Community meetings bring people together for exchange of ideas and memorable shared experiences. Here’s a sampling of meetings and charity/volunteer events in the San Fernando Valley area.
April 10
Wings Over Wendy’s: Veterans from all services and ages, and their supporters, meet from 8:30-11 a.m. every Monday of the month. Location, 7401 Shoup Ave., West Hills. Contact Ed Reynolds, 818-884-4013. www.wingsoverwendys.com
World Literature Book Club with West Valley Regional Branch Library – online: Discusses “My Side of the Matter” a short story by Truman Capote, 10 a.m. The book club is currently reading short stories from “Point of View: An Anthology of Short Stories,” eds. James Moffett and Kenneth R. McElheny. Check the website page for stories to be discussed on April 17 and 24. Request the Zoom link in advance by email to wv@lapl.org (put “World Literature” in the subject line). Location, 19036 Vanowen St., Reseda. Details: bit.ly/3ZsqhZr
Book Club with Sun Valley Branch Library – Online: Discusses “Horse” by Beraldine Brooks, 4:45-5:30 p.m. Request the Google Meet link in advance and by email to Esther Barrera, ebarrera@lapl.org (put “April 10 Book Club” in the subject line). Library, 7935 Vineland Ave., Sun Valley. 818-764-1338. Details: bit.ly/2XJ1Xoh
Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 6:30 p.m. Louis Armstrong Middle School, 5041 Sunnyslope Ave. www.facebook.com/ShermanOaksNC. shermanoaksnc.org. www.shermanoaksnc.org/page/viewNews/4317
April 11
Sun Valley Area Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, in-person and on Zoom, 6 p.m. Join the meeting on Zoom: bit.ly/3uT3qXZ. By phone, 669-900-6833 and use ID: 98766580221 and #. Sun Valley Branch Library, 7935 Vineland Ave. Voicemail, 818-767-8262. www.facebook.com/SunValleyAreaNC. www.svanc.com
Northridge West Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 6:15 p.m. Northridge Christian Church, 18901 Chatsworth St. Email: board@northridgewest.org. northridgewest.org
Winnetka Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 6:30 p.m. Winnetka Convention Center, 20122 Vanowen St. Email: board@winnetkanc.com. www.facebook.com/winnetkanc. winnetkanc.com
April 12
NoHo Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 6 p.m. North Hollywood Senior Citizen Center, 5301 Tujunga Ave. Email: info@nohonc.org. www.facebook.com/NoHoNC. www.nohonc.org
Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council: A board meeting is scheduled, 6:15 p.m. Check the agenda page on the website for meeting location. Voicemail, 818-217-0279. Email: board@prnc.org. www.facebook.com/PorterRanchNC. prnc.org
Los Angeles Police Department West Valley Area Community Police Advisory Board: The public is invited to the meeting on Zoom, 6:30 p.m. Guest speaker Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto (cityattorney.lacity.gov). Join the meeting on Zoom: bit.ly/3KEXo8m. By phone, 669-900-6833 and use ID: 83049486183 and # and use Passcode: 882924. The Zoom format will only show the panelists and guest speaker (not the public attendees). Future meetings will also be at 6:30 p.m. but in-person and on Zoom (the in-person meetings will be at the LAPD West Valley Community Station, community room, 19020 Vanowen St., Reseda). Details on the LAPD police advisory boards: bit.ly/40RWx9S. Email for more information: James Brown – LAPD West Valley C-PAB co-chair or Sgt. Larry Martinez at: 31179@lapd.online
North Hollywood West Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 6:30 p.m. James Madison Middle School, 13000 Hart St. Voicemail, 818-446-6469. Emails: nohowestnc@empowerla.org and board@nohowest.org. nohowest.org
North Hollywood North East Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 7 p.m. Los Angeles Fire Department Station #89, 7063 Laurel Canyon Blvd. Email: Board@NHNENC.org. www.facebook.com/NoHoNorthEast. www.nhnenc.org
Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council: A board meeting, 7 p.m. Apperson Elementary School, auditorium, 10233 Woodward Ave., Sunland. Voicemail, 818-951-7411. Facebook: bit.ly/2Zxrz8x. www.stnc.org/
Van Nuys Neighborhood Council: A board meeting is scheduled, 7 p.m. Check the agenda page on the website for the meeting location. Voicemail, 818-533-8662. Email: info@vnnc.org. Facebook: bit.ly/3lsRQOQ. vnnc.org
April 14
Current Events Nonfiction Book Club at Studio City Branch Library: Discusses “Surveillance State: Inside China’s Quest to Launch a New Era of Social Control” by Josh Chin, noon. Location, 12511 Moorpark St. 818-755-7873. Details: bit.ly/3YrLhQS
April 15
Friends of the LA River Great LA River CleanUp: The group is holding its 33rd annual event on two dates and seven sites along the 51-miles of the Los Angeles River. Register for a river cleanup, 8 a.m., in the Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex (6115 Balboa Blvd., Van Nuys). Also, at 8 a.m.on April 22 at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve (remove trash/debris from Haskell Creek or remove invasion mustard plants; Woodley Park, Archery Range area, Van Nuys). Details on the cleanup and Friends of the LA River: folar.org/cleanup-2023-earth-with-us. Register for the site and day of your choice in advance here: www.eventbrite.com/cc/earth-with-us-the-great-la-river-cleanup-529099
April 19
Adult Book Club at Studio City Branch Library: Discusses “This Time Tomorrow” by Emma Straub, 6:30 p.m. This meeting is in-person and on Zoom. Request the online link in advance by email to studio@lapl.org (put “Adult Book Club, April 19” in the subject line). Location, 12511 Moorpark St. 818-755-7873. Details: bit.ly/3H1G9ME
Ask a Psychiatrist Night – Online: National Alliance on Mental Illness – San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys present guest speaker Dr. Alex Kopelowicz answers questions about mental illness, 7-8:45 p.m. online on Zoom. 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. Information about the local NAMI group and their support groups, www.namisfv.org
April 20
Burbank African Violet Society: Guest speaker Leonard Re, president of the Southern California Council of African Violet Society of America and also, a master plant judge, will give a talk “Growing African Violets in Southern California,” 10 a.m. The society is celebrating its 37 anniversary at this meeting The meeting also includes 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
Northridge Woman’s Club: The group holds a fundraiser for the Therapeutic Living Centers for the Blind, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Pre-paid reservations required, $75, includes lunch (indicate your choice of chicken piccata, grilled salmon or butternut squash ravioli). Mail a check with attention to: Sylvia Andressen, 9227 Reseda Blvd., #120, Northridge, CA 91324. Porter Valley Country Club, 19216 Singing Hills Drive, Porter Ranch. Questions about the event, 818-231-8165.
April 22
Earth Day Big Clean-Up with Volunteers Cleaning Communities: Volunteer for the event event on Sherman Way from Platt Avenue (West Hills) to Vineland Avenue (North Hollywood), 9-11 a.m. All ages event. Teams of four work to clean-up a 1/2 mile section on one side of the street. volunteerscleaningcommunities.com/schedule-of-events. Registration required: bit.ly/3KgErr2
April 23
Granada Hills Woman’s Club Sock Hop: Enjoy music from the 1950-1960s and a spaghetti dinner, 2-6 p.m. April 23. Pre-paid reservations required by April 10. Send a check made out to GHWC, 10666 White Oak Ave., Granada Hills, CA 91344. More information, 818-366-9688 or 818-681-8593.
April 26
Braille Institute Los Angeles – Open House: The public is invited to learn more about the institute while exploring a new space that includes a Los Angeles cityscape sensory wall and mural, a recording room, a lightbright and a tech hub, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 26 (April is National Library Month). Special guest Lynne Thompson, Los Angeles Poet Laureate, gives a reading (April is National Poetry Month). Reservations required by April 19 here: brailleinstitute.org/library-workshops/rsvp. Location, 741 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles. www.facebook.com/brailleinstitute. brailleinstitute.org/
Charity and Volunteer
Tierra’s Treasures Thrift Shop: Grand opening for the second-hand boutique shop that will benefit Tierra del Sol, 10 a.m. March 25. The shop will be open until 4 p.m. Tierra del Sol, based in Sunland, is a nonprofit organization that helps adults with developmental disabilites in the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valleys. Shop hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Donations accepted: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday-Tuesday (in the back of the shop; call ahead, however, to find out what type of items may be donated). Location, 3315 Burbank Blvd., Burbank. 747-283-1725. www.tierradelsol.org
Our House Grief Support Center’s Walk ‘n’ Run for Hope: Register for the 5K event around Lake Balboa, 7:30 a.m.-noon April 30. Registration fees $45/$35, through April 29; and on event day, $50/$40. The event location, Woodley Park, 6076 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys. ourhouse-grief.org/runforhope
Tujunga Monday Night Bingo with Knights of Columbus: The organization holds the game night that generates funds for local charities. Early bird games, 6:30 p.m., and regular games at 7:30 p.m. Bingo games are set for multiple Monday dates. Buy-in $15. Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, auditorium, 7144 Apperson St., Tujunga. Details on Eventbrite: bit.ly/3S22nkb
Send information at least two weeks in advance to Holly Andres at holly.andres@dailynews.com. 818-713-3708.