Kitty Dill /YourHub.com

The elite "A Class Act" from Westlake High School's Chorale Drama Department, performs all around the community, here at the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation's Conejo Valley Guild gathering in December.

By Kitty Dill, YourHub.com Conejo Editor Three decades of support, fund-raising, networking and growing will be celebrated when the JCCF/UCLA Conejo Valley Guild marks its 30th anniversary with a membership brunch at 11 a.m., Jan. 8.

The organization's formal name is Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Foundation/UCLA Conejo Valley Guild. But for easier reference, the local name seemed to have been shortened to an acronym -- as materials from its publicist Barbara Oliver reinforce. But those involved, and the friends they network in know just how much assistance the veteran group has rallied. The guild's mission is to encourage individuals and corporations to donate funds for seed grants for cancer research at UCLA's center. Specific Conejo Valley Guild fundraising events, even listed on the UCLA web site (www.cancer.ucla.edu/communitypartners) are its annual Mystic Day, and annual Game Day.

The guild's membership brunch will be at Los Robles Greens golf club, 299 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. Speaker will be a cancer survivor with a wonderful story, says Oliver. Also, founding members and the guild's past presidents will be honored.Reservations, each $36, are due by Jan. 2. For where to submit reservations and other questions, contact Dotti Wolfe at (818) 597-1816.

Progress the organization makes was marked at its December luncheon at the Westlake Inn. During a meeting led by guild president Beverly Halpern of Westlake Village, UCLA's Bette Billett visited to collect contributions, toys and otherwise, to bestow on cancer-stricken children. Billet, a registered nurse, is pediatric nurse specialist with the UCLA Children's Cancer Center. She said the visit is a highlight for her and she's the lucky one who gets to see happy faces of recipient children.

Entertainment was provided by Alan Rose's professional "A Class Act" singers from Westlake High School. Rose said the elite 12-member group decides what events it wants to perform at, since members balance their performances with school work.

This year's "A Class Act" members are: sopranos, Becky Richardson, Hartlyn Haynes and Kaleigh Aucoin; altos, Monet Thornburg, Vanessa Szeto and Sarah Willis; tenors, Hayden Fongheiser, Erik Tallen and Robert Galletly; basses, Joshua Gannon, Alex Kreger and Corey Esparza.

For information about the group's appearances and its CD, and to learn about other happenings in the Westlake High School Choral Music Department, call 805-497-6711, ext. 211 or check out its Web site at www.whscmd.org.