Tell the D-H about meeting changes

It's 2009, and the Democrat-Herald wants to update its Community Calendar to reflect any meeting changes for the new year.

If your organization has changed its meeting time, date, location or contact information, please call News Clerk Amanda Robbins at (541) 812-6090 or send her an e-mail at amanda.robbins@ lee. net.

Red Cross seeks disaster-response volunteers

The Oregon Pacific Chapter of the American Red Cross is now accepting new disaster-response volunteers for the Linn County area. People can register now for January and February training sessions.

Participants learn how to respond to local and national disasters. All training is free, but preregistration is required. Classes are repeated several times to accommodate schedules, and volunteers are not required to take the entire series of 10 classes.

Preregister by calling the Emergency Services Department at the Red Cross office in Eugene, (541) 344-5244, or online at www.oregonpacific.redcross.org.

Storytime resumes at Jefferson library

JEFFERSON - Children ages 2-5 are invited to enjoy stories, songs and fun at 11 a.m. Wednesdays, beginning this week and continuing until May 13 at the Jefferson Public Library.

No registration is required for the free storytimes.

The library is located in the historic Jacob Conser House, 128 N. Main.

For more information, call (541) 327-3826.

Fundraiser set to help Lebanon man's family

The Academy of Cosmetology Careers will host a fundraiser for the family of Gregory Wayne Fisher Jr. from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at the academy, 1325 Waverly Drive S.E.

Fisher Jr. died Dec. 13 from an accidental shooting. The academy will donate 25 percent of sales that day to his family to help pay for funeral costs, which totaled around $8,000.

To schedule an appointment, call (541) 926-5244.

Mid-valley legislators plan town hall meeting

Three mid-valley legislators plan to hold a public town hall meeting on the 2009 legislative session at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Venetian Theater, 241 First Ave. W., Albany.

The legislators are Reps. Andy Olson, R-Albany, and Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, and Sen. Frank Morse, R-Albany.

Olson announced the event and said, "Our state needs bipartisan solutions to improve the economy, expand health care access, strengthen public safety and protect services for vulnerable Oregonians. I encourage all citizens to come with their questions and comments."

Among Olson's projects in 2009 is a bill to strengthen the penalties against metal theft.

Mental illness group sets class for family, friends

LEBANON - A free, 11-week course for family and friends of people suffering from major mental illnesses will be offered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays through March 19, at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, 525 N. Santiam Highway.

For more information, call Joyce Weatherly at (541) 258-8971.

Democrat-Herald