FYI: Community Events

OPALCO Meeting

There will be an OPALCO Board of Directors meeting in the OPALCO Meeting Room in Eastsound on Oct. 16 at 9:45 a.m.

Jazz and Salsa Music and Dancing

One of Vancouver's favorite Latin jazz and salsa ensembles, Rumba Calzada, will play two dates at Orcas Center — one for listening, one for dancing. The concert performance is on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. (tickets $16 for members, $18 for non-members, $10 for students). The group returns on Oct. 18 for a night of dancing in the Madrona Room, starting at 8 p.m. ($25 per couple, $12 per single.)

Candidate Forum

The League of Women Voters of the San Juans is sponsoring a Candidates' Forum on Oct. 17, 7 p.m., in the Lopez Senior Center. Opposing candidates for Lopez Island School District and Port of Orcas will appear. Also, pro and con discussions about the Lopez Fire Protection District levy increase as well as the San Juan County levy lift will be held.

Pink Floyd Movie Festival

The Lopez High School Art Club is hosting a Pink Floyd outdoor movie festival on Oct. 17, at Lot 76 1/2 between Vita’s and Doug James Floor Covering. At 7:30 p.m., “The Dark Side of the Moon” will be shown; between 9-9:30, “The Wall” will be shown. Donations are accepted; warm clothing and seating are recommended.

Library Park Clean-up

The Orcas Library Park Committee invites community members to give the Library Park, which is adjacent to the Orcas Library in Eastsound, a fall clean-up on Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to noon. This fifth annual event attracts many islanders of all ages to weed, bark and plant new specimens while munching cookies and sipping lemonade.

IOSA Training

Islands' Oil Spill Association is offering HAZWOPER (Hazardous Materials Operations and Emergency Response) training for oiled-wildlife responders, Oct. 18 on Orcas Island. This is one of two classes required by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife to be certified as an oiled-wildlife responder. Call 378-5322 for class time and location. The class is timed to accommodate people from other islands in San Juan County.

Ballet Auditions

Young dancers are needed for the Nutcracker Ballet. Auditions for children ages 6–12 will be held in Center Stage (the new, small "Black Box" theater at the back of Orcas Center), on Oct. 18, 3–4 p.m. "The Nutcracker" will be performed in Orcas Center by The Northwest Ballet Theatre School of Anacortes on Nov. 22-23. The cast will include 15-20 children chosen from Orcas. Call Jean Henigson, 376-6549.

One-Man Animal Kingdom

Using his body as an instrument, Christian Swenson’s one-man show is a fusion of dance, drama and music for body and voice. Swenson freely imitates other species and cultures, as well as entities from imaginary realms. This family fun performance is at the San Juan Community Theatre on Oct. 19, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $13 for adults and $7 for students. Call 378-3210, or go to www.sanjuanarts.org.

Mushroom Walks

Two mushroom identification walks in Moran State Park are scheduled for two Sundays: Oct. 19 and Nov. 2. Meet at the picnic shelter on the highway by Cascade Lake at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome and the walk will continue until around 3 p.m. The only charge is a $5 parking fee, required by Moran State Park. Bring some wood for the fire, a lunch and a collecting basket. Call Babs McCorison at 376-2404.

CATSPAW Clinic

CATSPAW will host a free "for cats only" spay/neuter clinic in Friday Harbor — available to all islands in the San Juans — Oct. 20-24. Space is limited. Schedule appointments by leaving a message on the CATSPAW voice mail at 378-9430. Your call will be returned in the order it was received.

Hospice Fundraiser

Sandy’s Place, on Fisherman Bay Road, is hosting a fundraising dinner for Lopez Hospice and Home Support on Oct. 21. There will be two dinner settings: 5 and 7 p.m. A set meal will be offered with a choice of Italian or Mexican, and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations. Price is $15. Call Sandy at 468-3858.

Land Trust Public Meeting

On Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m., at the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts, there will be a public meeting to share results of the countywide housing survey conducted by the Community Land Trust Alliance of the San Juan Islands. Open to the public.

Celebrate Recovery

You are invited to "Join the Voices for Recovery" to celebrate health and recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs on Oct. 22, 7-9 p.m. at the Orcas Senior Center. There will be refreshments, music, poetry and personal stories of recovery. Sponsored by Orcas Island Prevention Partnership, the celebration is an opportunity to understand more about recovery from the disease of addiction, to honor the power of the human spirit and to share hope. Call 376-5259.

Beading Workshop

Join Maggie Vinson and learn to make beaded friendship bracelets. This workshop will teach you interesting techniques in knotting, design and beading. Wednesdays from 1:15-3 p.m., at The Funhouse on Orcas. Starts Oct. 22 and runs for five weeks through Nov. 19. Grades 5 and 6. Fee: $20.

DVSA Fundraiser

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Awareness is hosting a chili dinner and silent auction, Oct. 24, 5-8 p.m., at the Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church Hall. Tickets $7 for adults, $4.50 for kids. To-go meals are available.

Navigating Our Future Conference

Navigating Our Future is offering a conference Oct. 24-26 at the San Juan Island Fairgrounds Building. This weekend event is a one-of-a-kind, hands-on collaborative forum for San Juan islanders. Participants will be invited into a creative design process and together develop strategies and action plans to move toward a healthier and more vital community. To register for the conference go to www.navigatingourfuture.org. Call Larry Greene, (360) 378-3123.

Birding Field Trip

On Oct. 25, Bob Myhr will lead a special San Juan Islands Audubon Society trip on Lopez in cooperation with the Skagit Audubon Society. Meet at the Lopez ferry landing at 9:50 a.m., meeting the boat from Anacortes that gets in at 9:35. A couple of drivers and cars are needed, so if you can drive call 468-2258. Participants will cover a lot of Lopez and welcome wintering waterfowl. Open to the public.

Roller Skating

Friday night roller skating in the Orcas Elementary School gym is back in full swing, thanks to the Booster Club. At 6-7 p.m. for Kindergarten and younger children only; 7-9 p.m. is open to all. Cost is $2 per session and includes skate rental. No outside skates allowed. The Booster Club uses the funds generated by this weekly event to support athletics at Orcas schools. If you are interested in volunteering or joining the Booster Club, call Amber Minnis at 376-2484.

Homework Club

The Homework Club meets every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at The Funhouse on Orcas Island from 3:30-4 p.m. Volunteers are ready to assist with the day’s assignment whether it be preparing for a spelling test, writing a short story, or tackling that tough math problem.

Computer Classes

The San Juan Island Library is offering free classes in how to use computers for beginners. The classes offered include “Getting Started on Computers,” “Basic Email,” “Basic World Wide Web,” and “Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Computers but Were Afraid to Ask Until Now.”

Enrollment is limited and class sizes are small. Each class is offered several times each season. Classes will continue to be available through the winter and spring. Library hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Library cards are free to island residents with proof of residency.

After School Story Hour

The San Juan Island Library is launching a new program: After School Story Hour. Children in the elementary grades will enjoy listening to stories, chapter books, and poetry in this informal setting in the library.

Playwright Entries

Deadline for submission for original 10-minute plays, to be presented in the San Juan Community Theatre in March, is Dec. 8. An information packet is available at the theater box office; by calling Merritt Olsen, (360) 378-3211, ext. 29; or e-mailing sjarts@rockisland.com.

— Any non-profit or charitable group or event that would like coverage in Community Events should e-mail csmith@islandsweekly.net or fax 468-4900. For the ongoing community calendar go to www.islandsweekly.net.

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