The Jaqualyn Palchak Cancer Fund presents its eighth annual Palchak Cancer Survivor Celebration. Designed to be for cancer survivors and caretakers, the event covers topics including updates on the latest cancer research, treatments and survivor testimonials. The AG Lions Club will cater a free chicken BBQ lunch. Join in celebration and appreciation on Sept. 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Saint Johns Lutheran Church in Arroyo Grande. For more information, see: www.palchakcancerfund.org.
•••
The Boys and Girls Club invites you to stay alive at “5 Cities Fever” with music by Sound Investment. It’s time to dig out those polyester bell-bottoms and platform shoes to get down! Tickets are $75 per person or $700 for a table of 10. Dinner will be provided by Francisco’s Country Kitchen. The event takes place on Sept. 11 from 2-6 p.m. at the home of Jack and Jayne Smith, 338 Quail Hill Ln., Arroyo Grande. All proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of South San Luis Obispo County located at 1830 19th St. in Oceano. For tickets or more information, call 805-481-7339 or visit www.bgcslo.org.
•••
The 14th annual 9/11 Memorial event takes place in Grover Beach. A free public display will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 and again on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The 9/11 Memorial Ceremony will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and will honor the victims and families of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the east coast, as well as victims of terrorism throughout the world. The Vandenberg Honor Guard, Pacific Horizon Chorus and various public officials, police, fire and safety personnel will take part event. The public is invited and encouraged to participate, and welcome to stay or come back for concert number 14 of the annual Sizzlin’ Summer concert series and Farmers’ Market, featuring the 60’s rock ‘n’ roll band, Unfinished Business. The concert and Farmers’ Market takes place from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
•••
The Central Coast Writer’s Conference is seeking vendors for its Book and Author Fair, set for Thursday, Sept. 29 in SLO’s Mission Plaza. Applications are available on the Cuesta College Community Programs website, see: https://cuesta.edu/communityprograms/writers-conference, or email Deborah Love at: [email protected]. The Writer’s Conference is set for Sept. 30-Oct. 1 and features numerous seminars and lectures by leading authors in several genres.
•••
The Friends of Price House are inviting the general public to take part in building a legacy and history. Now is your chance to purchase an engraved brick to be permanently be placed in the park. Your donation will go to funding continued renovation of the Price and Meherin Houses, while giving Price Historical Park the means to build an Event Stage for weddings, picnics, theatrical performances and more! Included in your donation are two tickets for the exclusive donor celebration on September 17 at 3 p.m., featuring food, wine and live music by Judith Bean and the Krew. Brick donations can be made online at: www.pricehouse.org or with Gee Consulting. For more information, contact Arlene Gee at: [email protected] or call 805-305-5185.
•••
The San Luis Obispo County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union will be holding a BBQ in celebration of Constitution Day on September 17. The event will feature Constitution centered games for both children and adults, speakers on ratification and the Bill of Rights, and additional educational materials. An exciting auction and raffle will be hosted with exciting prizes ranging from vacations get-aways to pocket Constitutions. The celebration starts at 1 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Park in San Luis Obispo. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children. For more information, contact Stewart Jenkins at 805-541-5763 or email: [email protected].
•••
St. Patrick’s Catholic Preschool – Jr. High School in Arroyo Grande is hosting their 54th Annual Community BBQ and Auction. The School’s famous oak pit BBQ Chicken Dinners will be served for dine in or takeout, while some of the Central Coast’s finest wines will be served at the Wine Booth. There will also be a children’s play area and a Live and Silent Auction! The event will be held on September 18 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Preschool – Jr. High School. Admission and parking is free. For more information, call 805-489-1210 or email [email protected].
•••
The Morro Bay Friends of the Library will hold a Used Book Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Library, 625 Harbor St. A “members only” sale opens at 9 a.m. with memberships and renewals available at the door. They’ll have tons of books from romance novels to horror, true crime, mystery, history, do-it-yourself and self help books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and more. The Friends also operate a used book store inside the Library year round.
•••
The Cayucos Land Conservancy is hosting its Annual Estero Bluffs Clean-up in coordination with ECOSLO, as part of the statewide, “California Coastal Clean-up Day” set for Saturday, Sept. 17. Estero Bluffs is part of the State Parks system and located along Hwy 1 north of the town of Cayucos. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Fig Tree parking area (a.k.a. Killers surf spot, some 1.4 miles north of town). Work as long as you wish and they’ll knock off at noon. Refreshments will be served and a raffle prize awarded to someone bringing their own equipment (bags, bucket, gloves, “trash grabber,” etc.). For more information or to volunteer to help set-up or take-down, call Mary at (805) 235-4543.
•••
The San Luis Obispo County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union will celebrate Constitution Day at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at Santa Rosa Park in SLO. The event will feature Constitution-centered games for children and adults, speakers on ratification and the Bill of Rights, and educational materials. There’ll be an auction, and raffles for prizes from vacation getaways to pocket Constitutions. The Constitution Day barbecue is $10 for adults and $5 for children under-18. Hamburgers, hot dogs, cake, and other goodies will be available.
•••
California has the second highest fatality rate nationwide involving drives ages 15 – 20 years old. Pismo Beach Police Officers will be instructing a “Start Smart” program geared toward reducing collisions and injuries involving teen drivers. The program will cover collision avoidance techniques, collision causing elements and driver responsibilities. Both teens and parents are encouraged to join. The class is being held on September 24 at 9:00 a.m. at the Pismo Beach Police Department. The approximate two-hour course is free of charge. Space is limited to 25. For registration, please contact Sergeant Dan Herlihy at 805-596-5078 or email [email protected].
•••
Gallery at the Network in SLO presents “Autumn Blaze, Harvest Days.” The entire gallery will be dedicated to celebrating the fall season. The show runs through Oct. 31. The public will have a chance to meet the artists during Art After Dark on Sept. 2 and Oct. 7 from 6-9 p.m. For more information, call 805-788-0886 or see: www.galleryatthenetwork.com.
•••
Tickets are on sale now for the Third Annual Bubbly Fest by the Sea, set for Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 6-8 at the Avila Beach Golf Resort. Get tickets online at: bubblyfest.com. Bubbly Fest is a celebration of the world’s greatest Champagne and sparkling wines and includes winery tours, seminars, parties and a grand tasting event at the golf resort. Events include: Bubbly at Sunset, a Sparkling Wine Dinner, with a 4-course dinner paired with wines from four winemakers; “Excursionar” presented by Laetitia Vineyard and Winery; a San Francisco Wine School Winemaker Seminar; Cocktails & Corks, Gatsby-inspired jazz and bubbles party, and more. Book in any hotel or vacation rental within the Avila Beach community for the weekend and receive a 20-percent discount on events (with proof of confirmation). Also, the Seacrest OceanFront Hotel is offering a 15-percent discount on all rooms during Bubbly Fest. For information, see: bubblyfest.com/stayandplay or email Holly Holliday at: [email protected]
•••
The 14th Annual National Sea Otter Awareness Week is set for Sept. 18-24 and Morro Bay is one of the best spots to view the little sea weasels. Sea otters are found along the Morro Bay Harborwalk that runs along Coleman Drive out to Morro rock. The trail has some benches at key viewing areas and thanks to the work of the Harbor Department the path along the shore by Target Rock is now separated from vehicle parking.
“The many sea otters in Morro Bay are integral to the health of our harbor environment and to our enjoyment of bay waters,” said Harbor Director, Eric Endersby. “When viewing otters be very careful as they are wild animals and may react if approached. If viewing from the water, best to stay at least five kayak lengths away at all times and enjoy them in a responsible manner.”
Sea otters are protected under more than one federal law including the endangered species act, and doing harm to or harassment of a sea otter (loosely defined) or any other marine mammals for that matter, could result in a citation and massive fine. To learn more about sea otters check out the State Parks Association’s docent trailer, which is usually parked by Target Rock on weekends.
•••
The Annual Sea Oaks MHP’s park-wide carport sale is set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at the mobile home park, 1675 Los Osos Valley Rd., in Los Osos. They’ll have furniture, succulent plants, model kits and lots more. And there’ll be yummy treats and coffee, too.
•••
Signups are being taken now for Heritage Oaks Bank’s 18th Annual Family Fun Run set for Sunday, Sept. 25 at Paso Robles City Park. The Fun Run benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County, the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo and the Paso Robles Public Library Foundation. There will also be free activities in the park for the entire family — face painting, balloon arat, a pancake breakfast, train rides, inflatables, arts & crafts and more. Each race participant will receive a race T-shirt, medal and will be eligible for prize drawings. Participants are encouraged to invite family and friends to join in the festivities, and can enter races online at www.hobfunrun.com or at a Heritage Oaks Bank branch for an entry form. The Fun Run includes a 10K and 5K race with prize money awarded to the Top-3 men and women in the 10K race and the top male and female for the 5K, with a total prize purse of $1,700 for both races. Other events include a 1-mile run for all ages, half-mile run for kids 5-12- years old, 75-yard dash for kids up to 5 (parents welcome to run free), and the 5-yard Not-So-Dirty Diaper Dash for babies. See: www.hobfunrun.com or facebook.com/hobfunrun. Businesses interested in becoming a sponsor or donating prizes should contact Heritage Oaks Bank’s marketing department at (805) 369-5264.
•••
The Morro Bay Chapter of the American Association of University will hold its first general meeting of the year at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 545 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay. The program will include a musical concert and reports from the middle school kids that AAUW sent to Tech Trek Camp, — part of a national AAUW program to encourage young girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math. They will also name the club’s 2016 Mildred Logan Nursing Scholarship recipient. AAUW meetings are open to the public.
•••
Morro Bay Art Association is presenting a demonstration in watercolor painting by award winning artist, Sarah DeLong from 3-5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12 at the Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St. Email: [email protected] for information. DeLong will demonstrate how she approaches strong design patterns in white water and rocks before making small value sketches. During the demo, she will guide participants through painting the movement of a rushing mountain stream. Free and open to the public.
•••
Greenspace The Cambria Land Trust presents an afternoon with Morro the brown pelican and his caregiver, Dani Nicholson, a wildlife rehabilitator, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 at the Creekside Reserve, 2264 Center St., in Cambria. Nicholson will talk about pelicans and environmental dangers to sea birds. She has cared for Morro since an injury made it impossible for him to return to the wild and she recently adopted another injured pelican. Cost is a $10 donation suggested at the door, children under-14 free. Bring a folding chair to sit on. No dogs allowed.
•••
Paws for a Cause (K9s 4 Veterans) and St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church in Morro Bay are teaming up for a benefit barbeque set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 22 at the church, 545 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay. Cost is $10 for barbecue beef or pork sandwich plus chips, salsa, a beverage and dessert and $2 for hot dogs or skewered veggies. There will also be live music. The event is to raise money and awareness for “K9s 4 Veterans” a non-profit group that provides service and companion dogs to Central Coast veterans at no cost them. A demo with service dogs will happen at 1 p.m. and the dogs and handlers will be on hand throughout the day.
•••
The first ever “Central Coast Art & Music Festival” is set for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 and 11-5 Sunday, Sept. 18 at the Los Osos Community Park, 2180 Palisades Dr. Admission is free, and the Festival benefits Estero Bay Community Radio. The 2-day, family-friendly Festival features 20 local bands on two stages, two beer gardens, and a $500 “Skateboard Jam Competition.” For more information about the Festival, participating as an artist, or becoming a sponsor, see: www.centralcoastartandmusicfestival.com.
•••
Arroyo Grande contemporary artist, Dan Holland, will be exhibiting at The C Gallery in Los Alamos for its fall exhibition. The exhibit, entitled “California Scene Painting” opens Saturday, Sept. 17 and runs through Nov. 16. The opening reception is from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. And on Oct. 15 Holland will be available for an artist talk at their bi-monthly Soup. Bread. Fire. Art Talk on-going event. Holland will be showing with sculptor, Albert McCurdy. For more information call Connie at (805) 344-3807 or [email protected]. Go online to: www.thecgallery.com for more information.
•••
McDonald’s is kicking off the school year with a free breakfast offer from 6:30-9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13 at participating Mickey-Ds on the Central Coast. Restaurants in Morro Bay, SLO, Atascadero and Paso Robles will participate. The offer is for kids in kindergarten-8th grade and a parent or adult must be present. Students can enjoy an Egg McMuffin sandwich, along with apple slices and choice of milk or O.J.
•••
The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden has several special events. Times, dates and costs are as noted. The Botanical Garden is located in El Chorro Regional Park 3450 Dairy Creek Rd., off Hwy 1 across from Cuesta College. There’s a day use fee at the gate too. See: www.slobg.org for more information.
• Blended Botany, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Enjoy Halter Ranch wine while discovering the diversity of plant life in Oaxaca, Mexico with Huntington Botanic Garden Curator, John Trager. Info at: slobg.org/botany. Cost is $5 for Garden members and $10 for non-members. Call (805) 541-1400 Ext. 303 to sign up.
• Children’s docent training on four Wednesdays, Sept. 21 and 28, Oct. 5 and 12, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Become a children’s docent to lead tours and make a lasting difference in the life of a child. More info at: slobg.org/docent. Cost is $20 with scholarships available. Call 541-1400 Ext. 303.
•••
Sheriff’s Family Day will be held on Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Madonna Meadows, 100 Madonna Rd. in SLO. The annual event is sponsored by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Advisory Foundation. Free to all ages, it’s a chance for the public to get an up-close view of the role that law enforcement and safety personnel play in our community. The event includes full demonstrations of Jaws of Life, Sheriff K9, CHP Helicopter and Bomb Squad.
•••
St. Benedict’s Church in Los Osos is starting a series of Sunday Sessions’ Concerts from Sept. 11-Nov. 20 featuring local musicians. Performances will start at 4 p.m. with an open jam and social hour from 5-6 p.m. Bring acoustic instruments and join the fun. On Sept. 11 is San Luis Obispo-based Wordsauce, an 8-piece hip hop/funk band that released an album in 2015, “The Flow,” and is now working on a new release. St. Bene’s is at the corner of Los Osos Valley Road and Clark Valley Road in Los Osos. Admission is free and donations are welcome. For more information, see: www.stbenslososos.org.
•••
Does your child love basketball? The Five Cities Youth Basketball Advisory Board, the City of Arroyo Grande Recreation Services Department, and the San Luis Obispo County YMCA are organizing the 2016-2017 Five Cities Youth Basketball League. This program provides instruction and competition for boys in grades 1st – 8th and girls in 1st – 9th grades. Registration will take place September 12, 15, 22, and 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the City of Arroyo Grande and Woman’s Club Community Center. Late registration will be taken September 26 through September 30 at the Arroyo Grande Recreation Office. . The fee is $75 per player, $60 for any additional family member. For more information, contact John Rogers at: [email protected] or call 805-473-5478.
•••
