Join Rev. Karen S. Wylie on Sunday, June 24, 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Ojai Retreat. The morning will be devoted to “Awakening!” through contemplation, inner reflection, quiet walks, wisdom talks, sharing and sacred songs. 160 Besant Road. People of all faiths and traditions, or no tradition, are welcome to attend.

Randee Vasilakos, RScP, will assist and anchor the morning in a consciousness of prayer and healing.

The retreat is by donation; $20 is suggested. For more information, contact Rev. Karen at 310-968-8928, or register online at www.karenswylie.com.

Sucinno (Ian James) will visit the Ojai Library at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, to deliver a talk on Compassion and Care at the End of Life. Sucinno will share observations and insights gained while going through caring for his wife, Chandra, when she had cancer, including her hospice time and eventual death. Additionally, he will talk about what can be done before such an event overtakes a couple.

Sucinno hopes to provide gentle words that will help couples to ease into this strange space, and thus be less overwhelmed at the thought of it and its actual happening.

This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146.

The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Ave. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

33 Variations opens June 22 at Ojai Art Center Theater for four weekends. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinee at 2 pm. Tickets are available online at www.OjaiACT.org or call 805-640-8797 to reserve seats.

Submissions will close July 1 for the 19th annual Ojai Film Festival. Ranked as one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway the Ojai Film Festival continues to grow in prestige as one of the country’s premier destination festivals.

The 10-day Film Festival has a reputation for showcasing the best new films from emerging and established filmmakers, and has helped launch a number of careers over the last decade. Since 2000, 15 alumni have received Academy Award nominations, two have won an Oscar, and numerous others have gone on to gain distribution and win prestigious awards.

The winning screenwriter receives lodging and passes to the Ojai Film Festival’s Awards Ceremony, where the winning screenwriter is given special recognition, a trophy and a table read staged by the well-established acting community in Ojai.

The Festival’s theme is “Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film.” The event provides audiences a diverse lineup of titles from around the world.

The extended deadline, on July 1st, entry fees for film are $65 for features and $60 for shorts. For screenplays, the fee is $55.

To enter go to www.ojaifilmfestival.com/entries/. Accepted entries will be notified in mid-August.

The Ojai Film Festival takes place from November 1 – 11, at theaters around Ojai. For details about the Festival visit www.OjaiFilmFestival.com.

Events by Ana Baker

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club Monday nights 7:30 – 9:45p.m. Poinsettia Pavilion. Ballroom, swing, Latin and line dancing. $10 members, $12 non-members. Dance lessons 6:45 – 7:15 $5 for couple $3 for single. Call Rick 805-415-8842 for more information.

There will be a regular Ventura Discussion Group meeting at Main Street Restaurant 3159 Main St., Wednesday from 4 – 5:45 p.m. Several people usually stay for a drink and a bite to eat afterward. Bring an interesting topic to discuss if you can.

Ventura’s ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club offers games for all levels of play.  Learn the game, play with your peers, and earn master points while you are having fun.  There is a game every day of the week.  Check out their website at www.vcbridge.org

The Ventura Retired Men’s Group welcomes interested men to their semi-monthly Tuesday lunch ($15) meetings at the Ventura Elks lodge. This regular congenial social event, besides a healthy, satisfying meal, supplies a welcome atmosphere to talk and joke, hear a speaker on a variety of relevant topics. Hear more from Steve at 805-642-1359

Country Western Line Dancing every Tuesday 7 – 9 p.m. Instruction every night. Located at the Moose lodge, 10269 Telephone Road. More information at countrylovers.com.

Mended Hearts of Ventura. Come share if you have had heart surgery or stent implant. Group meets the first Tuesday each month at noon at Lemon Wood Mobile Homes, 850 Johnson Dr. Excellent speakers leading Cardiologists, Nutritionists, and Dietitians etc. from our area.

Contact Richard Hatcher at 805-644-2733.

Are you a stamp collector? The Ventura County Philatelic Society meet on the first and third Mondays each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Rd. Admission and parking are free. Come for a great evening. They are a fun group. Contact Bill Garner 805-320-1601 or [email protected].

Cross Town Hikers join in on Wednesday nights for a moderate-paced hike that includes views of Ventura from the cross, a walk out to the end of the pier, and a stroll along the Promenade back to the Museum. Four miles with an 800-foot elevation gain. Meet at 7 p.m. sharp at the fountain across the street from the Mission. Join Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/800215670039426/

First Wednesday, of each month, 6-10 pm, Gold Coast Modular Railroad Club meets at the Murphy Auto Museum, Oxnard. Now exhibiting Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Visitors and new members are welcome. Member initiation fee $10, monthly dues $20, $10 for Juniors. www.gcmrc.com. For more information, 805-229-7429.

June 8: The General George S. Patton, Jr. Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution June luncheon meeting will feature a special program ” Native Americans during the Revolutionary War “, presented by Mr. William V. Wenger. The luncheon event will take place Friday at 11:30 a.m. in the Garden Room, Marie Callender’s Restaurant, 1295 S. Victoria Ave. All SAR & DAR Compatriots, friends, and visitors are welcome to join us. If you choose to join us for lunch, cost is $20 per person, including a slice of Marie Callender’s pie. For additional information or for assistance in determining your possible Revolutionary War genealogical roots, please call Bill Bays 805-650-3036 or Robert Taylor 805-216-7992. For information regarding SAR membership and chapter activities, please visit the chapter website at http://pattonpatriots.org.

June 12: The Ventura County Writers Club is hosting award-winning author, publisher, editor and writing coach Marcia Meier at 1605 Burnley Street in Camarillo at 7:00 PM. Meier, who recently co-edited the book Unmasked: Women Write about Sex and Intimacy After Fifty, has been awarded a bronze IPPY medal as a part of the 22nd Annual Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Westlake resident Carol Fogel will also speak about her book, Rosie Sees the Light, based on the fictional experience of a spunky Mexican immigrant sent to a home for the aged after experiencing health issues. For more information call Ventura Breeze contributing writer Sheli Ellsworth at 805.300.1365.

June 19: Join NAWBO Ventura County on Tuesday, at the Wedgewood Center, 901 Sterling Hills Drive, Camarillo from 5:30 – 8 p.m. for a must-attend presentation about Proposition 64, the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana and how it impacts your business as an employer. The dinner meeting is open to all and seats may be reserved at www.NAWBOVC.org. Guest speaker Rabiah Rahman, Esq. of Strauss & Strauss, APC, will address many questions and concerns employers are raising about their rights and liabilities with regards to marijuana use by employees.

“NAWBO supports business owners as they traverse the challenges and successes of entrepreneurship,” stated Elaine Hollifield, President of NAWBO VC.

Membership is open to women sole proprietors, partners and corporate owners as well as those businesses that support women owned businesses. Learn more www.nawbovc.org.

June 22: Like to play acoustic music? Songmakers.org welcomes all lovers of acoustic music, instrumentalists, singers, and singer/songwriters of all levels, to join in a free song circle. Fourth Friday of each month from 7-10 p.m. at the Bell Arts Factory Community Room, 432 N. Ventura Ave. Listeners welcome. Mike Wittlin 805-750-8281.

Nationally recognized singer Vivian Mason will visit the Ojai Library at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 8, 2018, to deliver a special musical performance. Mason will be accompanied by pianist Jimmy Calire.

Mason is a versatile entertainer who has performed at clubs, concerts, festivals, and in film and television. She has toured across the country from San Francisco to New York.

Ojai local Erin McKeever will visit the Ojai Library at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, to host a screening of the documentary film Crazywise. During a quarter-century documenting indigenous cultures, human-rights photographer and filmmaker Phil Borges saw how these cultures often identify “psychotic” symptoms as an indicator of a person’s gifts or shamanic potential. Through interviews with renowned mental health professionals including Gabor Mate, MD, Dan Siegel, MD, Robert Whitaker, and Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD, the documentary Crazywise explores the growing severity of the mental health crisis in America dominated by biomedical psychiatry.

She can be reached by email at [email protected], or by calling (310) 463-5089.

Kathryn Padgett will visit the Ojai Library at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 9, to deliver a talk “Carved Paper: The Art of the Japanese Stencil.” Ms. Padgett comes to us via the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s Community Speakers Program. Japanese paper stencils, or katagami, are the pattern-bearing tools used in a resist-dyeing textile process.

Ojai Library’s Ukulele Club will resume meeting on Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m. for a weekly workshop and jam session.

The Ukulele Club is about sharing the fun, simplicity, and musicality that the ukulele offers, and learning and practicing with other players. Feel free to bring a copy of a song or tune that you like; the club collects these in a book of songs used during meetings.

Ojai Library’s Prime Writers’ group will meet on Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. for a weekly writing workshop. The Prime Writers’ group is a place for aspiring young authors and poets ages 8-18 to meet other writers, to share their writing with each other, and to provide constructive feedback on one another’s works. The group is not a class but rather a place for young writers to explore the creative writing process.

The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Ave. Hours of service are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

The Ojai Photography Club will feature fine-art photographer Felice Willat as the presenter for June. The event, “Lifescapes,” is free and open to the public and will be held June 19 at 7 p.m. in Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 W. Santa Ana Road. For more information on Willat, go to http://www.felicewillatphotography.com/

Monthly free presentations are part of the Ojai Photography Club’s community service and education outreach. The general public is always welcome to attend.

The club, which is devoted to education, inspiration, and camaraderie, meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February – November. More information is available at www.ojaiphotoclub.com.

Events by Ana Baker

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club Monday nights 7:30 – 9:45p.m. Poinsettia Pavilion. Ballroom, swing, Latin and line dancing. $10 members, $12 non-members. Dance lessons 6:45 – 7:15 $5 for couple $3 for single. Call Rick 415-8842 for more information.

There will be a regular Ventura Discussion Group meeting at Main Street Restaurant 3159 Main St., Wednesday from 4 – 5:45 p.m. Bring an interesting topic to discuss if you can. Start discussing the July 5 ballot measures and candidates.

May 23 – Prop 69, Transportation taxes only used for transportation

Prop 71, Date for ballot measures to take effect

Prop 72, Rain capture systems exemption from property tax

May 30 – Prop 68, $4B bond fund for natural resources

Prop 70, Supermajority for cap-and-trade funds

Ventura’s ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club offers games for all levels of play.  Learn the game, play with your peers, and earn master points while you are having fun.  There is a game every day of the week.  Check out their website at www.vcbridge.org

The Ventura Retired Men’s Group welcomes interested men to their semi-monthly Tuesday lunch ($15) meetings at the Ventura Elks lodge. This regular congenial social event, besides a healthy, satisfying meal, supplies a welcome atmosphere to talk and joke, hear a speaker on a variety of relevant topics. Hear more from Steve at 642-1359

Country Western Line Dancing every Tuesday 7 – 9 p.m. Instruction every night. Located at the Moose lodge, 10269 Telephone Road. More information at countrylovers.com.

The Ventura County Philatelic Society meets on the first and third Mondays each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Rd. Admission and parking are free. Come for a great evening.

Contact Bill Garner 320-1601 or [email protected].

Mended Hearts of Ventura. Come share if you have had heart surgery or stent implant. Group meets the first Tuesday each month at noon at Lemon Wood Mobile Homes, 850 Johnson Dr. Excellent speakers leading Cardiologists, Nutritionists, and Dietitians etc. from our area.

Contact Richard Hatcher at 644-2733.

Letters for the Lost, an exhibit marking the 90th anniversary of the St. Francis Dam Disaster, commemorates the lives lost during one of America’s worst civil engineering disasters of the 20th century. At the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula. The exhibit runs through July 16. Located at 26 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. For more information venturamuseum.org or call 525-3100.

First Wednesday, of each month, 6-10 p.m., Gold Coast Modular Railroad Club meets at the Murphy Auto Museum. Now exhibiting Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10-4 p.m. Visitors and new members are welcome. 2230 Statham Blvd., Oxnard. www.gemre.com or 229- 74294 for more information

Cross Town Hikers, Join in on Wednesday nights for a moderate-paced hike that includes views of Ventura from the cross, a walk out to the end of the pier, and a stroll along the Promenade back to the Museum. Four miles with an 800-foot elevation gain. Meet at 7 p.m. sharp at the fountain across the street from the Mission. Facebook for more information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/800215670039426/

May 23: The College Area Community Council Wednesday, at 7 p.m. A representative from the Public Works Department and the police department will give brief updates and answer questions. A final vote will be taken on the proposed boundary change for the CACC. Wright Event Center at 57 Day Rd. Free parking is available adjacent to the Event Center. 644-8695 for more information.

May 24: Portuguese Fraternal Society of America – The local chapter of PFSA (Council #128. This meeting is open to any person of Portuguese descent, or, interested in the Portuguese culture. Marie Callendars Restaurant, 1295 S. Victoria. 11:30 a.m. for a 12 p.m. no host luncheon/meeting. For more information and a reservation, please call Cora Corella at 483-6285.

May 24: Patrice Lambourne, from Ventura Modern Quilt and Camarillo Quilt Guild, will speak about quilting at the Friendship Connection 08 ‘s monthly luncheon at Marie Callendar’s Restaurant at 11:30 am. The Friendship Connection is a group of retired ladies. Prospective members are welcome to attend. For more information, call 644-3172.

May 24: The County of Ventura Human Resources Department will host its annual Family Care and Volunteer Resource Fair on Thursday, from 10 – 1 p.m. Main courtyard at the County Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Ave. Visitors to the fair can receive information and resources on family care – including child care, elder care and senior services. The event is hosted by Work Life Program of the County of Ventura. Both the event and parking are free.

May 25: Percussionist Extraordinaire C.G. Ryche brings his massive drum set to the Namba stage on Friday, at 8 p.m. for performance you’ll feel in your bones. C.G. Ryche is the ultimate showman with a long and distinguished career as an entertainer. Within this multimedia presentation is candid conversation on how never giving up on your creative dreams is critical to long term success. Tickets are $20 and available at https://nambaarts.com/upcoming-events/. More about C.G. Ryche at https://www.cgryche.com

May 26: The Ventura Tennis Club, in partnership with the Ventura Recreation and Community

Services, are hosting a bi-annual Ventura Tennis Day on Saturday, from 9 – 3 p.m.

at the Camino Real Tennis Park. Clinics for adults and kids from 9 – 12 p.m. with pro Hoss Salehi and staff. After a break for refreshments, raffle and announcements there will be organized doubles play in the afternoon. The Ventura Tennis Club is a non-profit community based club bringing tennis enthusiasts of all ages and abilities together for social and competitive play.

Information http://www.venturatennisclub.com and Facebook.

May 26: Volunteers needed for Ormond Beach/Wetland clean up, Saturday, 9-11 a.m. The Nature Conservancy is hosting a clean-up of the wetland and beach area of Ormond Beach at the end of McWane Blvd. Clean up supplies will be provided. Please wear durable shoes and note that there are no facilities at this location. A naturalist will be on site to provide information on the natural history of the area. Please contact Amy Davis at [email protected] or 770-853-4715.

June 1, 2: Gold Coast Concert Chorus concert will feature the best of their last 30 years. They will feature their favorite songs and share them with you, along with their memories and the joy they find in making music with each other and for the audience. They look forward to singing for you for many more years! Friday June 1st at 8 p.m. and Saturday June 2nd at 2 p.m. St. John’s Lutheran Church – 1500 North C St., Oxnard. Tickets: Adults $18, Senior /Student $15, Child under 12 $5.

For more info call 616-7269 or [email protected]

June 2: NAMBA Performing Arts Space step into summer with a sizzling Flamenco music and dance event at 7.p.m. Experience the pure essence of Andalusian song, the strumming of the guitar and the heart palpitating rhythms created by dancers striking the stage with thundering footwork. Spanish Wine will be available for purchase. 47 So. Oak Street

June 3: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Assoc. meeting will be Sunday from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 36 Figueroa. Free admission, stage music and jamming, free parking in the rear, Open to Public. For more information 517-1131 or Facebook: OTCBGMA

June 3: Docent-led tours of the Dudley Historic House Museum, and an orchid sale. From 1 to 4 p.m. and admission is free. Located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood . For information 642-3345 or www.dudleyhouse.org.

June 8: Prism of Thought. An artistic exploration of LGBTQ mental health and opinion. Join NAMI Ventura, Diversity Collective VC, and Each Mind Matters for a special free event on Friday, from 5:30 – 8 p.m. Feature special speakers will have a conversation focused on the mental health needs of the LGBTQ community. Food provided by Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar and music provided by DJ Vince Franco at Diversity Collective VC’s Community Resource Center 2471 Portola Road Suite 100.

Join Totally Local VC’s Agricultural Education Foundation and California Women for Agriculture to mix, mingle and meet our local farmers, ranchers and Ag leaders.Taste the flavors and libations of Ventura County.

Listen to the amazing sounds of Karen Eden and Cary Park. Bid at a silent auction hosted by the California Women for Agriculture for their scholarship fund. Hosted by Totally Local VC, Topa Mountain Winery and California Women for Agriculture.

Over the past ten years Totally Local VC has worked as an advisor for agriculture and culinary arts programs at both high school and college levels.

Thursday, May 24, from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm. The event is free to attend. Wine tastings or bottles are available for purchase. Located at Topa Mountain Winery, 821 W. Ojai Avenue.

Ojai plant guide Lanny Kaufer will lead a herb walk and native plant sale at Arroyo Hondo Preserve on Saturday, June 2, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $25. Kids 5-12 are free, by prior arrangement. No dogs or smoking, please. To register or for more information, visit www.HerbWalks.com or 646-6281.

Professor James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy will return to Ojai on Saturday, July 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a Summer Medicinal Plant Workshop. Based on Dr. Adams’ pharmacological studies on local native plants. For information and registration, visit HerbWalks.com or call 646-6281.

The cost of the workshop is $75 including all materials. Registrants will receive an email during the week prior with all necessary information including directions, what to bring, etc. After the workshop, participants will receive a complete list of all plants that are identified and utilized as well as recipes and other information.

The Ojai Art Center will feature a Literary Branch Salon with author, dancer, and journalist Jennifer Fisher. Her topic will be: From Ballet to Journalism to Academia and Back to Ballet. The event will be on Monday, June 11 at 7 PM. $5 Donation at the door.

For additional information, please contact: Ilona Saari, [email protected]

In continuing its program of recognizing outstanding actors, the Ojai Film Festival presents An Evening with Sally Kellerman on June 3 from 4 to 8 pm at the Ojai Art Center. The event will include a screening of her iconic film “MASH.” Her 60-year career in film, TV and voice-over reflects her versatility as a performer. The Ojai Film Festival is delighted to present the satirical black comedy that brought her nominations for an Academy Award and Golden Globe.

Sally’s monumental break came via director Robert Altman when he hired her, and she created a dusky-voiced sensation out of the aggressively irritating character Major Margaret. Both she and the film were a spectacular success. She went on to do several more Altman classics “Brewster McCloud” and “Welcome to LA.” Her last film was in 2011.

Everyone is welcome to come to this delightful evening of film and conversation. Advance tickets are $25 online or $30 at the door. Visit www.OjaiFilmFestival.com to purchase.

The Ojai Photo Club will feature photographer Scott Miles as its presenter for May. The free event, “The Scientific Photographer,” will be held on Tuesday, May 15, at 7 p.m. in Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 W. Santa Ana St.

The club, which is devoted to education, inspiration, and camaraderie, meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February – November. Only members may submit images for critique. More information is available at: www.ojaiphotoclub.com/

Jill Santos will visit the Ojai Library at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, 2018, to deliver a presentation on local non-profit Food Forward. Santos is an avid outdoor adventurist who moved to Southern California in 2007.

Food Forward rescues fresh, wholesome produce that would otherwise go to waste, connecting this abundance with people in need and inspiring others to do the same. Food Forward staff and volunteers rescue more than 300,000 pounds of surplus produce each week from backyard fruit trees, orchards, farmers markets, and wholesale warehouses. These fresh fruits and vegetables are donated to over 300 hunger relief agencies across eight counties in Southern California.

On Sunday, May 20th, Ojai Jazz Concerts will feature Mitchell Forman on piano, Kevin Axt, on bass, and Steve Haas on drums. The event will be from 7-9 and doors to the Ojai Art Center, at 113 South Montgomery Street, will open at 6:30. Tickets are available at www.ojaijazzconcerts.com.

Mitch is an award winning pianist who has recorded multiple albums with Chick Corea, Stan Getz and many others.

Kevin is a 2 time Grammy winning bassist with 19 Grammy Nominations. Steve is an award winning drummer who has recorded albums with Cher, Manhattan Transfer, Mavis Staples and many others.

The Ojai Valley Library Friends and Foundation (OVLFF) invites you to its Annual Memorial Day Weekend Book Sale on Saturday, May 26, Sunday May 27 and Monday 28, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will be held on the patio and parking lot of the Ojai Library, 111 E. Ojai Avenue. A huge amount of high quality books will be sold at prices that range from 50 cents to $2.00.

All profits from the book store go to providing the three Ojai Libraries, Oak View, Meiners Oaks and downtown Ojai, with revenue to support special programs for children and adults and for the purchase of additional materials and books.

For further information, visit http://www.ovlff or check out the OVLFF Facebook page.

“Visions of Destruction and Rebirth”

A concurrent exhibition hosted at 7 Ojai venues.

Artists often respond to what they see happening around them by creating something. The work can be evocative of a monumental encounter with fate as in the case of the Thomas Fire. The biggest California wildfire of all time summoned an intense, almost spiritual shared experience, and planted a seed for this special exhibit

Events by Ana Baker

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club Monday nights 7:30 – 9:45p.m. Poinsettia Pavilion. Ballroom, swing, Latin and line dancing. $10 members, $12 non-members. Dance lessons 6:45 – 7:15 $5 for couple $3 for single. Call Rick 415-8842 for more information.

There will be a regular Ventura Discussion Group meeting at Main Street Restaurant 3159 Main St., Wednesday from 4 – 5:45 p.m. Several people usually stay for a drink and a bite to eat afterward. Bring an interesting topic to discuss if you can.

Ventura’s ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club offers games for all levels of play.  Learn the game, play with your peers, and earn master points while you are having fun.  There is a game every day of the week.  Check out their website at www.vcbridge.org

The Ventura Retired Men’s Group welcomes interested men to their semi-monthly Tuesday lunch ($15) meetings at the Ventura Elks lodge. This regular congenial social event, besides a healthy, satisfying meal, supplies a welcome atmosphere to talk and joke, hear a speaker on a variety of relevant topics. Hear more from Steve at 642-1359

Country Western Line Dancing every Tuesday 7 – 9 p.m. Instruction every night. Located at the Moose lodge, 10269 Telephone Road. More information at countrylovers.com.

The Ventura County Philatelic Society meets on the first and third Mondays each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Rd. Admission and parking are free. Come for a great evening.

Contact: Bill Garner 320-1601 or [email protected]

Mended Hearts of Ventura. Come share if you have had heart surgery or stent implant. Group meets the first Tuesday each month at noon at Lemon Wood Mobile Homes, 850 Johnson Dr. Excellent speakers leading Cardiologists, Nutritionists, and Dietitians etc. from our area.

Contact Richard Hatcher at 644-2733.

Are you a stamp collector? The Ventura County Philatelic Society meet on the first and third Mondays each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Rd. Admission and parking are free. Contact Bill Garner 320-1601 or [email protected].

Letters for the Lost, an exhibit marking the 90th anniversary of the St. Francis Dam Disaster, commemorates the lives lost during one of America’s worst civil engineering disasters of the 20th century. At the historic Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula. The exhibit runs through July 16. 26 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula ,10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, visit venturamuseum.org or call 525-3100.

First Wednesday, of each month, 6-10 p.m., Gold Coast Modular Railroad Club meets at the Murphy Auto Museum. Now exhibiting Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10-4 p.m. Visitors and new members are welcome. 2230 Statham Blvd., Oxnard. www.gemre.com or 229- 74294 for more information

Cross Town Hikers, Join in on Wednesday nights for a moderate-paced hike that includes views of Ventura from the cross, a walk out to the end of the pier, and a stroll along the Promenade back to the Museum. Four miles with an 800-foot elevation gain. Meet at 7 p.m. sharp at the fountain across the street from the Mission. Join Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/800215670039426/

May 11: The General George S. Patton, Jr. Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution May luncheon meeting will feature a special program ” Technology and the Ironclad Ships During the American Civil War “, presented by Mr. Steven Lund. Garden Room, Marie Callender’s Restaurant 1295 S. Victoria Ave. at 11:30 a.m. For additional information or for assistance in determining your possible Revolutionary War genealogical roots, please call Bill Bays 650-3036 or Robert Taylor 216-7992. For information regarding SAR membership and chapter activities, visit the chapter website at http://pattonpatriots.org.

May 17: Ventura Water’s General Manager, Kevin Brown, will be the featured speaker at the meeting of the East Ventura Community Council. Mr. Brown, who oversees the city’s water and wastewater division will address the residents’ concerns about water shortage in light of new construction on the east side o. The council will also hold a discussion about the issue of possible redrawing of council boundaries to more closely coincide with the new electoral districts.

Ventura Police Department will report on crime and safety. 7p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church, 346 N. Kimball Road.

May 17: The regular monthly meeting of Assistance League of Ventura County will be on Thursday, at the Chapter House, 913 East Santa Clara Street at 10 a.m., men and women are welcome. Assistance League is creating “A Brighter Tomorrow for Today’s Children” through several philanthropic programs: B.U.F.F.Y. Bear, Operation School Bell®, Girls Club/Teen Club, and Assistance League School for young children with learning disabilities. The Bargain Box Thrift Shop helps fund these programs. assistanceleagueventuracounty.org, like us on Facebook, or email [email protected]. Monday – Thursday, 8 – 2 p.m. 643-2458

May 20: The Ventura and Santa Barbara County chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) will meet Sunday, in the Campus Student Center of Ventura College. The meeting starts at noon and at 11 a.m. there will be an informal workshop where a topic on clocks or watches will be demonstrated and discussed. There will be a mart where items will be for sale followed by lunch and an informational meeting and a program at 1 p.m. The program this month will be a presentation by David Walter on “Watchmaking”. There is a $3 admission charge. Lunch is available for $5. Watches, clocks & tools will be on display and for sale. More information at www.nawcc-ch190.com.

June 1, 2: Rummage sale at First United Methodist Church1338 E. Santa Clara St. Friday, June 1^st, 9 – 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 2nd 9 – 12 p.m. Sat is 5 dollar a bag day.

June 6: 16th Annual Mustang, Ford and Ford Powered Charity Car Show. Stampede in the Park, Sunday, 10 – 3 p.m. at the Oak Park Community Park 5600 Hollytree Drive, Oak Park. Fun for all, vendors, food trucks, music, raffles, kids play area and beautiful cars. Charity is Best Friends Animal Society in Mission Hills.

June 13: The Ventura County Camera Club will hold a meeting on Wednesday, at 6:30 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion. The first part of the meeting will be an instructional workshop followed by the showing of member images. A professional photographer from the area will critique member’s prints and digital images. Admission is free. Only members may submit images for critique. Call 908-5663 or WWW.VenturaCountyCameraClub.com for more information.

“Fire Walk With Us” will be a fire ecology workshop with Richard Halsey and Lanny Kaufer , on Saturday, May 5, in Ojai. Identify and discuss chaparral plants and their responses to the recent fire. Tickets are $55 for adults, $45 for seniors 62-up, and $35 for OVLC members, students 13-18, and fire survivors (those who lost property in the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires). Admission to the afternoon lecture only is $25 for the general public or $15 for OVLC members. Register at HerbWalks.com or call 646-6281.

Join Ojai native plant guide Lanny Kaufer and special guest Professor James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy on Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a Spring Medicinal Plant Workshop based on his ground-breaking pharmacological studies on local native plants.

The plant identification session will take place on the pathways at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Cluff Vista Park and the Ojai Valley Museum’s Chumash Garden. An afternoon hands-on preparation session will be held at a community kitchen nearby.

The cost of the workshop is $75 which includes all materials. For more information or to register, visit HerbWalks.com, email [email protected] or call 646-6281.

The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Ojai is pleased to present a performance by Stephen Inglis, featuring selections from his recent release “Cut the Dead Some Slack”. An accomplished guitarist, Stephen Inglis pushes the slack key guitar into delightful new territory crossing genres and redefining the genre.The event is on Friday, May 11th at 7 pm, and is being presented by Cord International Media Group,

Chamber On The Mountain presents the Zorá String Quartet, an exquisite ensemble of young musicians, on Sunday, May 6, at 3:00 pm. Performance will take place at Logan House in Upper Ojai. Audience members are invited to stay and meet the artists at a reception following the performance.

The Zorá String Quartet leapt to national attention in 2015, after capturing the Grand Prize and Gold Medal of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition,.

For more information visit www.ChamberOnTheMountain.com.

On Memorial Day, May 28, at 843 East Ojai Avenue, American Legion will host a Free Breakfast for Vets. Tickets are $4.00 for all others and the event will be from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Libbey Bowl will also feature patriotic music by the British Brass at 11:30. There will be patriotic singers at 12:30 and speakers from 12:35 to 1:00 honoring the fallen.

Join Rev. Karen S. Wylie on Saturday, April 28, for a morning retreat devoted to “Self-Mastery: Finding Your Own Inner Power.” The gathering will include inner reflection, quiet walks, wisdom talks, sharing and sacred songs, and take place at The Ojai Retreat, 160 Besant Road. People of all faiths and traditions, or no tradition, are welcome to attend. Randee Vasilakos, RScP, will assist in anchoring a consciousness of peace and love.

The retreat is by donation; $20 is suggested. For more information, contact Rev. Karen at 310-968-8928, or register online at www.karenswylie.com.

New York jazz trio the Daniel Bennett Group will visit the Ojai Library at 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, 2to deliver a special noontime jazz concert. Saxophonist Daniel Bennett has been hailed as one of the most original and unpredictable musical voices of his generation. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at 218-9146.