A view from the San Fernando Valley: A mural in Pacoima by artists Tatiana Sanchez and Juan Pablo Reyes, and dedicated to Flor Martinez, is seen on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024 in Pacoima. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Community meetings bring people together for exchange of ideas and memorable shared experiences. Here’s a sampling of events in the San Fernando Valley area.
March 18
Wings Over Wendy’s: Veterans from all services and ages, and their supporters, 8:30 a.m. Park on Valerio Street. Location, auditorium at 7401 Shoup Ave., West Hills. Contact Ed Reynolds, 818-884-4013. www.wingsoverwendys.com
Reseda Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 6:30 p.m. Location, 18118 Sherman Way, Reseda. Email: info@resedacouncil.org. www.resedacouncil.org
March 19
Southern California Garden Club: Meeting includes a plant market and country store, both for fundraising, plus a plant specimen display, 9:30 a.m.; business meeting, 10 a.m.; club member Alexis Slafer presents a workshop on “Camellias, the Queen of the Winter Garden,” 10:30 a.m.; Shelley Sparks, a club member, certified arborist and landscape architect, discusses “Trees are Good: Protecting and Caring for Them,” 11 a.m. Bring-your-own lunch, noon. Club meetings are on the third Tuesday of the month, Sept.-June. Sepulveda Garden Center, 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino. 818-996-3530. www.socalgardenclub.org and www.facebook.com/southerncaliforniagardenclub
Arleta Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 6:30 p.m. Location, Osborne Neighborhood Church, Fellowship Hall, 13501 Osborne St. www.arletanc.org
Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 7 p.m. Toluca Lake Elementary School, auditorium, 4840 Cahuenga Blvd. 818-971-9134. Email: info@gtlnc.org. www.gtlnc.org/
March 20
Book Club for Adults at Studio City Branch Library: Discusses “The Librarianist” by Patrick deWitt, 6:30 p.m. Location, 12511 Moorpark St., 818-755-7873. Details: tinyurl.com/5c4r29rn
Expert Speaker Night – National Alliance on Mental Illness – San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys: Guest speaker La Tina Jackson, a deputy director at Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (https://dmh.lacounty.gov/about/leadership), discusses the potential changes to the mental health system proposed in Prop. 1, 7-8:45 p.m. online on Zoom. Jackson will also take questions about Care Court and Assisted Outpatient Treatment for Los Angeles. Join the Zoom meeting here: bit.ly/3bMNm1Y. By phone, 669-900-9128 and use ID: 81835523630 and # and Passcode: 692327. Information for resources on mental health, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health: dmh.lacounty.gov. www.facebook.com/NAMISFV.ORG. Information about the local NAMI group and their support groups, www.namisfv.org
North Hollywood Northeast Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 7 p.m. Los Angeles Fire Station 89, community room, 7063 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood. Email: board@nhnenc.org. www.nhnenc.org
Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association: Guest speaker Jill Stewart, city editor at the Los Angeles Daily News, discusses various topics including the importance of local news coverage and the future of investigative journalism, 7:15 p.m. Send questions to Stewart by noon March 19 by email: sohazoommtg@gmail.com. Also, prior to the meeting, a social hour, 6:15 p.m. Meetings are streamed on Zoom (check the website for the link). Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center, 5056 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks. 818-377-4590. Email: soha914@gmail.com. www.soha914.com
March 21
Burbank African Violet Society: John Hershey, vice president of the club, presents “A Structured Conversation About African Violets,” 10 a.m. The meeting also includes a learning lab and a show-and-tell about African violets, silent auction tables and a raffle. Little White Chapel Christian Church, parish hall, 1711 N. Avon St., Burbank. 661-940-3990. www.burbankafricanviolets.weebly.com
Charity and Volunteer
Our House Grief Support Center’s 5K Walk and Remember: Singer-songwriter Andy Grammer (andygrammer.com) gives a special performance at the fundraising event on April 14. Schedule: check-in/registration, 6:30 a.m.; “in-memory” ceremonies begin, 7:30 a.m.; the walk begins, 9 a.m. Registration fee $50; $40 ages 17 and younger (through March 31; add $10 to both fees if you register April 1-12; event day fee $65; $55). Location, Woodley Park, 6076 Woodley Ave., Encino. Details on the event and to register: www.ourhouse-grief.org/ourhouse5k/
Flair Cares Food Drive – Hang Up Hunger: The 9th annual food drive at Flair Cleaners locations in Studio City and Valencia runs through March 31. Drop off nonperishable boxed and canned food (no glass jars or expired dates) during business hours. Donations go to the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry and the nonprofit Santa Clarita Grocery. Donations by customers will be matched up to 250 pounds per location. Locations: 4060 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Studio City (818-761-3282; flaircleaners.com/locations/studio-city) and 27011 McBean Parkway, Valencia (661-753-9900; flaircleaners.com/locations/valencia). www.facebook.com/flairdrycleaners. flaircleaners.com
Volunteers Cleaning Communities: Join the group for clean-up projects in the San Fernando Valley. Find a list of upcoming projects: https://volunteerscleaningcommunities.com/schedule-of-events. Information on the group and how to make a donation for clean-up supplies: volunteerscleaningcommunities.com
Farmers markets
Canoga Park Farmers Market: A certified market, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays. Rain or shine. Location, 7248 Owensmouth Avenue, between Sherman Way and Wyandotte Avenue. www.instagram.com/mainst.canogaparkfarmersmarket
Encino Farmers Market: ONEgeneration presents the market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays. Location, 17400 Victory Blvd. (between Balboa Boulevard and White Oak Avenue). Farmers market manager, 818-708-6611 or email: farmersmarket@onegeneration.org. www.onegeneration.org/farmers-market/
El Nido Farmers Market – Pacoima: El Nido Family Centers and the City of Los Angeles present the market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Location, Pacoima Family Source Center, 11243 Glenoaks Blvd. www.elnidofamilycenters.org/farmers-market
Woodland Hills Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Location, 5650 Shoup Ave. 818-300-3023. Facebook: bit.ly/44cFl0P
Send information at least two weeks in advance to Holly Andres at holly.andres@dailynews.com. 818-713-3708.
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