SANTA CRUZ

Mental health advisory board to meet Jan. 16

The Santa Cruz County Mental Health Advisory Board, a nonprofit advisory commission to the Board of Supervisors of Santa Cruz County, will meet from 3-5 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Health Services Agency, 1400 Emeline Ave., Rooms 206-207. Meetings are open to the public.

SANTA CRUZ

Free food, clothing for those homeless

New Beginning Community Church of Santa Cruz will be hosting a free event to serve the unhoused community, on Saturday Jan. 11, from 12-3 p.m. This event will be held at the Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St. There will be a boxed lunch, some clothing, bags with toiletries, socks, beanies and gloves. All free.

For more information, call Sharon 831-239-3659 or swmiller@pacbell.net

SANTA CRUZ

SIR invites Damians Ladder founder as speaker

Newly expanded SIR Branch 20, now consisting of Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo areas since merging with Branch 36, presents its first speaker of the year, founder of nonprofit Damians Ladder, Colly Gruczelak, at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Elks Lodge on 150 Jewell St.

She will discuss her mission to provide home support services to seniors and the disabled to allow living in their homes as long as possible. She will reveal her plan to supply coordination, service providers or materials towards making small home repairs possible where funds or ability to self-repair is lacking.

An 11 a.m. optional social hour will take place prior to the general meeting. The meeting will wrap up with a chef prepared luncheon and the entertainment, concluding at about 2 p.m.

SIR promotes Social Activities for Enhancing Life. This statewide, non-affiliated nonprofit is dedicated to offering men over 50 — retired or not — a variety of programs and activities designed for socializing, making new friends and enjoying their free time. Email Jeff Ustick at jeffustick@gmail.com for an invitation to this event or visit sirinc2.org/branch20 for more information.

SANTA CRUZ

Monthly fundraising Sunday morning breakfast

The Market Street Senior Center will be serving a delicious Sunday morning breakfast on Sunday, Jan. 12, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at 222 Market St. Breakfast consists of scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, pancakes and coffee.

Inside seating available as well as orders to go. Grab a friend and join. Suggested donations for adults are $10 and $4 for children. Mark your calendars for this second Sunday monthly fundraising breakfast event. Questions? Call 831-423-6640 or visit marketstreetseniorcenter.org.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Volunteer to teach English

Did you know that nearly 23% of households in Santa Cruz County face challenges with basic English literacy? You can help change that by becoming a literacy tutor! The Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County invites you to attend a free, 20-minute online orientation to learn about this meaningful opportunity.

By volunteering, you’ll not only help adults gain vital skills but also uplift families and build a stronger, more connected community. Join the call and learn how you can get involved. Schedule is as follows: Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Jan.14 at 6 p.m. and Monday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. Orientations will be held via Zoom.

For more information and to sign up, visit literacysantacruz.org, call 831-427-5077 or email literacy@scvolunteercenter.org.

APTOS

Fly Fishing Club monthly meeting

Due to the New Year’s holiday, the Santa Cruz Fly Fishing Club will hold its monthly meeting one week later on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 6:45 p.m. at the Aptos Grange, 2555 Mar Vista Drive. In addition to the regular general meeting there will be member presentations along with door prizes and a raffle. Let’s start the new year by listening to stories from your fellow club members — first fish, biggest fish, funniest story. The public is invited to attend. For more information, visit santacruzflyfishing.org.

SANTA CRUZ

Registration open for Italian classes

The Dante Alighieri Society of Santa Cruz is offering Italian language classes as part of their Winter Language Courses. Learn the language of “la dolce vita” with native Italian-speaking instructors, whether you are new to the Italian language, totally fluent or everything in between.

All our classes are conducted in Italian by instructors who are university-qualified native speakers. These instructors provide training in all basic communication skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, with a systematic study of grammar.

The winter session instruction spans January to February, depending on difficulty level, so register now to secure your spot. Pricing ranges from $250-$300 and location (online and in-person) varies by class; see individual class descriptions for more information. Registration for each class will close the Friday prior to the first day of class.

For additional information visit dantesantacruz.com/classes or email dantesantacruz1265@gmail.com.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Rose pruning classes to begin

The Monterey Bay Rose Society will be hosting its Annual Rose Pruning Classes. American Rose Society Consulting Rosarians and Master Rosarians will demonstrate the proper way to prune your roses for beautiful results in the spring. They will discuss fertilization, watering, pesticides and other rose gardening subjects. No reservation needed. Event is free.

The society has scheduled the following dates for the classes: Jan. 11-12 at 10 a.m. MBRS Display Rose Garden at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville (use live stock entrance); Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. at the Alladin Nursery & Gift Shop, 2905 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville; Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. at the San Lorenzo Garden Center on 235 River St., Santa Cruz; and Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. once more at the Alladin Nursery & Gift Shop in Watsonville.

Contact Janey Leonardich at 831-722-7958 for more information.