Calendar of Events

Community service hours are available for all volunteer tree planting activities. For more information call (949) 453-5670 or visit their Web site at www.shadetreepartnership.org .

SEA AND SAGE AUDUBON ACTIVITIES

Visit the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary - Sea and Sage Audubon House, located at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. There is a small natural history museum, book store, gift shop and free trail maps and bird lists. A volunteer is on duty every day to answer questions.
Audubon House Volunteers Needed . Answer phones, greet guests, and staff Audubon House. Shifts are four hours once a week or month. If you're interested, please call Bev Spring at (714) 505-9980.
Become a member of the National Audubon Society and the Sea and Sage Audubon Chapter. For more information visit their Web site at www.seaandsageaudubon.org or call the Audubon House at (949) 261-7963.

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF IRVINE
New to Irvine and want to get involved? Recently retired and have some extra hours to fill? A stay-at-home mom who wants adult interaction? An empty nester who enjoys volunteering? A professional who wants to give back to her community? Be part of this nationally recognized, dynamic group of like-minded women - Assistance League® of Irvine. New members are welcome anytime. Visit National Assistance League's Web site at www.nal.org/home2.cfm. For further information call (949) 798-5020.

LEADERSHIP TOMORROW
Now accepting applications for the Class of 2008. Leadership Tomorrow is a non-profit organization whose mission is to expand knowledge, empower citizens and promote community involvement through an education program in civic awareness and leadership. Applications for the Class of 2008 are now being accepted from adults who live or work in the communities of Irvine, Newport Beach or Costa Mesa. Classes meet once a month from September 2007 to June 2008 and give participants a behind-the-scenes look in areas such as healthcare, education, criminal justice, local government and the arts in Orange County. Information and applications are available at www.leadershiptomorrow.org or by calling (949) 729-4411.

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF IRVINE THRIFT AND GIFT SHOP
17801 Main Street, Suite H (Sky Park South), Irvine • (949) 955-3437
They are a non-profit volunteer organization, benefiting the Irvine community. They feature gently used clothing, household items, toys, books, shoes and much more. Donations welcome during normal business hours: Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Assistance League of Irvine is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to providing programs and services that will enrich and improve the quality of life in Irvine.

FAMILIES FORWARD
Food donations are always welcome and can be delivered to the office at 9221 Irvine Blvd., Irvine 92618. For more information call (949) 552-2727.
Families Forward exists to help families in need achieve and maintain self-sufficiency through housing, counseling, education and other support services. It has been serving the needs of families in the area for 22 years.

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL - Tuesdays from 7 to 8 a.m.
The general public is invited to visit a meeting or join the Toastmasters International "Water Meeters" Club #6492 . The mission of the club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. They meet every Tuesday from 7 to 8 a.m. at Irvine Ranch Water District headquarters at 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine. For more information call Debbie Kanoff at (949) 453-5876.

Help CoastKeeper help the coast!
Orange County CoastKeeper is a non-profit environmental organization working to protect and preserve the local coastal marine environment and watershed. CoastKeeper needs your help and monetary contributions to continue its work! To volunteer or donate to CoastKeeper, call (949) 723-5424 or visit www.coastkeeper.org .

VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Court Appointed Special Advocates is seeking volunteers to serve as advocates and mentors for abused children. Information sessions held monthly at the Heritage Park Library, 14361 Yale Avenue. For dates call (714) 619-5155 or visit their Web site at www.casaoc.org .

Stop and Swap at Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center
The Irvine Regional Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center recently began a new program called Stop and Swap. This program is designed to help the county reduce its cost of disposing of materials which cannot be safely disposed of with regular trash, such as paint, batteries, pesticides, pool chemicals, etc. Stop and Swap now allows residents to pick up usable materials which other residents have dropped off. "Swapping" helps residents reduce and reuse materials, helping to keep landfills, and ultimately our water supplies, free of hazardous wastes. Stop and Swap is available during the center's regular hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, except for holidays and rainy days. The center is located at 6411 Oak Canyon Avenue, off Sand Canyon Avenue between Irvine Center Drive and the Santa Ana Freeway. For more information call (714) 834-6752.

SECOND HARVEST OPENS DOORS TO COMMUNITY - Saturday, January 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County invites the community to celebrate the opening of its new facility at the former El Toro Marine Base (8014 Marine Way, Irvine, CA 92618). The festive event is free to the public and includes:

·       Behind-the-scenes tours of Food Bank facility and operations
·       Children’s nutrition education activities and seed planting
·       Food Bank programs and volunteer information
·       Food, music, games and other entertainment
·       Ride the Great Park’s orange balloon for a bird’s eye view of the Food Bank

Second Harvest’s new facility will double food storage and distribution operations that help serve approximately one in six Orange County residents at risk of going hungry each month. Second Harvest invites the community to learn about its mission to alleviate hunger in Orange County through volunteer opportunities, events and donations. Second Harvest Food Bank provides surplus food to nearly 400 charitable non-profit organizations throughout Orange County. During its 24-year history in Orange County, the Food Bank has distributed more than 235 million pounds of safe and nutritious surplus food to those who need it most. For more information, please call Second Harvest at (949) 653-2900 or visit www.FeedOC.org.

As a service to residents we feature a calendar of IRWD and community events on our site. Events or activities of community-wide interest may be included in the community calendar. We reserve the right to edit submissions and include only those items of most interest to the public. If your group has an event you would like to include, please submit written information, including event date, time, place, contact person's name and telephone number. Mail your request to IRWD, Public Affairs Department, P.O. Box 57000, Irvine, California 92619-7000, FAX to (949) 453-1327 or e-mail your request to velazquez@irwd.com