CAMARILLO

Family to Family course offered

National Alliance on Mental Illness Ventura County is offering a free, 12-week course at NAMI, 1339 Del Norte Road, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., starting Sept. 10.

It is for family members, partners and friends of individuals with: major depression — bipolar disorder (manic depression), schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, and co-occurring brain disorders and addictive disorders.

The course is taught by a team of trained NAMI family member volunteers who know what it's like to have a loved one struggling with one of these brain disorders.

For reservations, call 641-2426.

Tierra Linda program aids Lighthouse

Tierra Linda Elementary School's Life Lab summer garden program netted more than 100 pounds of vegetables that were then provided to Lighthouse Women & Children's Mission in Oxnard.

Agromin, a Camarillo-based manufacturer of soil products, donated the soil amendments for the garden.

Twenty adults and children tended the school gardens once a week.

Life Lab Science Program is a nonprofit organization and has been working in the field of science and environmental education for more than 28 years.

Slide presentations of trips for next year

The Friends of the Camarillo Library is sponsoring trips to New Mexico, Antarctica and Spain in 2008. Slide presentations of these trips will be shown Sept. 4 in the Camarillo Library's conference room, 4104 Las Posas Road.

Santa Fe, Taos and Alberquerque, N.M., will be shown at 2 p.m., Antarctica at 2:30 p.m. and Spain at 3 p.m. Fliers for New Mexico and Antarctica are available in the library bookstore.

OXNARD

40th reunion set for Santa Clara High

Santa Clara High School Class of 1967 will hold its 40th reunion at Santa Clara High on Sept. 22.

The celebration will begin at 6 p.m. and a buffet dinner will be available at 7 p.m.

The cost is $35 per person. For more information, call Patty Friedrich Douglas at 484-7465; Patty McPherson, 646-7577; SCHS, 483-9502 or e-mail schabert@santaclarahighschool.com.

Fundraiser at Cabo Seafood Grill

Soroptimist International of Oxnard is holding a team fundraising dinner at Cabo Seafood Grill and Cantina at 1041 South Oxnard Blvd. from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday.

The restaurant will provide a dinner with the choice of chicken or cheese enchilada, rice, beans and nonalcoholic beverage. The funds raised will support both the Relay for Life (American Cancer Society) and Women Heart Walk (American Heart Association).

Cost of the dinner is $12 and tickets must be purchased from a Soroptimist member or call 981-0209.

santa paula

Sponsors needed for benefit

Sponsorship opportunities are available for "Moonlight at the Ranch," presented by the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce from 6 to 11 p.m. Sept. 29.

Proceeds from the benefit will go to the Santa Paula Police and Fire departments. The evening will include culinary dishes from more than 30 restaurants, wine from local vintners and micro brew beer. It will also feature live music and dancing and poetry from cowboy poet Mike Bradbury. Tickets are $50 per person. For more information, contact Ken Brookes at 525-5561 or e-mail info@santapaulachamber.com.

ventura

Focus On The Masters continues

The 2007 Tuesday Talk Series will feature "An Evening with Bill Hendricks" from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Technology Development Center, 5200 Valentine Drive. Hendricks is a local photographer and educator with a passion to document exotic cultures.

There is a $10 general admission charge and $5 for students or seniors. There is no charge for Focus On The Masters members and students under 18.

For reservations, call 653-2501.

Church boutique seeks crafters

Ventura Baptist Church is seeking crafters for the Christmas Boutique Spectacular to be held Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

Items should be quality, handmade and will be juried for acceptability to the boutique.

Deadline for application submittal is Sept. 30. Spaces will be sold on a "first come, first serve" basis.

For more information and an application, call 983-2829.

Walk for Farm Animals announced

Residents of Ventura can join with Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal protection organization, in the annual Walk for Farm Animals at the Ventura Harbor Sept. 29.

This event is being sponsored in more than 50 cities across North America. In addition to promoting awareness about inhumane factory farming practices, walkers will raise funds to help sustain and ensure farm animal rescue, protection and advocacy efforts,

Registered walkers, wearing their Walk for Farm Animals T-shirts, designed by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Berkeley Breathed, will take to the streets, parks and beaches in a show of support urging compassion for farm animals. Educational literature will be available at each of the Walks for those citizens who wish to learn more about farm animal issues.

With legislative efforts and actions now pending nationwide, these walks focus attention on current farm sanctuary campaign issues including foie gras, downed animals, veal crates for calves and gestation crates for pigs.

Those interested in participating in the Walk for Farm Animals can register at www.walkforfarmanimals.org.

Ventura Book Festival is today

The second annual Ventura Book Festival is taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, 5654 Ralston St.

Presented by the Literary Arts Society of Ventura County, the event is designed to celebrate authors, books and reading. Features will include seminars, workshops and panel discussions on writing, editing, self-publishing and book promotion. New, used and rare books will be for sale.

Stressing youth and literacy, the event also will feature a display of books written and illustrated by young authors and artists.

Admission is free. For more information, call 643-3385.

DBSA offers self-help support groups

People living with depression or bipolar disorder have a new place to find hope, help and support. The local chapter of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance hosts regular, confidential, peer-led, self-help support group meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

They are open to anyone who is diagnosed with a mood disorder, has a family member or friend who is diagnosed.

Meetings are held at the Ventura Center for Spiritual Healing at 101 S. Laurel St.

For more information, e-mail DBSA_Ventura@yahoo.com or call 201-0619.