Temecula Dance Company was recently voted as one of the top 50 studios in the United States by Dance Teacher and Dance Spirit magazines.

The company's 120 competitive dancers recently participated in two competitions. The tap number "Sing Sing Sing" was the top-scoring number at the Hall of Fame competition in Upland.

It also won the Tap Excellence and Eye of the Storm awards at the Thunderstruck competition in Riverside. The company won the Top Studio Award at Thunderstruck for the second consecutive year.

The dancers will complete their season at the Showbiz National Dance Finals next month in Florida. They will also participate in the annual Temecula Dance Company Musical Dance Review July 22 to 30 at Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac School in Temecula.

To see the "Sing Sing Sing" performance, visit www.halloffamedance.com. For information on the studio, call 699-9952.

Rally planned to oppose quarry

TEMECULA -- Save Our Southwest Hills will hold a "Walkin' Rally" on Sunday to give area residents an opportunity to demonstrate their opposition to the development of the proposed Liberty Quarry project.

The rally will start at 12:30 p.m. in parking lot D at Temecula Valley High School and end at the amphitheater at Ronald Reagan Sport Park.

Participants will line up behind a high school marching band and use a designated lane on Rancho Vista Road to make their way almost one mile to the amphitheater. Participants are encouraged to wear bright orange SOS Hills No Granite Mine T-shirts and to find creative ways to identify their specific group or community.

After the parade, several speakers will talk about their opposition to the mine. Temecula City Council members Jeff Comerchero and Maryann Edwards are slated to be the keynote speakers. Matt Rahn, director of the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, will discuss the environmental effects of an open pit mine and SOS-Hills founder Bobbe Wilder will discuss the mission and vision of the group.

For information about Save Our Southwest Hills, visit www.sos-hills.org or call the SOS-Hills hotline at (909) 661-9737.

Star party on Saturday

TEMECULA -- The Temecula Valley Astronomers will be hosting a public star party at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve Visitors' Center.

Telescopes of all types will be available to view craters on the moon, Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons and other celestial wonders.

There is a donation of $1 per person, which goes to the reserve. The visitors' center is located on Clinton Keith Road, four miles west of Interstate 15. For information, call 302-9154.

Community yard sale Saturday

MURRIETA -- Residents from three senior mobile home parks will have a community yard sale from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The sale will be behind the Calvary Chapel conference center, 24225 Monroe Ave. For information, 461-7528.

Cinco de Mayo event Saturday

TEMECULA -- The city of Temecula will host a Cinco de Mayo event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Rotary Park.

Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday to note the country's military victory over France in the Battle of Puebla May 5, 1862.

The Temecula event will include the Parade of Colors Flag and Butterfly parade from 11 a.m. to noon, music by Los Fabulocos from noon to 1 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. and the Lake Elsinore Folklorico traditional dance from 1 to 2 p.m.

The park is at 28816 Pujol St. For information, call 694-6469.

Group plans anti-war rally

RIVERSIDE -- Riverside Area Peace & Justice Action will stage a war and occupation protest rally at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Galleria mall.

RAPJA is opposed to the continuing U.S.-led war and occupation of Iraq.

The rally will take place at the mall's Tyler Street entrance. For information, call 682-1196 or 653-0743 or visit www.RAPJA.org.

Singers plan spring concert

SUN CITY -- The Sun City Chorale Club will present "Heart & Soul," a spring concert, at 3 p.m. Sunday.

The cost is $4 for the show at Sun City United Church of Christ, 26701 McCall Blvd.

Fire department breakfast Sunday

QUAIL VALLEY -- A pancake breakfast sponsored by the Quail Valley Volunteer Fire Department to benefit Station No. 5 will be from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday. Besides Quail Valley, the station covers portions of Canyon Lake and Menifee.

The breakfast includes pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice, milk and coffee. The cost is $4 for adults and $2 for children 12 and younger.

The breakfast will be at the Fire Hall, 23980 La Bertha Lane. For information, call 244-5424.

Belly dance, guitar classes to begin

LAKE ELSINORE -- Classes in belly dancing and acoustic guitar class will begin next week at the Lake Community Center.

Participants in the belly dancing class will learn the basic steps and moves as well as dance choreography. Class meets from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. Mondays. The fee is $35 for five weeks of instructions.

The six-week guitar course will meet from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays. The fee is $75. There are beginner and intermediate class levels. Students must have their own guitar.

Preregister for either class by calling 245-0442. The center is at 310 W. Graham Ave.

Library to celebrate mothers

TEMECULA -- Mothers will be celebrated at an upcoming event at the Temecula Public Library.

Mother's Day Cookie Decorating will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Children 5 and older will decorate cookies for their moms. Space is limited to 60 children. Preregistration is under way at the library.

The free program is sponsored by Friends of the Temecula Library and Albertson's. The library is at 41000 County Center Drive. For information, 600-6262.

Women's business group to meet

TEMECULA -- Digital presentations will be the topic when the For You Network meets for the monthly Temecula/Murrieta Local Connection luncheon at 11 a.m. Wednesday at its new location, the Country Garden restaurant.

The cost is $16 for members and $18 for guests. The restaurant is at 29000 Old Town Front St. For information or reservations, call Robbie Motter at 679-8048 or e-mail rmotter@aol.com.

Murrieta/Temecula is one of 20 Local Connection Networks in Southern California. The For You Network's mission is to help women achieve their personal and professional goals.

Corvettes group to meet Thursday

TEMECULA -- The Corvettes of Temecula Valley will meet Thursday at Marie Callender's, 29363 Rancho California Road. Dinner is at 6 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7.

The club is open to Corvette owners, and meetings are the second Thursday of the month. The club's monthly Mystery Lunch Run is held the last Sunday.

For information, visit corvettesoftv.com.

Baseball league plans golf tourney

WILDOMAR -- Wildomar Little League will have its annual golf tournament May 20 at Menifee Lakes Golf Course.

The cost is $105 per golfer, which includes green fees, cart, contests and dinner. There will also be a putting contest for an additional $5.

Registration is at 11 a.m. with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. and dinner to follow.

For information, call 375-1570.

Hospice plans Day of Remembrance

SUN CITY -- Hospice of the Valleys will hold its annual Day of Remembrance from 1 to 2:30 p.m. May 21 at Miller-Jones Mortuary & Crematory.

The gathering is intended to honor and remember those who have died and to provide a sense of comfort and community to their families and friends. Guests are asked to bring a flower to be added to the living wreath.

For reservations, call 672-1666.

HEALTH

Lupus support group meets

TEMECULA -- The Lupus International Support Group meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. the second Monday of the month in Temecula.

For information and meeting location, call Danielle at (888) 532-2322, Ext. 4.

Parkinson's support group meets

SUN CITY -- Parkinson patients and their caregivers meet from 2 to 4 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at Menifee Valley Medical Center.

The support group includes programs on medication, exercise, supplies and other helpful information.

The hospital is at 28400 McCall Blvd. For information, call 696-7130 or 698-8107.

Braille Institute van to visit

TEMECULA -- Mobile Solution, a specialized van that brings Braille Institute's programs and services to local communities, will visit Temecula on Wednesday.

The van, with high-powered magnifiers, closed-circuit televisions and other adaptive equipment for help maximizing remaining vision, will be at the Mary Phillips Senior Center, 41845 Sixth St., from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For information, call the Braille Institute at (760) 321-1111 or visit www.brailleinstitute.org.

Volunteers needed to drive cancer patients

The American Cancer Society-sponsored Road to Recovery program, which provides transportation for cancer patients to and from their cancer-related appointments, needs volunteers.

Hours can vary, but the average driver volunteers for about four hours a week between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Volunteers can drive as often as they wish.

Dispatchers, who can volunteer from their homes, are also needed to coordinate rides for patients.

Volunteers are asked to fill out an application, and submit a copy of their driving record and proof of insurance in order for them to be covered by an ACS insurance policy secondary to the volunteer's insurance.

For information or to volunteer, call the American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

Hospice head earns certificate

SUN CITY -- Dr. Laurence H. Boggeln, medical administrator with Hospice of the Valleys, has completed the California Association for Health Services at Home Hospice Administrator Certificate Examination.

Besides being one of only two hospice-certified physician in the Southwest County area, he is certified by the American Board of Family Practice.

Boggeln has been in private medical practice in Temecula since 1988.

Hospice of the Valleys has served Southwest Riverside County since 1982. Hospice coordinates the physical, emotional, social, educational and spiritual support of patients with life-limiting illness.

Medical education topic of lecture

RIVERSIDE -- Dr. Perry Pugno, an alumnus of UC Riverside and director of the Division of Education of the American Academy of Family Physicians, will speak about medical education for the 21st century May 15 at UCR.

After service with the National Health Service Corps, Pugno became a residency director, and accumulated more than 20 years' experience in that role. His professional background also includes trauma center director, hospital chief medical officer, public health officer, vice president of a large integrated health system, and medical director of a health plan.

The talk will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Room E, UC Riverside Extension, 1200 University Ave. For information, call 827-4334.

Blood drives

The San Diego Blood Bank:

- 1 to 5:30 p.m. today, Best Buy, 25080 Madison Ave., Murrieta.

- 2 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Souplantation, 26420 Ynez Road, Temecula. The San Diego Blood Bank supplies blood to hospitals in Southwest Riverside County. Information, (800) 469-7322 or www.sandiegobloodbank.org.

Donors should be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Donors age 76 and older must provide the Blood Bank with annual written permission from their physician.

SENIORS

Social Security help available

LAKE ELSINORE -- A representative from the Social Security Administration visits the Lake Elsinore Senior Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month.

Visitors can get assistance without an appointment. The center is at 420 E. Lakeshore Drive. For information, call 674-2526.

Groups to see Palm Springs follies

MURRIETA -- Two local groups will be taking trips to see the "Fabulous Palm Springs Follies" next month.

The Murrieta Senior Center is taking registration for a trip Wednesday. Seniors' Golden Years of Temecula Valley will see the show Thursday.

The vaudeville-style show features performers from 50 to more than 80 years old. The cost for either trip is $64.

Register for the Murrieta trip at the Senior Center, 41717 Juniper St. For information, call 304-7275, Ext. 6652.

For information of the Golden Years' excursion, call Esther at 694-6466 between 9 a.m. and noon.

Seniors' Golden Years to meet

TEMECULA -- The Seniors' Golden Years of Temecula is seeking new members from the Temecula area and surrounding communities. The club offers services and activities for seniors and meets at the Mary Phillips Senior Center, 41845 Sixth St.

Business meetings are conducted at 12:45 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. A potluck is offered at 4 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month.

There are also two social events each month. Upcoming are Bingo Night from 5 to 8 p.m. May 20 and Bunco Night from 5 to 8 p.m. June 10. The annual white elephant auction and potluck is June 24.

Services include the trip program coordinated by Esther Rhodes. A list of trips is posted at the center. Some are day trips to places such as the Nixon Library, Palm Springs Follies or Indian casinos. Others last for several days, with destinations including Laughlin, Nev., Sedona Adventure and Sacramento/Napa.

Rhodes can be reached from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays through Fridays at 694-6466.

Senior Center plans Laughlin trip

MURRIETA -- The Temecula Senior Service Center is offering a trip to the Viejas Casino on May 15.

The cost is $6 per person, which includes a $5 food coupon. The bus will leave at 8:30 a.m. and is scheduled to return at 6 p.m. to the center, 41538 Eastman Drive. For reservations or information, call Rose at 246-2119.

Bingo club needs players

LAKE ELSINORE -- The Lake Elsinore Senior Bingo Club is looking for players to join its weekly game.

The club plays from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Lake Elsinore Senior Center, 420 E. Lakeshore Drive. Cash prizes are awarded and refreshments provided.

For information, call 674-2526.

Strut Your Mutt event Sunday

MURRIETA -- Animal Friends of the Valleys will have its fourth annual Strut Your Mutt dog walk Sunday at California Oaks Sports Park. Registration begins at 10 a.m.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three pledge-takers. There will also be free T-shirts and gift bags and live entertainment.

For information, call 471-8344.