This December, the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies (LHM Group) is celebrating the spirit of the holiday season all month long with free movies, exclusive virtual concert performances, an outdoor winter wonderland, food and toy drives, as well as lots of lights and holiday cheer. Driven to Celebrate™ is a community-focused initiative from the Larry H. & Gail Miller family and the LHM Group of Companies and is designed to give individuals and families different opportunities to safely enjoy the holidays.
“Our goal is to safely bring our community together this holiday season and to share joy and light with our neighbors,” said Gail Miller, owner and chair of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies. “I hope that these events and opportunities can provide a bit of an escape from some of the challenges we are all facing and create a sense of unity and hope.”
Driven to Celebrate Food and Toy Drive –December 1 through December 5: The week-long food and toy drive in support of the Utah Food Bank and the Marine Corps Toys for Tots will benefit Utah families in need during the holiday season. The drive will take place at locations across the state, including 22 Larry H. Miller Dealerships, 14 LHM Megaplex Theatres, Vivint Arena and Smith’s Ballpark.
Megaplex Theatres Driven to Celebrate Christmas Classic Movies: From November 29 through Christmas Eve, Megaplex Theatres will be showing eight Christmas classic movies (two offerings per week) including The Grinch, White Christmas, A Christmas Story, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and It’s A Wonderful Life. Families (up to six guests from the same household) can attend two films each week. A voucher for the free tickets can be obtained by bringing a food or toy donation to participating Megaplex Theatre locations, Vivint Arena, Smith’s Ballpark or any Larry H. Miller Dealership in Utah.
Those donating eight cans of food or a new, unwrapped toy will receive a voucher book good for free Christmas Classic Movies from Megaplex Theatres, two tickets to an upcoming Salt Lake Bees baseball game, a 10% discount from the Utah Jazz Team Store, and a free car wash from any Utah Larry H. Miller Dealership location.
Driven to Celebrate Winter Wonderland at Vivint Arena: Vivint Arena will be seen in a whole new light – lots of them – as the building exterior and main plaza on the northeast corner are transformed nightly into a Winter Wonderland. The public is invited outdoors this December to enjoy a walk through a 40-foot canopy of lights for an immersive visual experience never to be forgotten. Visitors can snap a photo with the Jazz Note statue in its full holiday treatment. The engaging light display can also be enjoyed while by driving as part of a tour of other downtown holiday light locations sure to illuminate spirits.
The Festival of Trees – December 1 through December 5: Hosted at Vivint Arena, the annual Festival of Trees, produced by the Intermountain Foundation and benefiting Primary Children’s Hospital, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in a reimagined way this year, spreading joy and inspiring hope with its most unique event to date. A virtual display of the decorated trees will be visible on the large LED screen outside of the arena as well as online at www.makegoodgrow.org. Proceeds from the online auctions and gift shop as well as every contribution benefit the children at Intermountain Healthcare’s Primary Children’s Hospital.
Sing Praise unto the Lord featuring Calvary Baptist Church Choir and The Choristers of the Madeleine Choir School: Enjoy a very special broadcast hour of music from two of the most esteemed and treasured choirs in all of Utah—The Chorister of the Madeleine Choir School and the Calvary Baptist Church Choir. As the late, great Aretha Franklin once said, “Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It’s transporting, for sure. It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.” The Choristers of the Madeleine Choir School and the Calvary Baptist Church Choir are sure to encourage and strengthen all as they share songs of praise, worship and uplift. A special Christmas message from Gail Miller will also highlight the broadcast. The exclusive Sing Praise unto the Lord virtual concert performance will air on Friday, December 18, at 8:00 p.m. on KJZZ-TV.
‘Tis the Season to Sing – Live concert featuring performances by Thurl Bailey, Mat and Savana, Kurt Bestor, the Piano Guys, and National Parks:Join some of Utah’s most talented performers and recording artists as they come together on one stage to provide an hour of holiday music that will surely warm and liven up hearts and homes. With performances by host, Thurl Bailey, as well as The National Parks, Jon Schmidt from The Piano Guys, Kurt Bestor, and newcomers Mat and Savanna, “Tis the Season to Sing will be both festive and fun! Date and time for this exclusive concert broadcast to be released soon.
Light Up December: With support from the Salt Lake and South Valley Chambers, Downtown Alliance, University of Utah and other statewide community organizations, Light Up December invites towers, buildings, homes and structures everywhere to join together and shine with holiday lights this year. With the goal of spreading radiant messages of hope, joy and positivity, Light Up December aims to transform every Utah city and town into illuminated beacons of holiday spirit to bring cheer to all—in a physically and socially distant manner.
Participating venues include the Winter Wonderland on the plaza at Vivint Arena, the University of Utah “U,” the “Aurora Borealis” window display at the Eccles Theater, the holiday installations at Gallivan Center, the lights at City Creek Center and at Jordan Commons in Sandy, messages of unity on the digital tower at The Gateway, and the virtual viewing of the lights at Temple Square. Families can share their favorite holiday light locations and post Light Up December pictures on social media with the hashtag #LightUpDecember.
Driven to Celebrate Sub for Santa
As part of the month-long celebration, Larry H. Miller Charities (LHM Charities), the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, is donating nearly $260,000 in Sub for Santa funding to 14 Utah school districts as well as KONY Coins for Kids, a nonprofit that provides Christmas gifts to disadvantaged children in Washington County.
Karen Miller Williams, LHM Charities board trustee and Miller family representative, said, “This year has been particularly difficult for many families in our community, and through this donation, we hope to provide not just toys, but coats, clothes, shoes, socks and other essential items to those students most in need.” LHM Charities has been contributing Sub for Santa funding to local school districts for more than 20 years.
More details at www.DriventoCelebrate.com
