Lake Elsinore's "Winterfest" holiday block party and Temecula's Santa's Electric Light Parade, both postponed by rain earlier this month, will be Friday.

The Winterfest will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in downtown Lake Elsinore.

The event will include the city's annual tree lighting and various types of

family-friendly entertainment, such as a snow slide and play area, petting zoo, crafts and food booths, a family fun zone and three entertainment stages. Santa will attend and have his picture taken with area children.

For information, call 674-3124, Ext. 265.

The 15th annual parade in Temecula will begin at 7 p.m. Friday. It will run north on Jefferson Avenue from Del Rio Road to Overland Drive.

CLUB NEWS

Tax preparers to discuss ethics

SUN CITY -- Ethics will be the topic when the California Society of Tax Preparers meets from 5:15 to 8:30 p.m. today at Boston Billies restaurant.

James Keil will be the speaker. Two hours of educational credits can be earned. The cost is $20 for members and $25 for others.

The restaurant is at 26850 Cherry Hills Blvd. For information, call Denise at 677-2847.

Dakota Club plans Christmas lunch

MENIFEE - The Dakota Club will host a Christmas luncheon at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Valley-Wide Recreation Center at Wheat Field Park.

Guests are asked to bring a canned good for donation to the Community Cupboard. A collection will also be taken for a local father of five who is suffering from cancer. The cost for the luncheon is $7.

The club is open to people who have lived in either of the Dakotas, with the purpose of promoting friendship and goodwill among Dakotans.

The center is at 30627 Menifee Road. For information, call Merle at 672-1786.

Marine Vets plan Christmas party

HEMET -- The Old Salts chapter of the Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II will hold a Christmas party at 3 p.m. Thursday at Hometown Buffet in Hemet. All Merchant Marine veterans and their guests are invited.

The club will resume its regularly scheduled meeting at noon on the first Thursday in January at Boston Billie's restaurant in Sun City.

For information, call 924-4188.

New club plans meeting

TEMECULA - A new area club, the Temecula Valley Civitan Club, will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at Mexico Chiquito restaurant. Members will explain the group's purpose.

Civitan International is a 90-year-old service club focused on helping the developmentally disabled and mentally challenged in our communities. Special Olympics has been a major beneficiary.

For information or reservations, call Kate or Butch Kaske at (760) 931-2644.

Riverside County United Communities to meet

SUN CITY - Riverside County United Communities' will hold its Christmas party Saturday at Boston Billie's restaurant.

Organizers ask that guests reserve a seat as soon as possible and bring a $5 gift to exchange. The party will begin at 4:30 p.m., at 26850 Cherry Hills Blvd.

For information, call Thelma at 657-9319.

DAR members to hear about charities

MURRIETA - Two representatives of area charities will be guests when the Daughters of the American Revolution meet at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Sizzler.

Art Rivas, service manager for March Air Reserve Base-based U.S. Vets, will accept gifts and donations for veterans and a Camp Pendleton representative will discuss the Toys for Children Project and pick up donated toys.

All are welcome, especially those wishing to trace their heritage to ancestors of the American Revolution.

The restaurant is at 40489 Murrieta Hot Springs Road. For information, call Marsha Timberlake at 677-7443.

Elks need tables to resume bingo

WILDOMAR - Members of the Lake Elsinore Elks Lodge, recovering from a fire that destroyed their building, are trying to resume Thursday night bingo games, but are in need donations to purchase tables.

The club is hoping to buy 40 6-foot tables, by Tuesday, so they can resume games at Trevi Entertainment Center. Bingo proceeds benefit local youth groups.

For information, call Sharon Heil at 245-2948.

Public deliberation topic for group

TEMECULA - "What is public deliberation and how does it work?" will be the topic of a discussion at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Mary Phillips Senior Center.

The discussion will be based upon the work of Daniel Yankelovich as presented in his book, "Coming to Public Judgment." The meeting will be hosted by Citizens for Democracy, a nonpartisan group that meets monthly for conversation related to public policies.

The center is at 41845 Sixth St.. For information, contact Maxine at 694-6582.

Kiwanas donate golf proceeds

SUN CITY - The Kiwanis Club of Sun City-Menifee Valley recently hosted its third Annual Golf Tournament, which drew almost 70 golfers, including former NFL all-stars Dennis Harrah and David Hill.

Proceeds went to the Menifee Valley Community Cupboard. Club president Paul Wilkinson recently presented $5,000 to Darci Castillejos, president of the Menifee Valley Community Cupboard.

Kiwanis is a global organization dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

The Kiwanis Club of Sun City-Menifee Valley meets at noon Tuesdays at Boston Billies restaurant in Sun City. For information, call Wilkinson at 566-7111.

Rotary Club donates to promote literacy

TEMECULA - To kick-off its year long book drive, the Rotary Club of Temecula donated $20,000 to the Luiseno Elementary School library.

Luiseno is one of the Temecula Valley Unified School District's newer schools, and the club learned that its library has more than 200 bookshelves with very few books for its students.

The club will also participate in reading programs in local schools

For information on the club or the program, visit www.temecularotary.com.

VFW forms men's auxiliary

TEMECULA - The newly formed men's auxiliary for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4089 held its first meeting Nov. 26 and elected Jim Keen president, Gerry Murphy senior vice president and Doug Desch as secretary/treasurer.

The group supports various programs sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars. Membership is open to husbands, widowers, fathers, grandfathers, sons, grandsons, brothers and half-brothers of those who received a campaign medal for overseas service.

Membership applications are available at the post, 28075 Diaz Road. For information, call Dean Klockenteger at 415-5445 or call the post at 676-1541.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Group offers carol-for-a-can deal

TEMECULA - Chaparral High School's California Scholarship Federation group will hold its annual Caroling for Cans event Wednesday and Thursday at the Harveston and Meadowview communities.

In exchange for a can of food, contributors will hear a carol.

For information, call 514-5296.

Meeting to explain youth film festival

TEMECULA - The city will hold an informational meeting from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday regarding the second annual Temecula Youth Film Festival.

Topics will include how to enter a film, content and the festival timeline. The festival is open to all filmmakers younger than age 18.

The meeting will be at the Community Recreation Center, 30875 Rancho Vista Road. For information, call 694-6480 or e-mail CulturalArts@cityoftemecula.org.

Wreaths Across America memorial set

RIVERSIDE - Wreaths Across America, a memorial event honoring those who died serving their country, will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Riverside National Cemetery.

Seven wreaths will be placed for Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and POW/MIA groups. The Civil Air Patrol, Squadron 45, based at March Air Reserve Base, will conduct the ceremony.

Saturday will mark the 16th anniversary of wreaths being donated to decorate the graves at Arlington National Cemetery, and the second year of a national campaign dubbed Wreaths Across America that will bring the same remembrance wreaths to more than 230 veterans cemeteries and monuments across the nation

Those who wish to sponsor ceremonial wreaths can do so at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org or www.cap.gov/visitors/donations. For information, call 265-6704.

The cemetery is at 22495 Van Buren Blvd.

Peace rally set for Saturday

RIVERSIDE - Riverside Area Peace & Justice Action will hold a rally at 1 p.m. Saturday at the entrance to The Galleria shopping center to express opposition to the War in Iraq.

The demonstration will be on Tyler Street, just north of Highway 91. Members are hopeful that ongoing rallies across the country and the world will inspire the U.S. government to stop the war and bring the troops home.

For information, visit www.RAPJA.org.

Toy drive to benefit abused children

TEMECULA - Local artists will perform throughout the day Saturday, as Berean Christian Store and the Christian Motorcycle Association present a toy and donation drive to benefit Thessalonika Family Services.

Donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., at 41501 Margarita Road, Suite 102.

For information, call Berean Christian Store at 695-8630.

Orchestra, choir present holiday music

SAN JACINTO - The Mt. San Jacinto College Symphony Orchestra and the Hemet Harmonizers Barbershop Chorus will perform Christmas favorites at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, including the "Nutcracker Suite" and "White Christmas."

Tickets are $10 general admission, $8 for seniors, $5 for students and free for children under age 12.

The concert will be in the San Jacinto Campus Theatre, 1499 N. State St., San Jacinto. For tickets or information, call 487-3790.

Holiday fair explores metaphysical alternatives

TEMECULA - Nirvana New Age Books and Healing Center will hold a free Holiday Metaphysical Fair from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday.

The event is described as a community celebration of personal growth, planetary consciousness and holistic lifestyles. It will include healing practitioners, artisans, gifts, astrological readings and entertainment.

Nirvana is at 43053 Margarita Road. For information, call 695-0429 or e-mail NirvanaNewAge@hotmail.com.

Host families needed for Japanese teens

Host families are to house some 16-year-old girls from Akita, Japan, who are coming to Southwest County from Dec. 22 to Jan. 5.

The girls will attend classes and take part in cultural activities and field trips.

For information, call Nanette Tippner at 722-2294.