Donation Experience, sponsored by Delta Air Lines, runs through March 19, 2027, timed to coincide with the band's Las Vegas residency.

Donors get a backstage-style setup and a shot at a custom drum kit

The immersive space lets visitors sit behind a replica of the drum set used by Metallica co-founder Lars Ulrich. Every donor receives a limited-edition T-shirt designed by Squindo while supplies last, and is automatically entered to win a replica TAMA drum kit modeled after the one built for Ulrich during Metallica's WorldWired Tour. After donating, fans can relax in the Delta Backstage Lounge, provided by Delta Air Lines. Full terms are posted at RedCrossBlood.org/Metallica.

Irvine, Calif. – September 19, 2026 -- Mazda has launched a national program to reward youth sports coaches, giving families a chance to nominate a coach for a free Mazda CX-90 through October 18.

The automaker partnered with youth sports platform TeamSnap on the initiative, which aims to support coaches who go beyond their basic duties to help kids stay engaged in organized sports. Five coaches selected through a partnership with Good Morning America will each receive a new CX-90 in recognition of their local impact.

Families can nominate a coach starting today

Starting today through October 18, parents and youth athletes can submit nominations for a coach via Mazda's nomination page, highlighting one who has made an extraordinary difference for their team.

Colorado Springs – September 18, 2026 -- GiGi's Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers will open its 64th location on Saturday, September 26, bringing free educational, therapeutic, career-development and social programs to individuals with Down syndrome and their families across the Pikes Peak region.

The grand opening celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2360 Montebello Square Dr, Suite A, in Colorado Springs. Founder and Chief Belief Officer Nancy Gianni and her daughter, GiGi Gianni, will attend to mark the milestone.

A group of local parents built the Playhouse from scratch

The Colorado Springs location began with families searching for resources after a Down syndrome diagnosis. Startup Lead Katie Stoddard found GiGi's Playhouse online shortly after her daughter Margo was born but discovered no location existed near her family, prompting a group of local parents to form a startup committee.

Boulder, Colo. – September 18, 2026 -- Two new murals have gone up in Nederland and Lyons, Colorado, part of a campaign urging homeowners to treat wildfire mitigation as routine home upkeep rather than an emergency response.

Wildfire Partners commissioned the artwork to reach residents directly

The murals, funded by Boulder County's Wildfire Partners program, are located at Nederland Feed and Pet on CO-72 in Nederland and on Broadway between 4th and 5th Ave. in Lyons. Artists Taylor Shaw and Rachel Dinda designed the pieces, each carrying the campaign headline "Home Sweet Mitigated Home" alongside embedded images of properly mitigated homes -- including examples of removed juniper plants, a highly combustible landscaping choice near many county houses.

Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. – September 16, 2026 -- Dogs of all sizes are hitting the waves this year at Helen Woodward Animal Center's Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon, an event where canine surfing skills translate directly into rescue funding for orphan pets.

Competitors surf in 10-minute heats judged by surf pros

Dogs compete in weight-class heats, each lasting 10 minutes, while a panel of surf professionals and enthusiasts score performances on ride length, wave technique, enthusiasm and confidence on the board. First-, second- and third-place winners are crowned in each weight class, with top finishers advancing to the Best-In-Surf finals.

A Freestyle contest lets dogs surf with friends and owners

A separate Freestyle Surf Contest features a Duos & Trios category, where two or three dogs share a single surfboard, and the Peeps & Pups Tandem Competition, pairing dogs with their human companions on the waves.

Moab, Utah – September 16, 2026 -- The Mud Springs Trail System has officially opened in San Juan County near Moab, adding purpose-built mountain biking trails for youth racing, adaptive cyclists, families and riders of varying skill levels.

A decade-long project cuts the ribbon during a major youth race weekend

Local and regional partners held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 11, capping nearly ten years of work to build a new race-capable public trail system. The opening lined up with the first Utah High School Cycling League race weekend at Mud Springs, which drew more than 1,100 youth mountain bikers to the area.

Phase 1 totals about 11 miles of machine-built, bermed trail

Mud Springs offers fast, flowy trails with bermed turns. Seven miles of beginner- and intermediate-level trail were built last fall, and roughly 3.5 additional miles of intermediate- and advanced-level trail are expected to be finished later this season.

Middletown, Delaware – September 16, 2026 -- Homebuilder Schell Brothers is opening four signature model homes at its Monarch community for a first-ever Parade of Homes, with all proceeds from ticketed events going to local charities.

Four floor plans open across three Saturdays in September

The Bridgeport, The Cassidy, The Chesapeake and The Shearwater will be open to guests on September 12, 19 and 26, each from 1 to 5 p.m. Visitors can tour all four homes at each event to see different interior designs and layouts.

Each Saturday pairs a theme with a different cause

The September 12 event, Dine & Design, features local food and benefits the Delaware Restaurant Foundation. Monarch Soundcheck on September 19 offers live music and supports the Gibby & Everett Foundation. The series closes September 26 with Pours for Nemours, featuring Schell Brothers' Tipsy Blokes beer and spirits, raising funds for Nemours Children's Hospital.