Fashion show and luncheon on tap

CAMARILLO — United Methodist Women of Camarillo United Methodist Church will sponsor a Valentine Fashion Show and Luncheon at noon Feb. 6 in Brooks Hall, 291 Anacapa Drive.

After the luncheon, the fashion show will be presented with clothing provided by Draper's and Damon's of Camarillo. Manager Kevin Kelly will introduce the models and narrate. Door prizes will be awarded during the luncheon. The event is open to the public. A $25 donation per person is requested to benefit the women's missionary projects.

Deadline to purchase tickets is Monday; call Joy Hart at 484-6676, the church office, 482-4312 or visit http://www.cam-umc.org/.

Kindergarten registration to open

CAMARILLO — The Pleasant Valley School District will conduct kindergarten registration and registration for first- through eighth-grade students not currently enrolled in Pleasant Valley School District from March 8-12.

Parent information meetings for incoming kindergarten students will be held at all elementary school sites from 1 to 1:45 p.m. Friday and 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Feb. 8. Principals will discuss the kindergarten curriculum, kindergarten readiness and answer parent questions.

For more information, call Diane Douglas at 445-8652 or visit http://www.pvsd.k12.ca.us/.

Mardi Gras benefit slated for Feb. 13

OJAI — The Ojai Mardi Gras Wake Up! Krewe will present the 20th anniversary Ojai Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball from 7:30 p.m. to midnight Feb. 13 at Ojai Valley Woman's Club, 441 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai. This year's theme is "Thrill of Brazil" in honor of the Carnaval tradition of Rio de Janeiro. Special guest Amen Santo, Afro-Brazilian dancer and percussionist, will join the Ojai Mardi Gras Band to bring an authentic flavor to the festivities.

Each year, the nonprofit event benefits a local resident or family with a pressing medical need.

Advance tickets are $20 and are available at Cardinali Brothers Music, 139 W. El Roblar Drive, Meiners Oaks; Studio Sauvageau, 334-B E. Ojai Ave.; Ojai Coffee Roasting Co., 337 E. Ojai Ave.; Ojai Creates!, 606 E. Ojai Ave.; and Soultonic Studio, 442 E. Main St., Ventura. Tickets also are available online at http://www.ojaiconcertseries.com.

Admission will be $25 at the door. For more information, call the Mardi Gras hotline at 646-7843.

Free tree pruning workshop offered

OJAI — Ventura Master Gardeners will hold a free pruning workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 6 at the Ojai Enrichment Center campus, 210 Canada St.

The program will be presented by Master Gardener Charles Duncan. Participants will get a hands-on experience in the basics of pruning fruit trees. The program will cover how, when and where to thin, remove deadwood, identify and deal with water shoots, increase fruit production, and control tree height and shape. Proper use and care of pruning tools also will be discussed.          

Everyone will get the opportunity to practice pruning various fruit trees from the center's maturing orchard. Participants are encouraged to bring their pruning tools.

Rain will postpone this event to Feb. 13. For more information, call Allen Haas at 640-1085.

Bilingual grief support available

OXNARD — Parents of Murdered Children support group will meet 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Oxnard Library, 251 South A St.

POMC is the only national organization specifically designed for surviving parents and families of homicide victims. It not only offers emotional support but also helps with the criminal justice system. Meetings are bilingual, in Spanish and English.

For more information, call 236-8130, 236-8517, or e-mail http://www.pomc.org/venturacounty/.

Chumash plant care seminar slated

VENTURA — Nopalito Native Plant Nursery will present a unique seminar Feb. 6, entitled "Chumash Ethnobotany; Plant Knowledge Among the First People of Our Region" with Jan Timbrook at Calvary Christian Fellowship Church, 4221 E. Main St.

The program from 9:30-11 a.m. will describe some plants found locally and how they were (and still are) used by the Chumash people. Copies of the book 'Chumash Ethnobotany' will be available for purchase, and a book signing will follow the lecture. Advance registration is $10; admission at the door will be $15. For more information or to register, call 844-7449 or visit http://www.nopalitonursery.com.

ProCare Hospice seeks volunteers

VENTURA COUNTY — ProCare Hospice needs volunteers to provide in-home support to those facing a life-limiting illness by spending time with patients and caregivers during the day, early evenings or weekends. Volunteers become part of the hospice care team by making home visits, lending a listening ear, offering caregiver relief, assisting with errands, or providing bereavement support.

For more information, call Traci McDermott at 983-4708.

Sierra Club offers wilderness training

VENTURA COUNTY — The Sierra Club Los Padres Chapter is offering comprehensive training for those at all levels of fitness who want to explore the wilderness. Experienced leaders will demonstrate and teach students the skills to enjoy the wilderness.

Courses will be 7-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays beginning Feb. 2 in downtown Ventura. The lectures will demonstrate backpacking equipment, wilderness ethics, wilderness first aid and safety, weather, water filtration, cooking, map and compass, backcountry clothing and more. Students will gain experience by participating in several outings, including day hikes, car camps and backpacking trips in local mountains.

Cost is $155 for Sierra Club members and $170 for nonmembers. For a schedule or to sign up, visit http://www.lospadres.sierraclub.org/WBC.

For more information, call 524-7170 or e-mail lospadreswbc@gmail.com.

Lions Club conducts service projects

VENTURA COUNTY — The Lions Clubs of District 4-A3 will conduct "hands-on" service projects today in Ojai, Meiners Oak and Ventura. The district consists of 36 clubs and 1,250 members. Lion Clubs are longtime leaders in volunteerism and the world's largest service organization with more than 373,000 members across the U.S. and more than 1.3 million members worldwide.

Projects will include:

- Revitalizing and redesigning the exterior patio area of the Turning Point Foundation shelter and landscaping at Ventura Veterans Home.

- Building ramps for the handicapped on Tico Road in Ojai and providing meals at the Ojai homeless shelter.

- Highway cleanup at Highway 33 from Vons to the Deer Lodge in Meiners Oaks.

For more information on Lions of District 4-A3, visit http://www.lions4a3.org.

First Model T Club in county to meet

VENTURA COUNTY — The Model T Club of Ventura County will hold its first meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Greenhouse Cafe, 652 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks.

Model T owners and enthusiasts are welcome to attend the dinner meeting. The aim of the organization is to plan outings where owners and others can enjoy the old cars.

The club will meet the first Thursday of every month in Thousand Oaks. Dues are $22 a year and will go toward a local monthly publication and events. Those who don't own a Model T are welcome to become members. For information, contact Ken Walkey at 818-32323 or kwalkey22@yahoo.com.

Free literacy tutor workshop to be held

THOUSAND OAKS — The Conejo Valley Adult School Literacy Program in Thousand Oaks will offer a free literacy tutor workshop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Conejo Valley Adult School, Room A, 1025 Old Farm Road.

This workshop will prepare volunteers to tutor adults in basic literacy skills. Volunteers do not need to have a teaching background. After completing the training, each volunteer must commit a minimum of two hours per week, days or evenings, to tutor an adult student in the school's Literacy Center.

For registration information, call 374-1161.

Family camp to be offered next month

SIMI VALLEY — Zootopia offers a family camp weekend Feb. 20-21 at Oak County Park. The program is designed for people 6 and older.

Activities will include animal encounters, crafts and games, camping, around a campfire and learning facts about the planet, animals and green living.

Camp will begin at 1 p.m. Feb. 20 and conclude at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 21. Participants must take a tents, camping chairs, sleeping bags and flashlights.

RVs and campers are welcome. The cost is $100 minimum per site and includes a pizza and salad dinner, s'mores and a continental breakfast.

Registration with full payment is due Feb. 13. Visit http://www.zootopia.org/register.

Zootopia is a nonprofit organization that offers programs on wildlife, ecology and green-living education. For more information, call Carrie Sylvester at 479-2729.

Historical society seeks volunteers

SIMI VALLEY — The Simi Valley Historical Society offers classes to volunteers for various programs. Volunteer hours are flexible, and there is no charge for the training.

Registration is open for classes scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, Feb. 8 and Feb. 10. Participants must attend all four classes for accreditation.

The program includes lessons on the Chumash Indian, Spanish Rancho and American periods of Simi Valley's history. Volunteers may participate in various activities, including preservation of artifacts, school programs, docent tours and special events.

The training will be held at Strathearn Historical Park & Museum, 137 Strathearn Place. For more information or to register, call Karla Hubbell at 818-388-3301 or the museum at 526-6453.

For information about Strathearn Historical Park & Museum, visit http://www.simihistory.com.

Toastmasters has leadership course

SIMI VALLEY — Simi Risers Toastmasters will present an eight-week communication and leadership course from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. each Tuesday through March 23.

The meetings will be held at Sunrise at Wood Ranch, 190 Tierra Rejada Road. The fee is $25, including all materials.

Toastmasters is a nonprofit, global organization dedicated to teaching communication and leadership skills. All are welcome. Facilitators include Cheryl Wronski, lieutenant governor of marketing for Central California and Southern Nevada, and past district governor Brenda O'Brien

For more information, contact Michael Wronski at mwwronski@gmail.com or Cheryl Wronski at 304-5312.

Bilingual grief support available

OXNARD — The Parents of Murdered Children support group will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Oxnard Library, 251 South A St.

Parents of Murdered Children is the only national organization specifically designed for surviving parents and families of homicide victims. The organization offers emotional support and helps with the criminal justice system. Meetings are bilingual, in Spanish and English.

For more information, call 236-8130 or 236-8517, e-mail vc.pomc@yahoo.com or visit http://www.pomc.org/venturacounty.

Sierra Club presents wilderness training

VENTURA COUNTY — The Sierra Club Los Padres Chapter presents comprehensive training for those at all levels of fitness who want to explore the wilderness. A staff of experienced leaders will demonstrate and teach students the skills.

Courses will be held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. beginning Tuesday in downtown Ventura. The lectures will demonstrate backpacking equipment, wilderness ethics, wilderness first-aid and safety, weather, water filtration, cooking, maps and compass, backcountry clothing and more. Students will gain experience by participating in several outings, including day hikes, car camps and backpacking trips in local mountains.

The cost is $155 for Sierra Club members and $170 for non-members.

For a schedule or to sign up, visit http://www.lospadres.sierraclub.org/WBC.

For more information, call 524-7170 or e-mail lospadreswbc@gmail.com.

— From staff reports

Posted By Tribune Staff

Posted 1 day ago

LINCOLN — Learn what's chic in Niagara during Fashion in the Falls.

Niagara College event management students are hosting the fashion show fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 27, in support of the Many Hands Project.

The event at the Best Western Beacon Harbourside Inn & Suites Conference Centre in Jordan will showcase clothing from the spring lines of local Niagara retailers.

Guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres, live entertainment and a silent auction.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased by calling 905-641-5522 ext. 6407.