NOVEMBER 5
•Quilter Meeting Slated
The Calcasieu Cut-Up Quilt Guild will hold it monthly meeting November 5, 2009 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Managan Center on the corner of Sampson and McKinley Streets in Westlake. The program will be on “Thread Play” by Judy Beskow. Come early and have coffee.

NOVEMBER 6
•’25 Years of Love’ Exhibit Opening Reception
1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street announces the opening of a new exhibition, “25 Years of Love”. Local artist Pat Love will host an opening reception on Friday November 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The public is invited to attend. The collection of oil paintings and prints will hang through December 26.
Love has shown her paintings in local as well as international juried exhibits. Some of her pieces can be seen in The McNeese Permanent Collection from the National Works on Paper Exhibit and at Bayou Treasures in Welsh. Other recent shows include The Southern Open and Gallery 359 in Lafayette, and The Zigler Museum in a Jeff Davis Parish. Her works have also been included in The Masur Museum’s juried competition along with The Louisiana Competition.  
Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. For more information, please call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com.

NOVEMBER 6, 13
•Movies Under the Stars
Pack a picnic and bring the kids out for a night to remember this fall as the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury presents “Movies under the Stars,” at Prien Lake Park, 3700 West Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles. The series will show features Friday, November 6 and 13. Each screening will begin at 6 p.m., or whenever dusk occurs. The event is free to the public. 
“Casablanca”, one of the most quoted films of all time, offers a romantic night out in November. Finally, the Parish asks, “What do animals do when humans aren’t looking?” “Barnyard” answers that question in a way sure to tickle your funny bone.
Patrons are allowed to bring their own food, or they can buy tasty selections from The Landing restaurant, a participating partner with the series.
Seating is not provided, so patrons are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair.  In the event of inclement weather, the event will be canceled. For more information, please call 721-3500.
Movies under the Stars is proudly supported by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and Capital One.

 
NOVEMBER 7
•Sulphur Farmer's Market

Come and enjoy the various goods being offered by a number of vendors, many homemade and craft items, homegrown vegetables, fresh shrimp, homemade jams and jellies, hot tamales, hot sauce, coffee, hot chocolate and muffins, hot dogs and hamburgers, and lots more. The Market is located at 210 W. Napoleon Street (at the cottage shops) and is held from 8 a.m. until 12 noon.
•Charlotte Landry David Benefit
Charlotte Landry David, formerly of Vinton, was recently diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She has since undergone a bone marrow transplant at M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston.
A benefit has been scheduled to assist her with medical, travel and temporary living expenses while receiving treatment in Houston. It will be held on November 7 at Niblett’s Bluff Park in Vinton from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The day will consist of a motorcycle ride, live auction, children’s activities, live bands and jambalaya plate lunches. Gifts will be auctioned off on the day of the benefit.
For those wishing to donate, an account has been setup with Capital One bank under the name Charlotte Landry David. You can visit any branch to make a donation.
For further information, contact Mark Miller, 337-515-4156, or Denise Mathews, 337-802-0658.

NOVEMBER 8
•Bunco Party
Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court 1980 of Immaculate Conception Church in Sulphur is sponsoring a Family Bunco Party on Sunday, November 8 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the church. Admission is $5 with proceeds benefiting Relay for Life for cancer patients and research in our area. There will be games, prizes, food, and fellowship. The church is located at 2700 Maplewood Drive. For additional information call May Hill at 625-8119.

NOVEMBER 10
•WCCH Hosts Seminar on Managing Diabetes
A free seminar on diabetes management sponsored by West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, November 10 at Dynamic Dimensions in Sulphur.  Featured speakers and topics for the seminar include:  Kelly Fuqua, MD, “Complications of Diabetes” and Tyson Green, DPM, “Put Your Feet First.” A cooking demonstration will also be provided by Leslie Petross, registered dietitian. A variety of vendors will be on hand to provide information, including the Home Health Agency of WCCH, the Wound Healing Center of WCCH, Hanger Prosthetics, The Eye Clinic and many others. The seminar is free; however, seating is limited. To reserve a seat, please call (337) 527-5459. Refreshments will be served.

NOVEMBER 12
•WCAC November Meeting Slated
The November meeting for West Calcasieu Association of Commerce will be held at noon on Thursday, November 12th at the Frasch Park Building Conference Room. Guest speaker will be Dr. Mike D. McDaniel, PH.D. with LSU Center for Energy Studies. The topic of his talk is “A Look at Climate Change Legislation--Cap & Trade”.  He will give a climate legislation update, cover the potential impacts of Cap-and-Trade on Louisiana, circumstances favoring and impeding Climate Change Legislation, potential EPA Regulation of greenhouse gases, and the U.S. Chamber initiative. Current members and those interested in joining the WCAC are welcome to attend the catered luncheon. Cost is $10 per person. All area industry and business are welcome to come to this informative talk and invite coworkers and friends. For more information on the November meeting or membership in the West Calcasieu Association of Commerce, please call 337-533-1040
•Westlake Senior Citizen Thanksgiving Celebration slated
On Thursday, November 12, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., American Legion Post 407 and the West Cal Kiwanis Club will be sponsoring a Thanksgiving celebration for all area senior citizens. The event will be at the American Legion Post 407 home on 912 John Stine Road. There will be dancing, door prizes, and wonderful food, plus music by Earl LaPointe. For more information, contact the CCOA at 474-2583 or the Westlake Senior Center at 436-6879. All senior citizens in the area are invited to attend.

NOVEMBER 13 & DECEMBER 11
•Care Help Free Training
Free training at Care Help of Sulphur with noted workshop presenter Carol Pettyjohn on November 13. Job Skills Assessment on December 11, budgeting skills from 1 to 3 p.m. Care Help of Sulphur is located at 112 E. Thomas St. in Sulphur. Seats are limited, so call to reserve at 528-2273. Every second Friday each month there is a free drawing for a Wise Penny Thrift Store gift certificate. Visit our website at www.care-help.org

NOVEMBER 15
•VFW Americanism Contest
Sulphur VFW Post 8107 and Ladies Auxiliary will sponsor the annual VFW Americanism Contest. All students in the public, private and homebound sectors in Sulphur, Carlyss, Westlake, Hackberry, and Johnson Bayou may enter through November 15, 2009. The Americanism Contest consists of the following categories and age groups: Kindergarten - Coloring of American Flag furnished by Post; Grades 1 and 2 - Drawing and coloring of American Flag, pay attention to stripe colors; Grades 3 and 4 - Drawing of a Historical Event (not a ship or plane); Grades 5 and 6 - Essay 300 to 400 words titled “ How  I Show My Patriotism On Memorial Day.” Please put name and school on reverse of entry. First, second and third place winners in each category. Contact VFW Post 8107 for more details.

NOVEMBER 16 (deadline)
•Gingerbread House Contest
The aroma of holiday spices, candy canes, sugar gumdrops, and gingerbread will soon swirl through the air. The Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau knows that nothing says Christmas quite like gingerbread houses! Entry forms are now available for the Annual Gingerbread House Contest to be held at noon Saturday, Dec. 5, in conjunction with the Lake Charles Annual Christmas Lighting Festival. Sponsored by the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, the contest and awards ceremony will be held at the bureau located at 1205 North Lakeshore Drive in Lake Charles. Entry divisions include amateur, professional and school groups. Southwest Louisiana’s very own mascot, Gumbeaux Gator, will help present the awards on Dec. 5. The Gingerbread Houses will remain on display at the bureau throughout the month of December, and all visitors during that time will be able to vote on the People’s Choice Award to be announced Tuesday, Dec. 29, at the bureau. The deadline for entering the contest is Nov. 16. Entries must be delivered to the Convention & Visitors Bureau between 1 and 4:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4. For registration information, contact the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 436-9588 or visit www.visitlakecharles.org.

NOVEMBER 17
•Smart Parenting Seminar: Mean Girls
Family & Youth will host a Smart Parenting Seminar: Mean Girls on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. Mean girls… they are in every school and at all grade levels, including preschool and kindergarten. Relational Aggression (girl bullying) begins in elementary school, often peaks in middle school, and sometimes continues into high school. Discussion includes the ways girls bully others, how to identify if your child is a victim or a “Bully,” and actions to take when dealing with a “Mean Girl.” This presentation is designed to offer parents and girls ages nine and up valuable information and techniques in how to successfully deal with “Mean Girls.” Call 436-9533 to register or for more information, or email Kristen at Kristen@fyca.org. Cost is $10. The workshop is held at Family & Youth, 220 Louie St., Lake Charles, LA 70601. Smart Parenting Seminars, a service of The Counseling Center, are offered every month. The Counseling Center is a program of Family & Youth. Family & Youth, a United Way Agency, believes that all individuals possess the ability to solve their own challenges and live full and healthy lives when support is available. Let us support you and your family. For experienced professional assistance, contact Family & Youth at 337-436-9533 or 1-888-414-FYCA.

NOVEMBER 19
•Canned Food Scavenger Hunt by SHS Student Council
The Sulphur High School Student Council will be hosting a Canned Food Scavenger Hunt to benefit Care/Help of Sulphur on Thursday, November 19, 2009 from 5 to 7 p.m.  Participating school organizations will go out into the community to collect various canned food items worth a set amount of points. The organization that has the most points will win a pizza party at lunch. Last year, the participants of the scavenger hunt collected over 1,000 items that were donated to Care/Help of Sulphur.

NOVEMBER 21
•Miss Christmas Under the Oaks Pageant
The Miss Christmas Under the Oaks Pageant is held annually in November in conjunctions with the Sulphur Christmas Under the Oaks Lighting Festival and the Christmas Parade of Balloons. This year the pageant is on November 21, 2009 in the Sulphur High School Auditorium. There are 10 age divisions for young ladies between 0 - 23 years of age. The queens in each division will receive beautiful custom designed rhinestone crowns with matching banner pins, full wraparound monogrammed banners and engraved silver trays. They will be presented at the festival and ride in the Sulphur Christmas Parade on the first weekend in December. The fee is $55 for early entries and $60 to enter on November 20 or at the door. There is a $10 sibling discount after the first contestant in a family. Photogenic and optional awards are included in the fee.  Visit the web site at www.christmasundertheoaks.webs.com or call Fae Bergeron at 337-526-7832 or faebergeron@aol.com or JoAnne Dugas at 337-583-8505 or jasdugas@camtel.net for more information. Forms are available at the local pageant dress shops, Karen Ogden dance Studio, Henning Cultural Center. This pageant is open to all contestants and the queens are not contracted. The festival and parade are held on the first weekend in December and includes the Holiday House Shopping Extravaganza at the Henning Cultural center. The City of Sulphur will be decorated in all of it's finery where it snows every year! Very family oriented, there is no alcohol allowed and lots of things for the kids to enjoy. The musical entertainment will surely be of interest to the adults and the craft and food booths will be in abundance. 

NOVEMBER 28 (deadline)
•Sulphur Kiwanis Club Balloon Parade
The Sulphur Kiwanis Club is currently gearing up for their annual Christmas Balloon Parade. The theme this year will be “Classic Children’s Christmas Stories.” The parade will be held on December 5, 2009 starting at W.W. Lewis Middle School and continue down Cypress Street to the Christmas Under the Oaks festivities. Please contact Millie Deville or Chris Foster at 528-9131 or 527-5066 if you have any questions or if you would be interested in being a parade sponsor this year. Entry forms maybe be picked up at Southwest Daily News, 716 E. Napoleon Street, or at City Savings Bank, 1520 Maplewood Drive. Deadline for entries is November 28, 2009.

DECEMBER 7
•First Monday in the Atrium
The Foundation at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital is pleased to present First Monday in the Atrium, a musical interlude held on the first Monday of each month from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the atrium at Memorial Hospital on Oak Park Boulevard.
December’s performance will be held on Monday, December 7, and will feature the Masterworks Choral Ensemble.
First Monday in the Atrium is free and open to the public. The performances are made possible thanks to the generous support of Business First Bank, The Eye Clinic and Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
For more information on First Monday in the Atrium or The Foundation at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, please call (337) 494-3226.

FEBRUARY 1, 2010
•VFW Outstanding Young Volunteer Contest
The Outstanding Young Volunteer Contest is for outstanding youth who submit, by February 1, 2010, three letters of recommendation from the organizations for which you volunteer. Contact VFW Post 8107 for more details.

MARCH 31, 2010
•VFW Young American Creative Art Contest
Young American Creative Art Contest for Grades 9 through 12. Please submit a sketch, painting or drawing of a patriotic theme. The deadline is March 31, 2010. Contact VFW Post 8107 for more details. Contact VFW Post 8107 for more details.

ONGOING
•‘Works of Men 2.0’  at Henning Cultural Center
The Brimstone Historical Society invites you to their newest art exhibit at the Henning Cultural Center. Last year’s “Works of Men” exhibit received great feedback from the community, so it has returned! “Works of Men 2.0” will be at the Henning Cultural Center from October 22 to November 19. The exhibit features artwork from several male artists from this area. This year’s artists include Geoff Russell, Matthew Tabor, Ralph “Pie” Sonnier, Troy Broussard, Brian Prudhomme, Charlie Guidry, and Drew LaBorde.  Several different mediums will be on display, including oil paintings, photography, digital art, ironwork, wood crafting, and more. The Henning Cultural Center is located at 923 Ruth Street in Sulphur. For information about this exhibit, please call 337-527-0357.
•Sponsors Wanted for new Community Garden
The Maplewood/Hollywood Lions Club is looking for sponsors for the new Sulphur Community Garden that is located next to the Lions Club building at 3310 Maplewood Drive. Any business or non-profit organization interested in sponsoring a garden bed should call Lion Nancy Tower at (337) 842-7849 or leave a message at the Club by calling (337) 625-2516.
•Mayor’s Commission for the Needs of the Disabled
On the second Wednesday of each month, 10:30 a.m., the Mayor’s Commission for the Needs of the Disabled meet in the Sulphur City Council Chambers, 500 N. Huntington Street.
•CFO Offers Saturday Morning Sports Injury Clinic
Center for Orthopaedics (CFO) will be offering a Sports Injury Clinic for high school athletes every Saturday morning beginning August 29.  The Sports Injury Clinic will be open from 8 to 10 a.m. at CFO’s new Lake Charles office, located at 1747 Imperial Blvd. (just off Nelson, 1/2 mile South of Country Club). CFO’s staff of orthopaedic and sports medicine physicians and support staff have extensive experience in working with local and national high school, college and professional athletes.  Walk-in patients with sports injuries are accepted and no appointment is needed. The Sports Injury Clinic is offered as a convenient service for area athletes and will continue throughout the high school football season. Call 721-7CFO for more information or visit www.centerforortho.com.
•Shots for Tots Program
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital is a provider of the Shots for Tots program. The schedule is as follows: First Saturday of each month, 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital, 701 Cypress Street, Sulphur; First Saturday of odd months, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Vinton Medical Clinic, 1611 Hampton Street, Vinton; Second Thursday of each month, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Dynamic Dimensions East, 602 Sam Houston Jones Parkway, Moss Bluff. There is a $10 fee for shots. Program is open to children, teens and adults. For more information, or for schedule changes, call (337) 527-4361 or visit www.wcch.com.
•WCCH Diabetes Support Group Held Monthly
A Diabetes Support Group meeting is held on the last Tuesday of the month at 11:30 a.m. at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital in the Cafeteria Conference Room. This meeting is free to the public.