TEMECULA - Winners have been announced in the city's 15th annual Santa's Electric Light Parade, which was held Friday.

• Overall Winner - Hillcrest Academy.

• Autos - 1. Inland Jeep Freaks. 2. Urban Steps Dance. 3. Miss Temecula/ Miss Murrieta Empire Pageants.

• Autos/commercial - 1. Chick-fil-A. 2. Arby's Roast Beef. 3. KZSW Television.

• Equestrian - 1. Little People Pony Co.

• Floats - 1. Hillcrest Academy. 2. Pugs on Parade. 3. Temecula Youth Baseball.

• Floats/commercial - 1. Milgard Windows & Doors. 2. Ritzy Rover Canines & Couture.

• Humorous - 1. Temecula Valley Young Marines

• Humorous/commercial - 1. Preppy Pet Boutique. 2. Lake Elsinore Storm Baseball. 3. Pet Butler.

• Marchers - 1. Temecula Girl Scouts. 2. St. Jeanne de Lesonnac, Pack 369. 3. Girl Scouts San Gorgonio Council.

• Marchers/commercial - 1. Pacific Coast Cheer. 2. Jazzercise-Temecula.

• Specialty - 1. Llamas on Parade. 2. Cub Scout Pack 307. 3. Pole Position Raceway.

• Religious - 1. St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church. 2. Mountain View Community Church.

An awards ceremony was held Monday at City Hall.

Artist of the year selected by association

MURRIETA - Gem of the Valley Art Association has named Sylvia Ramos as Artist of the Year.

Ramos is a past club president. Examples of her work can be found at www.sylviaramosart.com.

The association also holds art competitions for members at its monthly meetings.

Winners in November were: Original category - 1. Sylvia Ramos. 2. Virginia Rippley. 3. Pegy Botello. Honorable mention, Helen Buchannan.

Non-original category - 1. Aaron Crabb. 2. Ester Kent. Honorable mention, Joan Tobias.

Photography - 1. Robert Stephenson. 2. Simonne Arnould. 3. Stephenson. Honorable mention, Ray Botello.

Gabriele Baber received the People's Choice award.

Some members were also chosen to display their works at the new Schilbers Jewelry Castle Gallery at 26636 Margarita Road. Gem of the Valley has seven artists displaying their art, Jo McCambridge, Jack Ragland, Taka Richie, Ray Botello, Pegy Botello, Walt Edler and Baber.

The association meets at 2 p.m. the first Monday of the month at the Murrieta Senior Center, featuring a speaker or demonstrator and member's artwork. The January meeting will include a presentation on legal issues for artists.

For information, call Art at 970-0100.

Elks Lodge members visit hospitalized veterans

LAKE ELSINORE - Members of Elks Lodge 2591, Lady Elks and hospital volunteers recently held their annual Christmas celebration with hospitalized veterans at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center in Loma Linda.

Veterans were given a Christmas package, other gifts and lunch. Elks members Al Faust played Christmas music on the piano and the New Persuasion Band, led by member Ted Plummer, played songs from the 1950s and '60s, as well as holiday tunes.

The event was chaired by Maria Ohlandt and Bob Nickle.

Elks Lodge 2591 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1508 visit the medical center the first Thursday of each month, vowing to never forget the hospitalized veterans.

For information, call 674-6804.

CLUB NEWS

Referral network has openings

MURRIETA - The Murrieta Referral Network has openings for several types of businesses and invites prospective members to a meeting from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today.

Members say the group of networking professionals can boost income.

They meet at Richie's Diner, 40651 Murrieta Hot Springs Road. For information, call Jim Willis at 833-6451 or e-mail jwillis@repmtg.com.

Lion's Club holds blood drive

CANYON LAKE - The Canyon Lake Lions Club will host a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at their lodge.

Donors will have the opportunity to join the Donor Difference program, which includes the ability to track cholesterol, pulse and blood pressure after each donation.

The bloodmobile will be at 31516 Railroad Canyon Drive. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are recommended.

The drive is operated by Valley Blood Services, a division of San Diego Blood Bank.

For information or to make an appointment, call (800) 4MY-SDBB or visit www.sandiegobloodbank.org.

Marine Corps League takes month off

MURRIETA - The Murrieta-Temecula Detachment 1057 Marine Corps League is postponing its December meeting due to the holidays.

The league will next meet at 9 a.m. Jan. 26 at Fire Station No. 5, 38900 Clinton Keith Road.

It is a veterans organization of the U.S. Marines and is composed of current and former Marines with honorable service. All qualified Marines are encouraged to join.

For information, call Don Pechous at 600-0062 or Don Herpy at 600-8080.

Women's Club plans benefit cruise

TEMECULA - The Temecula Valley Woman's Club is planning a trip to Mexico to benefit Michelle's Place, a breast cancer resource center.

"Fiesta at Sea" cruisers will set sail March 14 on Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas, returning March 17. Cabins begin at $329 per person.

For information and reservations, call 693-9880 or e-mail dmonsen@cruiseplanners.com.

Lions Club selling discount books

MURRIETA - The Murrieta Lions Club is selling 2008 discount books to raise funds for the club's sight conservation projects.

The books offer discounts on a host of restaurants, theaters, sports activities, special attractions and hotels. They will be on sale until December, for a cost of $20.

Books are available at Lions Club meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at Chancellor Place. For information or orders, call 698-5242 or 698-3394.

City Hall hosts display by Art League

TEMECULA - Art from several Temecula Valley Art League members will be on display at Temecula City Hall through March 3.

Artists whose work is on various walls of hallways and offices at City Hall are Colleen Baker-Huber, Melody Brunsting, Rodney Johnson, Lisa Mozzini-McDill, Ina Ramos and Ingrid Wright.

Mozzini-McDill will also be guest artist of December at the Grace Mellman Library rotunda at 410000 County Center Drive.

Charity group needs volunteers

SUN CITY - Sun City Concern has a variety of ways volunteers can help others, including information and assistance, outreach, telephone reassurance, gatekeeper, friendly visitor, bus trips and bingo.

The group has planned a two-night, three-day trip to on Jan. 8 to 10, and a trip to Aqua Caliente on Jan. 9.

For information, call 679-6055. For information on how to volunteer, call 679-2374.

Dinner to help build veterans center

OCEANSIDE - The Veterans Association of North (San Diego) County is holding a fundraiser Feb. 23, to refurbish an old police station in Oceanside into a meeting place for veterans.

Tickets are $18, for a lunch of steak or salmon, at Outback Steak House, 2485 Vista Way. Seatings will be at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

For information or tickets, call Harvey Ferman at (760) 433-0116.

Elsinore Woman's club invites new members

LAKE ELSINORE - The Elsinore Woman's Club invites all women to join them, in a group offering friendship and an opportunity to serve the community.

General club meetings are on the second Thursday of each month.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Foster families get free play day

MURRIETA - Foster families can participate in a free play day Sunday at SkyHigh Party Zone, as a Christmas gift from the zone's staff.

Reservations are required and may be made between 9:30 a.m. and noon today or Thursday.

For reservations and information, call Elsa Leavett at 304-9727 or 570-0627.

Museum acquires Gardner items

TEMECULA - Vehicles used by mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner to explore the desert in the 1950s and 1960s were recently acquired by Temecula Valley Museum.

Gardner, a Temecula resident, is the most read mystery writer in America, having created the Perry Mason character. Gardner also wrote nonfiction, including 14 books on travel, and he loved to explore remote areas. His friend, J.W. Black, designed off-road vehicles and the museum has acquired a three-wheeler called the butterfly and a scooter-like one called the pak-jak.

The vehicles will be cleaned and painted and then displayed. Their purchase was possible due to a grant from the Roripaugh Family Foundation and the Temecula Valley Woman's Club.

For information, call 694-6452.