Albany

CARDV FUND-RAISER -- The Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence is raising awareness and funds this month as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The public is invited to eat Oct. 28 at Red Robin in Albany. For those that tell Red Robin they are there for CARDV, a portion of the proceeds from their meal will go to the center.

CARDV provides services and support to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. It also provides education and leadership to change societal conditions that cultivate these forms of violence.

PROGRAM DONATION -- The Basic Skills Program at South Albany High School received a $3,000 donation from Pope and Talbot Inc. that it plans to use for a variety of activities, said Judy Smith of the Basic Skills staff.

The program serves 40 students with developmental disabilities.

Smith said the money will be put toward the program's social activities, vocational programs, cultural events, community experiences and staff development needs.

Mid-Valley

LINFIELD ADMISSIONS -- Ashley Allen, an admission counselor from Linfield College, will visit schools in Albany, Corvallis and Lebanon on Oct. 27.

Allen will meet with students and parent to discuss admission requirements, course offerings and financial aid offered through the college.

The schedule for visitations will be 7:50 a.m. at West Albany High School, 9:30 a.m. at South Albany High School, 10:45 a.m. at Lebanon Union High School, 12:45 p.m. at Crescent Valley High School and 1:30 p.m. at Corvallis High School.

Artists in the schools - Ten schools in Benton and Linn County will have an artist in residence through an effort coordinated by ArtCentric.

"ArtCentric is very pleased to be able to offer this assistance to the schools at a time when arts funding has been severely cut not only to our schools but to the ten regional arts councils in Oregon," said Victoria Fridley, executive director of ArtCentric. "The regional arts councils have lost the major grant from the Oregon Arts Council that helped fund this program, but we are very committed to arts education and are working to sustain (it), despite the cuts in support."

For almost 15 years the Linn-Benton Arts Council, now ArtCentric, has made it possible for local and regional artists to spend time in schools and share their skills with students and teachers. Last year, 34 weeks of residencies were completed involving 22 schools. Nine artists worked in the program, which involved more than 5,000 students. The residencies ranged from the traditional, such as drawing, watercolor and clay, to the more unusual, including fiber arts, toy-making and readers theater.

Last year the Oregon Arts Council and the Ford Family Foundation provided an opportunity for rural schools to have an artist residency, with the foundation paying

90 percent of the cost. Since Albany and Corvallis do not qualify under the rural designation, the ArtCentric Endowment Inc. was able to offer to pay one half of a one-week residency to every elementary school in Linn and Benton counties.

For more information or to donate to the program, contact Mary Van Denend at 754-1551 or mary@artcentric.org.

Sweet Home

SERVICE AWARDS NOMINATIONS -- The Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for community service awards. Nomination forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce or the New Era.

Awards will go to Junior First Citizen, age 18 to 40; First Citizen, age 41 or older; Distinguished Service, age 55 or older; BPW Woman of the Year; and Business of the Year.

Nominees must be residents of the Sweet Home School District attendance area. Completed nomination forms must be returned to the Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce by 5 p.m. Jan. 19, 2004.

Awards will be presented at the 60th Annual Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet on Feb. 7.