Wildcat show at Foothill

Leopards Etc. will present a show of wildcats, live on stage, 2-3 p.m., Nov. 14, at Foothill College, Room 5015, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills.

The show will feature five wildcats, along with fascinating facts about their life in the wild. Learn about work being done by the Cheetah Conservation Fund to save the endangered cat. Wildcat merchandise will be available.

Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for children under 12. Parking is $2 in Foothill College Lot No. 6.

Tickets are available at the door, or in advance.

To reserve tickets, call (707) 874-3176 or e-mail leopards@leopardsetc.com.

LAVA brings Spooktacular downtown Friday

The annual Halloween Spooktacular, sponsored by the Los Altos Village Association, is scheduled 1-3 p.m., Friday, on Second Street between State and Main streets in downtown Los Altos.

The Spooktacular features a variety of activities to celebrate the Halloween traditions. Downtown stores designated by a smiling pumpkin poster in the window will open their popular trick-or-treating, noon to 3:30 p.m. Los Altos Camera will preserve Halloween memories by photographing children in their costumes, for a $3 fee, 1-3 p.m. Redwood Grove will provide a petting zoo. Face painting, a balloon artist, ghosts, goblins, witches and more of the traditional events are planned.

Egan Junior High School’s music department will perform during the festivities.

A costume parade will start promptly at 3:15 p.m. All parade participants receive a treat.

The Los Altos Recreation Department co-sponsors the downtown window painting by local students.

For more information, call 917-9799 or logon to www.losaltos-downtown.org.

Women’s club features collectibles columnist

The Federated Woman’s Club of Los Altos will hold its monthly meeting 11 a.m., Nov. 3, at Michael’s at Shoreline restaurant, Mountain View.

Steve Yvaska, known for his column, “The Seasoned Collector,” in the San Jose Mercury News, will talk on American art pottery, glass, silver, holiday collectibles and postcards.

Guests are welcome. For more information, call 948-3553.

Looking ahead to the new year, the club’s annual fund-raising luncheon is scheduled for Feb. 12, 2005, at Michael’s at Shoreline, Mountain View. Featured will be “Fond Memories” fashions by the San Jose Historical Museum Association.

Tickets are $35. Proceeds benefit Pathway Hospice, Help One Child and the Los Altos Educational Foundation. For ticket information, call 694-7841 or (408) 744-7841.

Let’s go birding in the Hills

Local birding expert Lisa Myers will conduct this educational look at area birds and their habitat, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Nov. 10, at the former Bullis-Purissima School site, 25890 Fremont Road in Los Altos Hills. Cost is $10 for residents, $15 for nonresidents. Call 941-7222, ext. 241 for more information.

Kiwanis collecting for turkeys

The Los Altos Kiwanis Club is collecting contributions for its annual Turkey Roundup. The club will use the funds to purchase turkeys for Bread of Life in East Palo Alto for Thanksgiving.

To contribute, send a check payable to the Kiwanis Club of Los Altos Foundation, to Los Altos Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 484, Los Altos 94023.

Children’s media expert to speak

The Mountain View Parent Nursery School presents James Steyer, author and renowned children’s media expert, 7:30 tonight, at Foothill College’s Smithwick Theater.

His topic will be: “The Other Parent: The Inside Story of the Media’s Effect on Our Children.” Tickets are $18 at the door.

AAUW hosts

fashion show benefit

The Los Altos/Mountain View Branch of the American Association of University Women has scheduled Fashions for a Cause, a luncheon/fashion show to benefit their Legal Advocacy Fund, 11:30 a.m., Saturday, at Michael’s at Shoreline restaurant in Mountain View.

Kathleen Cha, California AAUW president, will be the guest speaker. The event, sponsored is open to the public and will feature fashions from The Yum Yum Tree of Sunnyvale.

The Legal Advocacy Fund supports an equitable educational environment for women on university campuses. Since 1981, it has helped students, faculty, staff and administrators in higher education challenge discriminatory practices such as sexual harassment, denial of tenure or promotion, pay inequity and inequality for women’s athletics programs.

Reservations are $35; respond by Oct. 22. For reservations or additional information, call 967-0756.

Program on

women and the vote

The Los Altos History Museum has a new exhibit, “Votes for Women: Unfinished Business,” running through Nov. 21 at the museum, 51 S. San Antonio Road.

A Nov. 21 program will be held in conjunction with the exhibit. The program, co-sponsored by the museum and local League of Women Voters, features historical re-enactments of four women prominent in women’s political history. Actress and writer Melissa Stevenson will perform these biographical sketches 2-3 p.m. at the Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road. A reception will follow at the Los Altos History Museum after the performance.

Voices for Peace

meets monthly

Los Altos Voices for Peace (includes Los Altos Hills) meets 7 p.m. the second Monday of every month at Foothills Congregational Church (Learning Center), 451 Orange Ave., Los Altos. All members of the community are invited. Los Altos Voices for Peace is a non-profit, grassroots organization focusing on educational and advocacy projects that promote nonviolent solutions to global and local issues and the protection of civil liberties. For information, call 964-5068 or logon to www.losaltospeace.org.

Teens can go

‘Underground’

The Underground, a city of Los Altos recreation center for teens, offers a variety of free activities for the summer.

The center offers free entrance, supervision, entertainment, gaming systems, barbecues, contests and prizes. The facility includes a basketball court, large park, computers, PS2, big screen television, music, arts and crafts, pool table, air hockey, ping pong, foosball, and food and drink for sale.

The Underground is open all summer from noon to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. It is open to teens that are going into grades 7-12. The Underground is located at 400 University Ave., in the lower level of the Garden House, in Shoup Park, near downtown Los Altos.

For more information about the Underground, call Molly Jansson, teen program coordinator for the City of Los Altos, at 650-947-2884.

Water service

offers report

California Water Service Company has provided annual water quality reports, known as Consumer Confidence Reports, with its June water bills. Customers who drink the water but do not receive a bill because it goes to a landlord, homeowner’s association, or employer are encouraged to request a copy.

“We want everyone who drinks our water to have access to this report, which provides detailed water quality information, including results of our water quality testing,” said Los Altos District Manager Ron Richardson.

To request a copy of the report, call 917-0152.

Volunteers needed to

help homebound seniors

Community Services Agency’s goal is to help homebound seniors stay healthy, independent and in their own homes for as long as possible. The agency is seeking volunteers who can offer a few hours to drive seniors to and from medical appointments. To volunteer, call 964-4630.

Hospital chaplaincy

service needs help

The El Camino Hospital Chaplaincy Service will be orienting a new group of volunteers in September. A commitment of two hours per week for six months is required. For more information on the chaplaincy program, call the Rev. Maryellen Garnier at 988-7568 or logon to www.elcaminohospital.org.

Donate phones

to help victims

Used cell phones can be donated to the “Donate-A-Phone” program to help victims of domestic violence. Phones can be delivered, preferably in a plastic bag, to Shelly Potvin at Coldwell Banker, 161 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. Drop-off hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Donations are tax-deductible.

Volunteers needed

for Partners in Caring

The Stanford University Chaplaincy Office invites volunteers to provide practical and emotional support to community members who are homebound. Opportunities include friendly visiting, essential transportation, shopping and meal assistance. Training and ongoing education are required.

For more information, call 723-5101.

Hidden Villa seeks

farm guides

Hidden Villa Farm, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills, needs volunteers one morning a week to guide the nearly 20,000 schoolchildren who are expected to visit the farm this school year. Volunteer times are Tuesday to Friday mornings, for a minimum of two hours.

For more information, call 949-8643.

UN store seeks

volunteers

The United Nations Association Store, 552 Emerson Ave., Palo Alto, is seeking volunteers for three-hour shifts, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

This non-profit store has the full range of UNICEF gifts and cards. It also has, in its information center, videos, books and magazines for classroom curriculum use. All proceeds go directly to support the United Nations.

For more information, call 326-3170.

History museum

seeks volunteers

The Los Altos History Museum is looking for museum store sales volunteers, tour docents, resource volunteers and interns. Sales volunteers and docents are needed noon to 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. For more information, logon to www.losaltoshistory.org.

High school through graduate school students can join the intern program to gain experience, earn community service hours or learn about their community. To volunteer for the intern program, call 948-9427, ext. 10, or e-mail madelyn.crawford@ci.los-altos.ca.us.

Riding institute

seeks volunteers

The Westwind Riding Institute, located at Westwind Barn, 27210 Altamont Road, Los Altos Hills, is searching for energetic volunteers to help groom and lead horses, as well as walk beside riders during lessons.

The institute is a non-profit organization that offers riding lessons to children with physical handicaps 3:45-5 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays.

No experience is needed to volunteer, just a love of animals and dedication to the very special children of the community. For more information, call 947-8680.

E-mail notification

at Los Altos library

The Santa Clara County Library can send notices, such as titles of holds and overdue notices, to patrons via e-mail. To sign up for e-mail notification, patrons may obtain a form at the Los Altos main library reference desk and turn it in at the circulation desk.

At the Woodland branch library, patrons should ask at the circulation desk. Patrons who sign up will no longer receive such notices through the post office.

Volunteers needed

by service agency

The Community Services Agency needs volunteers to work one to two hours a week to help provide food to local low-income families and the homeless. Volunteer work would include the pickup and delivery of donated food from local markets to the agency’s Food and Nutrition Center. Weekday morning positions are available.

For more information, call 964-4630.

Daughters

workshops

Daughters of the American Revolution holds workshops the first Wednesday of every month. For more information, including the time and place of workshops, call 494-1866.

Girl Scouts aid

homeless

The Girl Scouts’ Shelter Program provides after-school educational experiences to more than 400 homeless children at four county shelters. The program offers recreational activities as well as help with leadership skills, decision making and conflict resolution.

For more about this program and other Girl Scout activities, call 949-5531.

Red Cross accepting

vehicle donations

The American Red Cross in Palo Alto has initiated a vehicle donation program to generate funds for disaster preparedness and health and safety services in the community.

The Red Cross is accepting contributions of new and used - running or not - automobiles, small pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. A free and convenient pickup will be arranged, and a tax-deductible contribution will benefit the donor as well as the Red Cross.

To donate a vehicle, call 688-0415.

Los Altos-Mtn. View

newcomers club

The Alto-View Newcomers Club, a non-profit organization serving families in Los Altos and Mountain View, sponsors a variety of activities, including wine tastings, mom-and-tot get-togethers, a book club, tennis and potluck dinners.

For more information, call 961-6873.

Guide dog puppies

looking for homes

The San Rafael-based Guide Dogs For the Blind, Inc. is recruiting adults and youths to raise guide dog puppies. Volunteers are needed to teach puppies obedience, house training and social skills by providing home care and direction. The commitment lasts for about 15 months, after which the pups are returned to the guide dog school in San Rafael for formal training by licensed instructors.

For more information, write to Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc., Puppy Raising Department, P.O. Box 151200, San Rafael, CA 94915-1200; call (800) 295-4050; or logon to www.guidedogs.com.

Wildlife Rescue offers

classes for volunteers

Volunteers 16 years or older interested in caring for injured wildlife can enroll in Wildlife Rescue’s year-round training classes.

Mid-March through early October is the busiest time of year for Wildlife Rescue. This is nesting season, and many baby birds and squirrels fall from nests due to people pruning their trees.

Last year Wildlife Rescue cared for 2,410 injured and orphaned wild animals, including many from the Los Altos area. Approximately 58 percent of the animals treated were returned to the wild.

For more information, call 494-7417.

Support group for

single parents

The Shoreline Chapter of Parents Without Partners serves Santa Clara County as a support group for single parents. The group meets 5 p.m. every Saturday for introductions to the organization and is open to all single parents. A monthly dance is held every third Friday.

For more information, call (408) 275-9057.

Widows and widowers

support group

The Mid-Peninsula Widows and Widowers Association meets 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Los Altos Lutheran Church, 460 S. El Monte Ave., Los Altos. The association helps people begin a new life following the death of a spouse. All widows and widowers of the area are invited to attend.

For more information, call 964-2612 or 968-1408.

Senior home repair

volunteers needed

The City of Los Altos Senior In-home Repair Program needs volunteers to perform minor repairs. The program makes it possible for senior citizens to continue living independently in their own homes.

People handy in any aspect of home repair are urged to call the city’s Volunteers Enriching Government Action coordinator at 948-1491, ext. 229.

Business women’s

association

The American Business Women’s Association meets 5:30 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of every month, at Mac’s American Grill, 325 Main St., Los Altos. The group is dedicated to the professional development of women.

For more information, call 324-2808 or 964-8000, ext. 3013.

Kiwanis meets

every Tuesday

The Kiwanis Club of Los Altos, which benefits primarily needy or underprivileged children, meets at noon every Tuesday at Mac’s American Grill, 325 Main St., Los Altos.

For more information, call 964-7051.

Symphony auxiliary

invites new members

The Peninsula Symphony Auxiliary has been serving the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra for more than 30 years. The auxiliary is made up of guilds from Los Altos to Burlingame. The guilds meet once a month for a music-related program.

Anyone interested in becoming a guild member may call 941-1857.

CSA seeking help

for seniors

The Community Services Agency of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View needs volunteers in the Senior Outreach Service program. Volunteers provide assistance with daily living activities to seniors in their homes.

Opportunities include brown bag drivers (must be available 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays), escorted transportation drivers, in-home volunteers (grocery shopping and light housecleaning) and socialization support (assistance in reading).

For more information, call Penny Morehead at 964-4630.

Weekly bag of food for

low-income seniors

Low-income Los Altos and Los Altos Hills seniors may be eligible to receive a weekly bag of groceries for $10 a year.

Those who are 60 years of age or older, or disabled and 55 or older, may call Second Harvest Food Bank at (408) 266-8950 or Community Services Agency at 968-0836 to find out whether they qualify.

American Legion

meeting at Elks

American Legion Fremont Post 52 meets 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. every Friday at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge on El Camino Real, Palo Alto. The organization focuses on supporting disabled veterans at the Veterans Hospital in Palo Alto.

For more information, call 961-2232.

Foothill Stamp Club

open to collectors

All persons interested in stamp collecting as a hobby may join the Foothill Stamp Club, which meets 7:30 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month on the second floor of Great Western Bank, 199 Main St., Los Altos.

Longtime collectors and newcomers alike are invited to join the club. For more information, call 964-8923.

Camera operators

sought by VEGA

The City of Los Altos volunteer program, Volunteers Enriching Government Action, needs people to operate the remote-controlled TV cameras for city council and planning commission meetings. Training with easy-to-follow directions will be provided for qualified candidates.

Meetings are held Tuesday and Thursday nights. After initial training, a six-month commitment is required.

For more information, call Volunteer Coordinator Phyllis Semple at 948-1491, ext. 229.

Friendly Visiting Service

seeks volunteers

Friendly Visiting Service is seeking volunteers to make weekly one-hour visits to senior Los Altos residents who live alone or in care homes and who have few or no family or friends in the area.

The volunteers are needed in four Friendly Visiting Service programs. An interview and four hours of training are required.

For more information, call 329-0888.

Docent training

from MROSD

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is registering volunteers for its docent program, which provides guided hikes, walks and tours to the public throughout the year.

The program attracts adults of all ages who are interested in the preservation of open space and who would enjoy learning about the natural and human history of the midpeninsula and sharing their knowledge with others.

For more information, call Patty Quillin at 691-1200.

Volunteers needed

for Food Closet

The Food Closet needs volunteers to help sort and carry donations, organize merchandise and hand out food bags. Volunteers may work 9 a.m. to noon or 1:30-4:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. The Food Closet serves low-income families and individuals in Mountain View and Los Altos.

For more information, call Shirley Lowler at 964-4630.

Volunteers needed

for trail projects

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has opportunities for volunteers to help with trail and revegetation projects on its open space preserves.

Space is limited, so volunteers should call and register at least one week in advance. Training, tools and supervision are provided.

To be placed on the mailing list for volunteer projects, call 691-1200.

Exchange students

need local hosts

Local families interested in hearing a new language, experiencing another culture and seeing how easy it is to make new friends who will last a lifetime are invited to learn more about hosting a Youth For Understanding international exchange student.

All kinds of families are selected as hosts: married couples with or without children, single parents, as well as families with teenagers. Host families provide room, board, guidance and the experience of what everyday life is like in the United States.

For more information, call Eric Seid at 948-3300.