North County Times Community News Briefs: Concert to benefit food bank

By: North County Times | Wednesday, February 6, 2008 7:43 PM PST ∞

SOLANA BEACH -- A concert by jazz and blues artists Earl Thomas and Amber Ojed with Justus Ewing to benefit the North County Community Services Food Bank will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Belly up Tavern.

The food bank provides food for more than 15,100 seniors, families and individuals per month by working with more than 75 nonprofit organizations in North County.

Tickets are $28, with all proceeds going to the food bank. Information: Tim Ney, (760) 707-4942 or timney@sd nccs.org.

Romance writers group to meet

ESCONDIDO -- The Romance Writers of America, San Diego chapter, will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 845 Chestnut St.

The morning workshop will feature Terry Blain offering judges' training. The afternoon session will feature Lynn Kerstan speaking about "Creating the Story World."

Cost is $25 for members; $30 for guests and members at the door (lunch included).

Information and registration: http://www.rwasd.com/chapterMeetings.html.

Men's chorus to deliver singing valentines

NORTH COUNTY -- Once again, singing valentines will be delivered to scores of special sweethearts by quartets from The Music Men Chorus.

Listen for the sound of harmony in offices, restaurants, schools and homes throughout North County. A typical singing valentine costs from $35 to $55 and includes two love songs sung in barbershop harmony, a personalized card and a balloon bouquet.

To order a singing valentine, call (760) 443-8561. Quartets are available all day Valentine's Day throughout North County. Information: http://www.musicmenchorus.org.

North County Brights to meet

CARLSBAD -- The San Diego North County Brights will meet for a casual dinner at 7 p.m. Feb. 11 at Hennessey's Tavern, 2777 Roosevelt St. A bright is a person who has a naturalistic world view, free of supernatural or mystical elements. Information: Paul Buchman, (760) 945-4538.

Asperger's group to meet Feb. 9

NORTH COUNTY -- A new group for young adults with Asperger's syndrome has formed in North San Diego County.

This is a social group for young adults ages 18 through 30 who have Asperger's syndrome; however, the group welcomes young adults with similar conditions and/or their supportive family and friends.

Some suggested activities are eating out, hanging out, going out, movies, board games, sightseeing and visiting amusement parks. The next activity will be a visit to the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park at 11 a.m. Feb. 9.

Information: Lisa James at (760) 743-0577 or http://aspergers.meetup.com/332/.

The Angel's Depot seeks soup donations

VISTA -- February is Soup Month for The Angel's Depot. During February, every food box the organization prepares for senior citizens will contain four cans of soup. To help with this effort, organization members are asking for donations of soup. The group or individual who collects the most cans of soup will win four tickets, a $400 value, to the second "Angel's Day at the Races" on July 21 at the Del Mar Turf Club.

The Angel's Depot has provided food for 194,754 senior meals since June 2006. Nearly 800 San Diego County senior citizens living in poverty receive "Senior Food-for-a-Week" meal boxes monthly, each containing 21 meals providing nutritious, nonperishable, easily prepared food.

Information: (760) 599-7093 or http://www.theangelsdepot.org.

Sons of the American Revolution to meet

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego chapter of Sons of the American Revolution will meet at 9 a.m. Feb. 16 in the Lisbon Room of the Ramada Inn, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road. Breakfast will be served. Cost is $16 and $8 for children ages 12 younger, payable at the door.

The speaker will be Diane Self, state winner of the 2007 Valley Forge Teacher Award. Self is a fifth-grade teacher at Poway's Painted Rock Elementary School.

Reservations are needed by Feb. 14. Contact Ernie McCullough at (760) 743-0034 or epmam@cox.net.

Women's Connection group to meet

LAKE SAN MARCOS -- The San Marcos-Vista Women's Connection will hold its "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" luncheon Feb. 18 at the Lake San Marcos Resort & Country Club. Husbands and/or gentlemen friends are invited to this luncheon.

The guest speaker will be Gary Fiegener of Riverside, who retired after 28 years with the City of Riverside Fire Department and is currently employed by the Disneyland Fire Department. He will talk about how "We don't have to lip synch anymore."

Entertainment will be a dance revue by the Red Hat Mommas, who will entertain with some fancy footwork, while sporting some beautiful red hats. Other entertainment will be by Kim Platt, singer and guitarist. Pianist Jewel Turberville will provide background music.

The luncheon is sponsored by Stonecroft International/Christian Women's Club. Cost is $15, inclusive. Everyone is welcome. There is no membership or dues.

Women are encouraged to wear red.

Make reservations before Feb. 14. Call Carolyn at (760) 726-2927 or Muriel at (760) 744-3744.

PFLAG support group to meet

RANCHO BERNARDO -- PFLAG (Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays) San Diego North County Inland, a parent-led support group, will meet at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12 in the San Diego National Bank Building Community Room, 16789 Bernardo Center Drive. Entry is through the double doors facing Bernardo Center Drive.

For information, call Sue Fine at (858) 673-4560 or Barbara Wohlmuth at (858) 485-6480 or e-mail pflag4sdnocnty@san.rr.com.

Genealogy group to meet Feb. 12

CARLSBAD -- The Computer-Oriented Genealogy Group, sponsored by the North San Diego County Genealogical Society, will meet at 1 p.m. Feb. 12 at Carlsbad City Council Chambers, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.

Andy Marken, president of Market Communications, will make a video presentation from Northern California on "All About Storage," discussing the pros and cons of external and removable computer data storage options: flash, hard drive, CD/DVD and the futuristic blue laser.

Free; nonmembers are welcome. Information: (760) 630-5720.

Barbershop Harmony Society installs officers

CARLSBAD -- Norm Pincock, president, heads the 2008 officers installed recently by the San Diego North County chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

During the evening program, guided by Master of Ceremonies Joe Quince, Steve Butler was named the chapter's Barbershopper of the Year. Others acknowledged at the Jan. 12 installation banquet at the Rancho Carlsbad Community Clubhouse were Don Dawson, who received the President's Award, and Dick Stern and Joe Pascucci, who were named winners of the Director's Award. The new vice presidents are Ken Burns, chapter development; Al Leuthe, music and performance; Woody Cady, Youth in Harmony; Roger Hufferd, programs; and Steve Hinkle, marketing and public relations. Also elected were Gene Hartzler, secretary; and Chuck Youde, treasurer.

These officers and Immediate Past President Dick LeBeau will serve on the chapter's board of directors. Other directors named as board members at large were Len Schaffner, Jerry Mills and Byron Lawson.

The new board was installed by Lou Benedict, a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society board of directors.

Also, Lucy Cartano was confirmed as The Music Men's new assistant director. She will work directly with chorus Director John Hulbert.

The group has a new Web site, http://www.musicmenchorus.org, and a new rehearsal location, Studio III at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd.

Singles club plans dinner-dance

ESCONDIDO -- The North County Singles Club for seniors ages 55 years and older will hold a Mardi Gras dinner-dance from 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Escondido Country Club. Dance to the musical combo of the Vidals.

The club will celebrate its 25th anniversary at the event, which will feature a Parasol Parade. Costumes are optional. Cost is $24 per person.

Reservations are required. Information and reservations: Geri Greer at (760) 942-2719.

Carbon management workshop scheduled

SAN DIEGO -- The Carbon Management Series Part 2 of 3, "Determining Your Carbon Footprint," will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 14 at the California Center for Sustainable Energy, 8690 Balboa Ave., Suite 100.

At the free workshop, participants will discover what their carbon footprints are and why they matter. Clay Hinkle of CH2M HILL will demonstrate various approaches to establishing a carbon footprint and what the right approach is for one's organization. Participants will learn how to take greenhouse gas inventory.

Information: (858) 244-1177; (866) SDENERGY; events@sdenergy.org; http://www.energycenter.org.

CCC Band to present concert

CARLSBAD -- The Coastal Communities Concert Band will present its 25th Anniversary Gala Concert at 2:30 p.m. March 2 at Carlsbad Community Church, 3175 Harding St.

The special soloists for this performance will include six of the outstanding musicians who have performed as soloists with the band in the past. They are:

Ron Romm, trumpet: A 30-year member of the world-famous Canadian Brass Quintet.

Dale Underwood, saxophone: lead saxophone, 30 years with the U.S. Navy Band, Washington, D.C.

Norman Brentley, flute: soloist and member the U.S. Army Band, Washington, D.C., for 32 years.

Marty Erickson, tuba: principal tubist, 26 years with the U.S. Navy Band, Washington, D.C.

Tom Puwalski, clarinet: principal clarinet and soloist with the U.S. Army Field Band, Washington, D.C.

Michael Ruhl, vocalist: lead vocalist with Party of Four and past headliner at the Hotel Del Coronado.

In addition, Sammy Nestico, former arranger for both the U.S. Marine Band and Air Force Band, as well as the Count Basie Orchestra, will compose a finale for all six soloists.

Tickets are $15; $12 for seniors ages 60 and older and children ages 12 and younger.

Tickets and information: Bill Brackman, (760) 489-2383; Carolyn Overbay, (760) 726-5012; or Kris Sims, (760) 436-6137; or http://www.cccband.com.

Tour of Sony Online Entertainment offered

SAN DIEGO -- The Southern California Cartoonists Society, San Diego chapter, is offering a tour of Sony Online Entertainment. Video gamers, cartoonists and art students are invited to view the newest video games and how they are created.

The tour will take place at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at Sony Online Entertainment, 8928 Terman Court. Cost is $5 for Southern California Cartoonist Society members and guests. All must sign a nondisclosure agreement. Pizza will be served.

To R.S.V.P., e-mail rsvp@sccs-online.org. Information: http://www.sccs-online.org.

Garden workshop planned

FALLBROOK -- A water-wise garden workshop with Roger Boddaert, maker of natural gardens, will take place at 9 a.m. Feb. 9 at L&M Fertilizer, 1043 E. Mission Road. Information will be available about xeriscaping in the garden and how to save water and money.

Participants can learn about planning and landscape design, limited turf areas, efficient irrigation systems, soil improvements, organic and inorganic mulch, low-water use plants and professional maintenance and stewardship.

R.S.V.P. to Sarah at (760) 728-1400, Ext. 202.