Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club meets every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion. Ballroom, swing, Latin, mixers and line dancing. Members $10, non-members $12. Call Rick at 415-8842 for more information.

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 www.vcbridge.org   Life is Better with Bridge.

Country Western Line Dancing every Tuesday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Instruction every night. Mooselodge, 10269 Telephone Road. More information countrylovers.com.

The Ventura County Philatelic Society meets the first and third Mondays each month — 7:30-9:30pm at the Church of the Foothills, 6279 Foothill Road.  Admission and parking are free.
Stamp trading and camaraderie.
Contact [email protected] or 320-1601

May 25: David Deutsch Executive Director of NAMI,  the National Alliance on Mental Illness will speak about what NAMI offers including: Family Support Groups & NAMI Connection support groups, the “Family to Family Education Program,” and the “Mental Health Provider Program.Thursday, at 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

CAREGIVERS office, 1765 Goodyear Avenue, Suite 205.

May 27: The Ventura Tennis Club, in partnership with the Ventura Recreation and Community Services, is hosting a bi-annual Ventura Tennis Day on Saturday from 9:00 am to 3 pm. The event will be held at the Camino Real Tennis Park.

The event will include clinics for adults and kids from 9 am to 12 noon with pro Scott Burton 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

June 1: Ladies Luncheon 8th Anniversary “Celebrate your Inner Goddess” Instead of having a sponsor for June event spend more time networking, playing games and many more surprises! There’s limited seating so sign up today! Wear a flowing skirt or blouse and get an extra raffle ticket! Bring a raffle prize to share!

11:30am – 1:00pm Doors open at 11:15 am | $27 pre-registration  $30 at the door Sit-down Luncheon Buffet  Poinsettia Pavillion. www.theladiesluncheon.com

June 2&3: Gold Coast Concert Chorus presents Good Eats, A Feast of Musical Fun
Be a guest as they sing their way through a gourmet evening of song.
Do you have a favorite song about food? There is a good chance that GCCC will be singing it!
Enjoy the “Food, Glorious Food” on “The Night They Invented Champagne”, because “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries” in “Strawberry Fields”.
Friday June 2, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Saturday June 3, 2017 at 2:00 pm
St. John’s Lutheran Church – 1500 North C St., Oxnard
Tickets: Adults $15.00, Sr./Student $12.00, Child under 12 $5.00
616-7269 or [email protected].

June 3: On Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Ventura Friends of the Library will hold a Book Sale at the Vons at Victoria and Telegraph  (6040 Telegraph Road) .Quality used books at bargain prices.  All genres, including  special interest, vintage;  fiction, including classics and current hardcover and paperbacks; non-fiction, including biography, science, engineering, religion, travel, cooking, history, California history, art, music, self-help, education, parenting, sports, craft books, children’s books;  dvds, books on cd and tape, puzzles, and more.

June 4: The 1892 Dudley Historic House Museum will be open for docent-led tours by the “Mrs. Dudleys”  from 1 to 4 p.m. accompanied by period music in the parlor and upstairs library landing.  Admission is free.  The museum is located at the corner of Loma Vista and Ashwood.  For information please call  642-3345 or visit www.dudleyhouse.org.

June 4: On Sunday,   3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions are holding their Monthly Meeting:   Students’ Dreams for Our Nation, Dreams for Our World at E.P. Foster Library, Topping Room 8th grade students from Oxnard will present their research and the educational products they created as part of their year-long Common Core Project-Based learning. See what 13 and 14 year olds are concerned about locally and globally.

Admission free. Kristin Jensen Storey  889-3650

For more information on Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions and how you can get involved  www.c-p-r.net.

June 4: Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Association presents free music concerts on the first Sunday of every month at the Poinsettia Pavilion from 2-4pm. Featuring the authentic “Old Country Grass Band”. 517-1131 for more information.

June 6&20: 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 and brighten your week. Learn more from Steve at 642-1359

June 8: The Ventura County Professional Women’s Network (VCPWN), one of the county’s long standing organizations supporting the interests of women business owners and professionals, is hosting their monthly dinner meeting..  Dinner meeting is the second Thursday of every month at the Wedgewood Banquet Center, 5:30 PM.  Register for dinner online at www.vcpwn.org

Guest speaker, Heather Moreno, MA, specializes in working with professionals who struggle to squeeze health and weight loss into their busy schedules. Heather loves to see her clients fully enjoy what they eat and how they feel, regain their energy, and get back to being themselves again. http://weightbreakthrough.com/

Events by Ana Baker

Ventura Poinsettia Dance Club meets every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. at the Poinsettia Pavilion. Ballroom, swing, Latin, mixers and line dancing. Members $10, non-members $12. Call Rick at 415-8842 for more information.

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

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. Besides a satisfying meal, meeting supplies a welcome atmosphere to talk and joke, hear a speaker on a variety of relevant topics and brighten your week. More from Steve at 642-1359

Country Western Line Dancing every Tuesday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Instruction every night. At the Mooselodge, 10269 Telephone Road. More information at countrylovers.com.

May 11:  The 35th anniversary for the Ventura County Professional Women’s Network dinner will take place on Thursday, at the Wedgewood Banquet Center. Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. and the sit-down dinner at 6:15 p.m. There will be a special program, with a panel of speakers sharing history of the group. Members will vote on the coming year’s Board of Directors.

Party attire is encouraged for this special evening.  Register at vcpwn.org, or by emailing [email protected]. For more information about the event www.vcpwn.org.

May 11: The Ventura County Climate Hub invites the public to hear leaders of two partner organizations working on ‘Out with the Old, In with the New’ energy economy. Citizens for Responsible Oil and Gas (CFROG) will talk about their campaign to oppose permits for new oil wells in Oxnard. World Business Academy will present the latest know-how for transition away from fossil fuels towards clean energy.

Ventura County Climate Hub is a grassroots, non-partisan local affiliate of 350.

Doors open Thursday at 6:30 p.m.  Meeting begins at 7 p.m..  The Unitarian-Universalist Church of Ventura, 5654 Ralston St, rear parking lot to Fellowship Hall.

May 12: The Kiwanis Club of Ventura is pleased to announce and invite you to attend a special event honoring their 50th Annual Ventura County Officers of the Year 2017 Awards Dinner .

Friday, May 12,
5-6pm – Reception with No-Host Bar
6-7pm – Dinner
7-9pm – Program
The Tower Club
300 Esplanade Dr., Oxnard RSVP to Michelle Bleuel – [email protected] or 647-0567

May 12: The General George S. Patton, Jr. Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution luncheon will include a special program presentation “Benedict Arnold”, presented by Chapter member Fred Dunn.  At 11:30 a.m., Friday, in the Garden Room, Marie Callender’s Restaurant.  Lunch is $20. For additional information please call Bill Bays 650-3036 or Robert Taylor 216-7992.  For information regarding SAR membership and chapter activities http://pattonpatriots.org.

May 13: What’s Your Personality Type in Life and Love? Dr. Vondie Lozano, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist hosts Ventura Singles Discussions. Group Guided Imagery/Hypnosis included. Free discussion from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ventura E.P. Foster Library, Topping Room. For more information www.meetup.com/Ventura-Singles-Discussions/events/

May 15: CA Zeta Chi parliamentarians will meet at 7 p.m. and will feature a lesson by Sandra Sanders entitled “Finding Your Way through Robert’s Rules of Order.”  Main Street Restaurant and Steakhouse, 3159 E. Main St. Those wishing to eat should arrive at 6 p.m.  Non-members are welcome.    For information Sharon Hillbrant, 479-6738, or zetachi.webstarts.com.

May 16, June 16: Ventura Retired Men will have their semi-monthly meetings on May 16 and June 6 at the Elks lodge. If you’re retired or nearly so, looking for some diversion, come enjoy lunch for $15. Raffles, program topic of the day, and association with guys just like you.  Steve Carroll if you have a question at 642-1359

May 17, 6 p.m.  Be The Bridge, Interracial  and cross-cultural bridge builders Conversation over food. Working to make a positive difference in the community through dialog and action.  Make new friends.  Child care provided upon request.  First United Methodist Church of Ventura, 1338 E. Santa Clara.  Please rsvp attendance email [email protected] or text 520-261-5574.

May 18: East Ventura Community Council. Mayor Erik Nasarenko will provide an update on city matters. A representative of the Ventura Police Department will report on crime and safety issues. Books in good condition are always accepted by San Buenaventura Friends of the Library.

Starts at 7 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church, 346 N. Kimball Road. The public is encouraged to attend and participate. For more information contact John McNally, Chairman EVCC,   804-7558.

May 18: Monthly meeting of Assistance League of Ventura County at the Chapter House, 913 East Santa Clara Street.  Doors open at 9:30 a.m., meeting begins at 10 a.m. with guests and new members welcome. Assistance League is creating “A Brighter Tomorrow for Today’s Children” through several philanthropic programs. The Bargain Box Thrift Shop helps fund these programs. More information assistanceleagueventuracounty.org or email [email protected]. Monday thru Thursday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 643-2458

May 20:  Food Forward’s Backyard Harvest Program puts together a day of harvesting for those in need through their Citrus Saturday event.  Food Forward volunteers all across Ventura County will come together to harvest a variety of citrus from backyard trees throughout the area.  After this day of picking, Food Forward will be hosting a potluck at their Ventura County office where each volunteer is welcome to bring a dish. Please RSVP to Ally at [email protected].

Some of the agencies included FOOD Share, Catholic Charities, Help of Ojai and Project Understanding, all of whom help to feed those in need in Ventura County. For more information www.foodforward.org.

May 21:  We All Need Each Other. Dr. Vondie Lozano, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Hypnotherapist hosts Ventura Life and Love Hypnosis Meetup. Group Guided Imagery/Hypnosis included. Event is free from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ventura E.P. Foster Library, Topping Room. Information go to www.meetup.com/life-love-hypnosis/events/

May 21: 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 regular meeting starts at noon and at 11 a.m. an informal workshop where a topic on clocks or watches will be demonstrated and discussed. A mart where items will be for sale followed by lunch. A presentation by Noel Poirier on The National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia, Pennsylvania. $3 admission charge. Lunch is available for $5. Watches and clocks will be on display. More information at www.nawcc-ch190.com.

May 21: May 21: at 2-5 p.m., Rockin’ for a Cause Concert to Raise Community Awareness.  Donation $10.  Proceeds go to support Project Understanding; Musicians with a Mission; Arise Against Hunger; and Sierra Service Project. Featuring many bands.  First United Methodist Church Ventura, 1338 E. Santa Clara St.  Tickets: www.fumcventura.org/donate

The Ojai Library Ukulele Club meets every Wednesday, rain or shine, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the main library building. Continuously meeting since its formation in 2015, the club is open to all ages and levels of experience. If you have your own ukulele, bring it along! The club has a couple of extra ukuleles for drop-in guests.

Feel free to bring a copy of a song; the club collects these in a book of songs used during meetings. Each songbook includes a chord chart and is easy to follow—each song has the accompanying chords and lyrics listed and ready to play!

These events are 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 Avenue in Ojai, CA. 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.

Local author Edward Webster will visit the Ojai Library at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, 2017, to deliver a talk on his third book, Soul of Toledo. Described as a “suspenseful and ambitious historical novel,” this work is based on a detailed history by B. Netanyahu, a renowned scholar and father of Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Webster will talk about the historical context of the novel, his meetings with professors in Spain, and how he wove the novel around what he learned.

Visit www.edwardwebster.com for more information about the author.

Local author Gaelle Lehrer Kennedy will visit the Ojai Library at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2017, to deliver a talk on her novel Night in Jerusalem. Night in Jerusalem is a love story and a glimpse into Israel’s turmoil in 1967. The book depicts the religious immigrant, the secular Israeli born Sabra, those living in Jerusalem, and those outside the city during turbulent times. Academy Award-winning director Moshe Mizrahi described it as “a bewitching love story that is also an extraordinary portrait of Jerusalem, its faith, spirituality, identity, and kaleidoscope of clashing beliefs.”

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 Avenue in Ojai, CA. 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 welcomes Ojai-based photographer and educator, Greg Cooper, as its May presenter. Cooper, Director of Community Outreach for the Humane Society of Ventura County, will bring together volunteering and photography in his presentation,  “Volunteerism: Putting Your Photographic Skills to Use in the Community.” The event will take place Tuesday, May 16, at 7:00 p.m. in Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 W. Santa Ana St., Ojai, CA.

A volunteer for the Humane Society since 1990, Cooper will speak and share images from his long and fulfilling experience in community service.

In addition to the focus on volunteering, Cooper will present strategies for creating successful pet portraits based on his experience with shelter animals and his own HSVC rescued dog, Biskit.

The Ojai Photography Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February – November. Only members may submit images for review. For additional information please visit: www.ojaiphotoclub.com/.

The Ojai Valley Library Friends and Foundation (OVLFF) and its newly renovated used book store, “Twice- Sold Tales” will have its Annual Memorial Day Weekend Book Sale on Saturday, May 27, Sunday May 28 and Monday 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 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 for special programs for children and adults and for the purchase of additional materials and books.

The library bookstore has added a community room and it is available to the community to use for events. Please contact the library if you wish to reserve the room.

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

The Museum of Ventura County, in partnership with the Ventura Music Festival, will present Fire & Grace, the duo of William Coulter on guitar and Edwin Huizinga on violin, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 6. at the Museum of Ventura County Smith Pavilion, 100 East Main St.

These masters of classical, folk and contemporary music will perform selections from their famous Liquid Gold Suite, ranging from Bach to an Irish reel, from a tango by Piazzolla to a Spanish love song and to a Balkan dance tune. The evening begins at 7 p.m. with a dessert and champagne reception followed by the concert at 8 p.m. General Admission is $100 per person; museum members and festival sponsors and founders are $85 per person. All proceeds from this special concert go to support the Museum’s and Festival’s educational programs.

“It’s exciting to have two world-renowned musicians performing an amazing range of music to benefit the educational programs offered by the Museum to our community,” said Elena Brokaw, the Museum of Ventura County’s interim CEO. “Our programs are essential to achieving the museum’s mission to inspire and engage our local communities. It’s through events like Fire & Grace that we raise funds needed to support these outreach programs.”

Canadian-born violinist Huizinga has established himself as one of North America’s most versatile violinists. Grammy-award winning guitarist Coulter has been performing and recording traditional and classical music for more than 25 years.

In addition to the evening concert, the Museum is sponsoring a free family-friendly Fire & Grace Children’s Concert for ages 8 and up from 4 -5 p.m. An inspiring musical journey for young people, this engaging interactive concert features an introduction to the instruments, the music, a question and answer session, young musicians, dancing and more. Parents and grandparents are welcome.

To purchase tickets for the evening concert of Fire and Grace, visit http://bit.ly/2oj6jCe. For more information, contact the Museum of Ventura County at 653.0323.

The Museum of Ventura County, through its collections, exhibits, educational programs and publications, celebrates the history, art, and culture of Ventura County and the Channel Islands. The museum is open Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Closed Monday). Admission is $5.00 Adults (18 years and older), $3.00 Seniors (62 and over) and Students with ID, $1.00 Children (17-6 years old); Children 5 years old and younger are free.

On Saturday, July 29th, at 7pm, the Fenians will perform at the Dancing Oak Ranch, located at 4585 Casitas Pass Road.

The Fenians, for 20 years, have delivered their potent mix of traditional Irish folk and good old rock n roll all across the USA and Ireland. With an ever expanding set of original creations, as well as contemporary and traditional tunes plucked from the panoply of the genre, these five lads put on a live show that is second to none.

Adult tickets are $20 in advance only, kids 7 to 14 are $10 and can be paid for at the show. Pick up adult tickets in Ojai at Serendipity Toys, Ojai Creates, Ojai Coffee Roasting Company, and Cardinali Brothers Music. For more details or directions or tickets, go to our website: www.ojaiconcertseries.com. For information not available online, call Shane at 665-8852

Ojai native plant educator Lanny Kaufer is pleased to announce that he has added a second walk at the same beautiful private ranch in the Ojai mountains. The walk will take place on Sunday, April 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.. One of the conditions of visiting this site is that the location cannot be divulged in publicizing the event. The group will meet at Maricopa Plaza for a carpool to reduce the number of cars on the private road. The travel time to the trailhead will be 15-20 minutes. Participants will have the option to linger in the exotic gardens to eat their lunch (not provided). Otherwise, they can plan on returning to Maricopa Plaza by 1 p.m.

The cost is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors 62 years of age and up, and $10 for students 13-18. Payment can be made by cash or check on the morning of the walk. An additional $5/person donation is requested by the nonprofit organization that manages the property to cover the costs associated with having visitors. Kids 5-12 can go free, one per adult, by prior arrangement. No dogs or smoking, please.

To register for the Ojai Herb Walk, visit www.HerbWalks.com,email [email protected], or call 646-6281

Lanny Kaufer has been leading interpretive native plant walks and hikes in the Ojai-Ventura-Santa Barbara area since 1976 for groups of all ages. Lanny graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 1974 with a degree in Biology. Register at www.HerbWalks.com, email [email protected] or call 646-6281

Hildy Hoffmann will visit the Ojai Library on Saturday, April 29, from 2 to 3 p.m. to deliver a talk entitled Road Scholar: Adventures in Lifelong Learning.

Hoffmann will speak about Road Scholar, the world’s largest—and America’s first—educational travel organization for adults. Road Scholar offers nearly 8,000 affordable programs each year in about 90 countries worldwide. These programs offer a chance to expand one’s mind while being in the company of other people who believe that learning is one of the best parts of life.

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

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.