East county community briefs

CALABASAS

Library to offer free yoga class

The Calabasas library will offer a free "Yoga and You" class at noon Thursday.

Deanne Wenger will be the instructor. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and bring water and a yoga mat or large towel. No experience is necessary and all are welcome.

The library is at 200 Civic Center Way.

Call 818-225-7616 for more information.

NEWBURY PARK

El Salvador refugee to speak on torture

Maria Guardado, a Salvadoran woman who survived torture, rape and near death at the hands of the country's oppressive regime in 1980 and went on to become a lifelong activist for social justice in the United States, will appear at 7:30 p.m. Friday at a community forum in Newbury Park.

Guardado will speak after the screening of the documentary "Testimony: The Maria Guardado Story" at the Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Joining the discussion will be Randy Vasquez, the film's director, and Virginia Classick of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. The forum is co-sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union, Ventura County Chapter.

The movie follows Guardado as she returned to El Salvador in 2000 after 17 years to mark the 20th anniversary of the slaying of Archbishop Oscar Romero.

The film contains graphic language and images of death, and is not appropriate for younger children. The screening and forum are free; donations will be accepted.

The Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is at 3327 Old Conejo Road.

Visit http://forum.cvuuf.org or call 374-9818 for more information.

Park service to host sky star party

Experienced and novice stargazers are invited to attend a sky star party from 7:30-10 p.m. Aug. 18 at Rancho Sierra Vista in Newbury Park.

Hosted by the National Park Service and led by California Lutheran University's Mike Shaw, the free, family-friendly evening will include a constellation tour, a short night hike and telescope viewing of star clusters, gas nebulas and double stars within the Milky Way.

Attendees are encouraged to bring flashlights.

Rancho Sierra Vista is at Lynn Road and Via Goleta, with parking at the lower lot.

Call 370-2301 for more information.

Business to help foundation for vets

Billy D'z Backyard BBQ will offer 20 percent off purchases Aug. 18 as part of the nationwide Shop Local for Vets campaign.

Visitors who come to 765 N. Wendy Drive and mention will receive the discount that day. Billy D'z will pledge a 10 percent donation of Shop Local for a Cause sales Aug. 18 to the Greatest Generations Foundation.

Text "TGGF" to 20222 to donate $10 to the foundation.

SIMI VALLEY

Golf tournament to benefit schools

The Simi Valley Education Foundation's annual Tee Up for Kidz golf tournament will be held Sept. 14 at Lost Canyons Golf Course, 3301 Lost Canyons Drive.

The theme is "Back to the Beach." Proceeds will help fund programs and materials for Simi Valley schools.

Tournament organizers are seeking donations, sponsors, volunteers and golfers.

Sponsorships are $1,500-$5,000. Cost to sponsor a contest, hole or awards is $300-$500. Tee signs are $100.

Cost to enter the tournament is $125 for single golfers or $600 for foursomes. Dinner is $50.

Registration will be at 8:30 a.m. A putting contest will be at 10 a.m., followed by the tournament's shotgun start at 11 a.m. Dinner and awards will begin at 4 p.m.

Visit http://svef.golfreg.com or contact the foundation at 877-SIMI-KID or info@svef.org for more information.

School supply drive to benefit local kids

DoSomething.org and Staples are teaming up for the fifth annual Staples for Students national school supply drive.

The drive encourages teens and community members to collect school supplies and drop them off at a Staples store by Sept. 15. Collected supplies will benefit youths at the Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley.

Supplies may be dropped off at Staples in Sycamore Plaza, 2880 Cochran St.

To kick-start the campaign, Staples will donate $125,000 worth of school supplies to the program this year. Staples customers can donate $1 or more at any Staples store, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting local students in need.

Visit http://www.staplesforstudents.org for more information. Visit http://www.bgcsimi.com or call 527-4437 for more information about the Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley.

Library to celebrate program's finale

The Simi Valley library will celebrate the finale of its first adult summer reading program with an author's panel at 2 p.m. Aug. 18 moderated by local children's book author Alexis O'Neill.

Panelists will include Margaret Brownley, author of western romance novels and self-help books; Jerrilyn Farmer, author of a humorous series of culinary mysteries; Jeri Westerson, author of historical mysteries set in medieval times; and Diantha Ain, haiku poet.

Festivities will include a prize drawing for participants of the library's Between the Covers Summer Reading Program for Adults.

The library is at 2969 Tapo Canyon Road.

Call 526-1735 for more information.

Film buff to offer Corriganville tours

The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District will offer guided tours of Corriganville Park as part of its 50-plus senior activities.

Film history expert Greg Anderson will lead tours of the popular film location, home of more than 400 movies and television shows. Anderson will share stories about the park's history and answer questions during the walking tours.

Morning tours will take place Aug. 18, Sept. 22, Oct. 20 and Nov. 10.

Cost is $5.

Corriganville Park is at 7001 Smith Road.

Call 583-6059 for more information or to register.

THOUSAND OAKS

Concert in the Park to be Sunday

Carolyn Wonderland will share her style of Texas Blues as the next performer in the Conejo Recreation and Park District's free 2012 Summer Concerts in the Park Series.

Wonderland will perform at 5 p.m. Sunday in the natural amphitheater at Conejo Community Park, 1175 Hendrix Ave.

Wonderland often incorporates elements of blues, country, swing, zydeco, surf, gospel, soul and Cumbia (Colombian/Panamanian music genre) melody into her music. In addition to her guitar, she plays trumpet and occasionally the accordion, mandolin or keyboard.

Concertgoers are invited to bring picnics, blankets or folding chairs for seating; jackets or sweaters are recommended for the second half of the event. No pets will be permitted.

The Thousand Oaks Kiwanis will sell tri-tip sandwiches, hot dogs and snacks. Event parking is off-site only; onsite parking is reserved for cars displaying handicap placards.

The final Concert in the Park will feature the Surf City All Stars on Labor Day, Sept. 3.

Call 381-1247 for more information.

Libraries to show free movies

The Grant R. Brimhall and Newbury Park libraries will offer free screenings of family films.

The schedule is as follows:

1 p.m. Monday: Academy Award-nominated film "War Horse," starring Jeremy Irvine and Emily Watson at the Grant R. Brimhall Library.

6 p.m. Monday: "Dolphin Tale," based on a true story and starring Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman at the Newbury Park branch.

5:30 p.m. Tuesday: "Hugo" about an orphan in Paris who lives in the walls of a train station at the Grant R. Brimhall Library.

5:30 p.m. Wednesday: Special guest screenwriter Ben Queen will discuss the making of "Cars 2" and the film will be shown at the Grant R. Brimhall Library.

Attendees are encouraged to bring dinner or snacks and a blanket. Kids may wear their pajamas.

The Grant R. Brimhall Library is at 1401 E. Janss Road. The Newbury Park branch is at 2331 Borchard Road.

Call the Grant R. Brimhall Library at 449-2660 or the Newbury Park branch at 498-2139 for more information.