Ugly truck contest Saturday in Shedd

SHEDD - Central Linn FFA will hold its annual Ugly Pickup Truck contest Saturday in the parking lot of the Shed Cafe. All proceeds go to fund Central Linn FFA activities.

Check-in time is 11 a.m. and prizes, awarded in several categories, will be given out at noon.

Entry fee is $20. Checks should be made out to FFA Alumni. Entries must make it to the Shed Cafe under their own power.

New this year is a children's category for toy trucks. The entry fee for that category is $5 per truck.

Organizers are asking participants and spectators not to park at Shedd Market during the contest.

For more information, call Shed Cafe at (541) 491-3622 or visit www.sheddcafe.com.

Children's series starts with musician

The 2007 Children's Performing Arts Series opens at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Forum at Linn-Benton Community College with songs and a variety of percussion instruments sung and played by Greta Pedersen. Admission is free.

The next event in the series is a performance by Fast Horses at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at the LBCC Forum. Through poetry, humor, music and dance, Fast Horses tells stories of Native American influences on American culture.

The Children's Performing Arts series is in its 20th year. It is presented by the Albany Parks & Recreation Department and funded by many local businesses and individuals. A complete schedule of this year's series is available online at www.cityofalbany.net/

parks.

For more information about Parks & Recreation programs, call 917-7777.

Grant-writing course begins Saturday

Learn to write grants through the LBCC Albany Community Education Grant Writing course (CRN 35192), designed to help those working or volunteering in community organizations.

Learn basic grant proposal skills such as organization, structure and how to identify funding sources for various projects. Class will meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on two Saturdays, Jan. 20 and 27, at the LBCC main campus. Cost for this non-credit course is $45.

For more information or to register, contact LBCC Albany Community Education at 917-4840.

Workshop to train English tutors

A free tutor training workshop is being offered at Linn-Benton Community College for anyone who would like to help adults improve their reading, writing or English language skills.

The workshop will be offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on two Saturdays, Jan. 20 and 27, in the Luckiamute Center, room 116, at the LBCC main campus, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W. Participants must attend both sessions.

The workshop covers such topics as "The Adult Learner," "Cultural Differences," "Learning and Teaching Styles" and techniques for teaching reading, writing and the English language. LBCC tutors assist students who may be enrolled in the GED program or English for Speakers of Other Languages classes, or who come from local communities but are not otherwise enrolled at the college. Tutors may work in Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon or Sweet Home.

For more information or to register, contact Diane Goudriaan, LBCC literacy coordinator, at 917-4713 diane.goudriann@linnbenton.edu. Pre-registration is required.

Storytelling workshop offered for children

Students in grades 6-12 are invited to attend a free workshop on dramatic storytelling from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the main branch of the Albany Public Library, 1390 Waverly Drive S.E. Joyce Greiner of the Wonderkeepers Storytelling Guild will lead the activities.

For more information, call Doris Hicks, young adult services librarian, at 917-7580, ext. 4704.

Pay your library fine with donation of food

The Albany Public Library is sponsoring a weeklong food drive, starting Saturday, to benefit Fish of Albany.

The nonprofit organization supplies emergency food, clothing and other resources to those in need.

The library will waive $1 in fines for each box or can of food brought to the circulation desk at either branch of the city library through Jan. 27. The waiver is for those with overdue books or for fines that have been incurred. It does not apply to replacement fees for lost or damaged items.

Suggested donations include canned meats, peanut butter, cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, dehydrated potatoes, pastas, batter mixes, rice, ramen noodles, soup, canned or powdered milk, baby food and items such as soaps, detergents and toilet paper.

All items must be nonperishable, in good condition, have labels and not be past the expiration date. Home-canned items cannot be accepted.