Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area Programs in Ventura County

Free events and programs at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area locations in Ventura County and adjacent areas are highlighted below! (updated periodically to remove past activities). For additional details and other event locations, visit samofund.org/calendar.

Most activities subject to cancellation if there's significant rain.

10/26, 11/24, 12/28 - Welcome Walk at Malibu Creek State Park 10am to 12:30pm - Join a docent for a refreshing walk along Malibu Creek, through a wooded valley. Learn about fire restoration, plus the park’s animals, plants, early inhabitants, and movies filmed on location. Meet at the Main Trailhead parking lot (second, lower lot) by the restrooms.

Sun 10/20, 11/17, 12/15, 1/19/20, 2/16, 3/15, 4/19, 5/17, 6/21, 7/19 8am to 11:30am - San Fernando Valley Audubon Bird Walk at Malibu Creek State Park - Considered the recreational crown jewel of the Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu Creek State Park has over 8,000 acres of rolling tall grass plains, oak savannahs and dramatic peaks. It’s no wonder many call it “The Yosemite of Southern California.” Seasoned birders and beginners alike will enjoy good bird watching and a beautiful, easy hike. Meet at the second (lower) day-use parking lot. Entrance to the park is on the west side of Las Virgenes Rd., just south of Mulholland Hwy. Entrance fee is $12 per car.

Sat 11/2, 12/7, 1/4/20, 2/1 8:30-10am - Birds of the Santa Monica Mountains Walk at King Gillette Ranch - Bring your binoculars, bird guide, and/or camera and join us for an easy bird walk around the grounds of King Gillette Ranch. This area attracts many songbirds, water birds, woodpeckers, and raptors and we are always treated to something interesting. Kids are welcome and the walk is less than a mile at a very easy pace as we stop often to observe the birds. We leave promptly at 8:30 from the flagpole. Heavy rain cancels (but I will be there for anyone who wants to walk in it!). See you there!

Sat 10/19 6:30-8:30pm - Movie Night at Malibu Creek State Park featuring “The Second Time Around” - From 1946 to 1974 today’s park was a movie ranch owned by 20th Century Fox where dozens of movies and TV shows were made. Join us on for a romantic comedy with Debbie Reynolds as the innocent city girl who travels to the wildness of the frontier west. Filmed in CinemaScope. Park in the lower lot and walk a short distance to the outdoor amphitheater. Parking is $3 an hour. $12 maximum.

10/20 10am to noon and 1-3pm - Gourd Necklace Workshop at Rancho Sierra Vista - Get creative with Potawatomi artist Nadiya Littlewarrior as she presents a workshop on making and decorating gourd necklaces. The first workshop begins promptly at 10am. The second workshop begins at 1pm. Please be on time. All ages welcome. Materials will be provided.

To sign up for a work shop follow the links below:

10 am workshop

1 pm workshop

Sun 10/20 2-3:30pm - Who Lives Here? Jr. Ranger Program at SM Mountains Visitor Center - Join a ranger and learn something cool about the many different owls in the Santa Monica Mountains. Practice your scientific exploration skills with an owl pellet dissection activity. Earn a Jr. Ranger badge and get sworn in by a ranger! Family friendly fun for all ages.

Fri 10/25 6:30-7:30pm - Park After Dark at Paramount Ranch - Go behind the scenes with a ranger and explore Paramount Ranch at night! See the eerie remains of Western Town. Stand on a dangerous, abandoned racetrack. Gaze into the sky to see the stars that still shine here. Bring a flashlight, water, and wear sturdy shoes. Stargazing will be available if the sky is clear. (805) 370-2301.

Sat 11/2 9-10:15am - Yoga on the Mountain at SM Mountains Visitor Center - Trying to find a new way to exercise and connect with nature?

Yoga instructors Dawn and Greg will lead a 1-hour Yoga session and end with live acoustic music! We invite people of all skill levels to join us on an outdoor yoga class at our King Gillette Ranch Visitor Center.

Parking is free, but please arrive 10 mins early to the class.

Please bring your own Yoga mat and water. Limited supply of yoga mats to borrow for first timers!

Must RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/yoga-on-the-mountain-tickets-75041636555

11/3 10am to noon and 1-3pm - Make an Authentic Native American Pinch Pot at Rancho Sierra Vista - Join Navajo – Pueblo of Isletas Native, Rowan Harrison, as he will teach and demonstrate how to create your very own small, traditional, hand-coiled pottery.

The first workshop begins promptly at 10am. The second workshop begins at 1pm. Please be on time. Materials will be provided. All ages welcome.

To sign up for a work shop follow the links below:

10 am workshop

1 pm workshop

11/9 9:30am, 11:30am and 2pm - Medicinal Plant Walk with Jim Adams PhD at SM Mountains Visitor Center - Professor Jim Adams, PhD, of the USC School of Pharmacy, leads a plant walk on the medicinal uses of California native plants. Adams is trained in Chumash healing and will discuss traditional recipes for making healing medicines.

Coauthor of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West, Adams will be available to sign his book.

Walks will begin at 9:30am, 11:30am, and 2pm

Reservations Required. Email samo@wnpa.org or call 805-370-2301 for reservations and more info.

11/9 10-11am at SM Mountains Visitor Center - Coffee with Nithya Raman - The King Gillette Ranch Visitor Center is proud to host “Coffee With…” featuring local scientists, professors, and experts. Casually chat about social and environmental topics while you sip fresh, locally roasted coffee. We provide the coffee; you provide the mug!

On Saturday, November 9, from 10:00-11:00 am, join urban planner and community advocate Nithya Raman for a talk about the connections between homelessness issues and Los Angeles’ natural, open spaces.

RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/coffee-with-nithya-raman-tickets-75489094915

11/17 10am-noon and 1-3pm - Make a Dream Catcher at Rancho Sierra Vista - Come make a dream-catcher with Wichita tribal artist Michael Williams. He will teach the basics of creating your very own dream-catcher using natural resources.

There are two workshops available. The first workshop begins promptly at 10am. The second workshop begins at 1pm. Please be on time. Materials will be provided. All ages welcome.

To sign up for a work shop follow the links below:

10 am workshop

1 pm workshop

Sat 11/16 5:30-9pm - Fall Star Party at Paramount Ranch

Join rangers and astronomers for stargazing! Telescopes will be set up in the field next to Western Town. If conditions permit, see the cold, icy worlds of Uranus and Neptune as well as our distant neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy.

Dress warmly. In order to preserve night vision, red flashlights and headlamps are preferred. Restrooms are available. The event is free and accessible. Rain or fog cancels.

12/1 10am-3pm - Winter Solstice Festival at Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa - Join us for a full day of Native American hand-crafted art, music, storytelling, dance demonstration, and family fun.

More than a dozen Native American Indian artists will show and sell artwork reflecting Chumash, Tongva, Wichita, Hupa, Cahuilla, Apache, Kumeyaay, Dine/Navajo, and many other Native cultures.

This is a great opportunity to purchase beautiful and unique Native American art for the holidays and meet our local artists.

Native American flute music, traditional dance demonstrations, and stories will be performed throughout the day. All ages welcome.

Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center in Calabasas

King Gillette Ranch - View from near Inspiration Point

Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center in Newbury Park

Directions to various locations

Cheeseboro/Palo Comado Canyons: Ventura Fwy (101) to Chesebro Rd exit. Turn north on Palo Comado Canyon Rd then right on Chesebro Rd. Go north 1 mile to park entrance. Turn right and follow road to parking lot.

Circle X Ranch: Pacific Coast Hwy to Yerba Buena Rd. Turn inland; go 5.4 miles to Circle X Ranch contact station.

Sandstone Peak Trailhead: 1 mile north of Circle X Ranch contact station on Yerba Buena Rd. Parking lot is on left.

Mishe Mokwa Trailhead: 1.75 miles north of the Circle X contact station along Yerba Buena Road. Parking lot is on right.

King Gillette Ranch: Ventura Fwy (101) Exit Las Virgenes Rd. Go 3 miles south on Las Virgenes Rd to Mulholland Hwy intersection (traffic light). Turn left on Mulholland Hwy. Park entrance is 0.1 mile on right.

Malibu Creek State Park: Ventura Fwy (101) Exit Las Virgenes Rd. Go 3 miles south on Las Virgenes Rd to Mulholland Hwy intersection (traffic light). Park entrance is 0.25 mile south of the intersection on Las Virgenes Rd. From Pacific Coast Hwy: north on Malibu Canyon Rd to park entrance on left.

Paramount Ranch: Ventura Fwy (101) to Kanan Rd exit. South on Kanan 0.5 mile. Left on Cornell Way and veer to right. South 2.5 miles, entrance is on right side of the road.

Peter Strauss Ranch is located at 30000 Mulholland Highway, Agoura Hills.

Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa: Ventura Fwy (101) to Lynn Rd exit. South on Lynn Rd 5.25 miles to Via Goleta. Park entrance is on the left at Via Goleta. Continue all the way to a parking lot where the road ends. To get to the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center, walk 0.3 mile up gravel road from the parking area to brown wooden building. 

Wendy Trailhead: Ventura Fwy (101) to Wendy Dr. exit. South on Wendy Dr to dirt pullout at intersection with Potrero Rd.

Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center at King Gillette Ranch: From Ventura Fwy (101): Exit Las Virgenes Rd. Go 3 miles south on Las Virgenes Rd to Mulholland Hwy intersection (traffic light). Turn left on Mulholland Hwy. Go 0.1 mile and turn right into entrance of King Gillette Ranch. The visitor center is the first building on your right. 26867 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas.

Upcoming Events and Activities at the Camarillo Public Library

The City of Camarillo Public Library is located at 4101 Las Posas Road and is open Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 9 pm and Friday through Sunday 10 am to 5 pm. It can be reached at 805.388.5222. The library hosts year-round free activities and programs for the general public, many of which will be highlighted right here (for a complete rundown, visit the library's website at www.camarillolibrary.org.

Upcoming Programs (prior events periodically removed):

Must See Movies (Tuesdays)

• 10/1: Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse (PG) SPECIAL START TIME- 5:45pm

• 10/8: Avengers: Endgame (PG) - note 5:30pm start time due to length of movie

• 10/15: Dark Phoenix (PG-13): note 5:45pm start time

• 10/22: Godzilla: King of the Monsters (PG-13) - note 5:45pm start time

Special Events / Programs for Adults

Bluegrass Gospel Music Sunday, September 29 2pm - 4pm - Old Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Association presents authentic old-time country, bluegrass, and gospel music as performed prior to the introduction of electric and percussion instruments. Join the library for a fun concert that features American folk of the past.

Children's Programs

Teen Programs (ages 12-17)

Upcoming Events and Free Programs at the Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park Branch Libraries

Thousand Oaks (Grant R. Brimhall) Library.

There are two great Thousand Oaks libraries; the Grant R. Brimhall (GRB) Library at 1401 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks (805.449.2660) and the local Newbury Park Branch (NPB) is at 2331 Borchard Road (805.498.2139).  These libraries provide year-round free events, activities and programs for all ages. Selected events from time to time will be covered here.

Visit the library website at www.toaks.org/library to learn more. 

(The programs below are updated periodically to remove past events)

Programs and Special Events

Free Tuesday Night Movie Screenings at NP Library (6:30pm):

• 10/1: Us (R, 116 min, 2019)

• 10/8: Pet Sematary (R, 101 min, 2019)

• 10/15: Hellboy (R, 121 min, 2019)

• 10/22: The Dead Don’t Die (R, 104 min, 2019)

• 20/29: Ready or Not (R, 95 min, 2019)

Monday Movie Matinees at T.O. Library at 1pm:

• 10/14: A Dog’s Journey (2019, PG, 108 min)

• 10/28: Avengers Endgame (2019, PG-13, 180 min)

Adult and Family Programs

ESL Conversation Group

Practice speaking English with other adults and meet new people in an informal & friendly group setting. Laubach Literacy trained staff and ESL trained volunteers provide tutoring to adults seeking to learn English on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Thousand Oaks Library Conference Room.

Dungeons & Dragons

Adventurers old and new take part in the classic role-playing game. Sign up is required to play. Register at Information Desk or call (805) 449-2660, option #5. Grouped by age 10 to 14 and 15+. The game will take place on September 28, 2019 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the Newbury Park Library Meeting Room.

Open Mic Poetry Night

Join a diverse local poetry community to read, listen, encourage, and inspire. In partnership with the Ventura County Art Council and hosted by Ken Jones on October 9 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Newbury Park Library. Featured reader Holaday Mason will be reading on September 25, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Library.

10/10 6:30-7:30pm T.O. Library: On and Available-Everyone and Everywhere: The New World of Work Created with Technology (CSUCI Lecture)

Speaker: Dr. Parul Malik, Professor of Communication

The nature of work has been changing due to the spread of information and communication technologies. Work is now an activity rather than a place. Work now includes non-standard employment like temporary, agency, outsourced work and independent contracting. The rise of on-demand platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk ™, Etsy™, TaskRabbit™, and Uber™ give control to workers and deliver the promise of entrepreneurship to the masses.

Adult Coloring: Halloween theme

Relax with friends and other coloring enthusiasts the second Friday of each month. Materials provided. Program will take place on October 11, 2019 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room. Program is intended for Teens and Adults only.

Story Slam

When we share a story, we share the world. Join us for a reading of selected stories, read on stage by the authors on October 11, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Grant R. Brimhall Library. Selected storytellers open their hearts for a glimpse into their world. Stories are funny, poignant or compelling, and all true. Audience favorite wins a prize!

Ventura County Master Gardeners: Landscaping for Fire

The Master Gardeners share their expertise about a variety of gardening topics. Learn about Landscaping for Fire with Dani Brusius on October 15, 2019 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.

Financial Literacy - How Money Works: The Rule of 72

Learn how to make your hard-earned money work for you, creating financial independence, and developing a financial strategy for you and your family. Workshop will be on October 16, 2019 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm. in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.

Adult Crafternoon: Leaf Candle Holder

Grab a friend or two and come decoupage a candle holder. Great for decorating for the season, or to give as a gift. All supplies will be provided. Program will be on October 18, 2019 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.

Sundays On Stage: Billy Kemp

From the Land of Plenty, Billy Kemp is a Baltimore native who is a gifted multi-instrumentalist, but best known for his inventive guitar playing. Reviewed as “having a collection of down-to-earth tales punctuated by vivid lyrics and crisp guitar work.” Concert will be held on October 20, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.

Pianist Cliff Retallick: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Experience the restored silent film classic “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” with Lon Chaney as it was originally viewed with live piano accompaniment. Cliff Retallick. Mr. Retallick is a well-known accompanist who has provided music for the UCLA Festival of Preservation, the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, and L.A.’s Silent Movie Theater. Program will be held on October 27, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 pm in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.

Teen Programs

SAT & ACT Exam Resources

Come to the Library and ask about our SAT & ACT resources to help students study for the exams.

Frankentoys – Create Your Own Monster

Create your very own Frankentoy Monster on October 9, 2019 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Newbury Park Library and October 23, 2019 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Teen Space at Grant R. Brimhall Library.

Video Games & Oculus Virtual Reality

Explore new worlds through games and virtual reality on October 10, 2019 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Newbury Park Library.

Wizard Rock Concert

Stephanie Anderson perform as Tonks and the Aurors in a Wizard Rock Concert. Music will be original book and library themed songs. Concert will be on October 26, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:45pm in the Grant R. Brimhall Library Community Room.

Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

Celebrate Dia De Los Muertos with crafts and activities at Newbury Park Library on November 2, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Listen to a Bilingual Storytime from 11:00-11:45 a.m. and enjoy California Lutheran University’s Mariachi Band from 2:00p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Kids' Programs

9/28 2-2:45PM at T.O. Library and 11-11:45AM at the NP Library - The Billy Bonkers Magic Show is 45 minutes of fun, interaction and learning for the whole family with a unique British twist! Ages 5 and up.

Dog Days

Readers of all levels and abilities are invited to come and read to a certified therapy dog. Dog Days are the first Thursday of every month at 3:30 p.m. at Newbury Park Library and every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at Grant R. Brimhall Library.

Homework Help

Students in Kindergarten through 8th grade can get homework help from volunteers on Wednesdays & Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Grant R. Brimhall Library and Mondays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesdays from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Newbury Park Library.

Lego Play & Rube Machine

Play with Legos and construct a Rube Machine on October 2, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Newbury Park Library and October 21 from 4:00 to 5:00pm at Grant R. Brimhall Library. DUPLO® bricks are available for younger builders. Program is recommended for school age children.

Annual Fright Fest

Enjoy a Tim Burton double feature on October 31, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Newbury Park Library! Come in costume to this after school family Halloween event.

Halloween Festival @ Your Library

Bring the little ones to enjoy Halloween at the Library with craft and games on October 31, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Grant R. Brimhall Library. The program is intended for ages 3-6 and will be held in the children’s library.

Upcoming Free Events and Programs at the E.P. Foster Library in Ventura

Here is a compilation of selected upcoming planned events at the E.P. Foster Library. All events are free and open to the public. The Library is located in Historic Downtown Ventura, 651 East Main Street, Ventura. (805) 648-2716 www.vencolibrary.org/locations/ep-foster-library.

Adult Programs & Special Events

Virtual Reality

7/30, 8/6, 13, 20, & 27 Tuesdays @ 3:30-5:30pm

Explore the virtual world with these different gaming VR platforms during Summer Reading :Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Go, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive. All VR Platforms are for ages 13 and up including adults.

Makerspace Open Workshop

7/30, 8/6, 8/13 Tuesdays &

7/31, 8/14Wednesdays @ 3-6pm

For All Ages, kids, teen, adult. Free, drop-ins welcome, no prior experience needed. Try out the New Maker Menu!

Ongoing Events

Poetry Open Mic Night

7/11, 18, & 25 Thursdays @ 7:30-9pm

On these Thursday nights, come join this group of writers as they meet in the Topping Room to share their work.

Ukulele Jam Session

8/12 & 26 Mondays @ 7-10pm

Locals gather to play the ukulele on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month.

Chess Around the Corner

7/6, 13, 20, & 27 Saturdays @ 11am-4pm

Calling all chess players! Keep your skills sharp with this one-hour, drop-in session of free play. Boards will be set up and ready to go. Bring your best moves!

Children’s Events

Early Literacy Class

7/30, 8/6, 13, 20, & 27 Tuesdays &

7/31, 8/7, 14, 21, & 28 Wednesdays @ 10:30am

A great way to introduce your child to early literacy and the library. Join us every week for stories, poems, music, movement, a simple craft, and fun!

Monday Craft Madness

7/29, 8/5, 12, 19, & 26 Mondays @ 10am-6pm

Drop-in craft table!

Paws for Reading

7/31, 8/3, 10, 17, 24, & 31 Saturdays @ 12-1pm

Read aloud to registered therapy dogs!

Lego play

7/30, 8/6, 13, 20, & 27 Tuesdays @ 3-5pm

7/27, 8/3, 10, 17, 24, & 31 Saturdays @ 10am-4pm

Build, Learn, and Play! Bring your imagination and experiment with creative designs. Children of all ages welcome!

Teen Happenings

Gaming Daze

7/2, 9, 16, 23, & 30 Tuesdays @3:30-5:30pm

Play the Wii U & Other Gaming Systems during, the Oculus Rift VR (ages 13+), and some board games on the second floor. For Kids & Teens. Space: The blower pillar in the Makerspace.

STEAM Boxes

7/1, 8, 15, 22, & 29 Mondays @4-5:30pm

Try out a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and/or Math challenge. Each week will have a new and exciting challenge.

Virtual Reality

7/2, 9, 16, 23, & 30 Tuesdays @ 3:30-5:30pm

Explore the virtual world with different gaming VR platforms All VR Platforms are for ages 13 and up including adults.

Makerspace Open Workshop

7/31, 8/6 & 13 Tuesdays & 7/31, 8/7 & 14 Wednesdays @ 3-6pm

For All Ages, kids, teen, adult. Free, drop-ins welcome, no prior experience needed. Try out the New Maker Menu!

Conejo Open Space Foundation 2019 Speaker Series - June 27, August 15, October 17

2019 CONEJO OPEN SPACE FOUNDATION SPEAKER SERIES

SHARING OUR OPEN SPACE

WE INVITE YOU TO ENJOY OUR SELECTED GUEST SPEAKER SERIES!

Join the fun and enhance your knowledge of our open spaces, learn amazing facts about our local wildlife, regional geology, and our human connections to the land. You are sure to come away with a new appreciation of our region’s natural wonders!

FREE TO THE PUBLIC. Suggested donation $10

GRANT R. BRIMHALL LIBRARY, 1401 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks (The speaker series is not a Thousand Oaks Library sponsored event.)

Check-in and refreshments begin at 6:00 p.m. Talk starting at 6:30 p.m. Come early to enjoy refreshments and talk with our local community partners. Reservations suggested cosf.org/events/open-space-speaker-series.

Living together with mountain lions and other wildlife
Thursday, June 27th at 6:30PM
Guest Speaker: Seth Riley

Seth is a Wildlife Ecologist with the National Park Service at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. He will be talking about the local mountain lion populations, threats to their survival and ways we can both coexist with mountain lions and other wildlife in our open space and benefit by living together.

Seth grew up in Washington, D.C., where he first became interested in wildlife by way of snakes. He graduated in 1988 from Stanford University with a B.A. in Human Biology, concentrating in Animal Behavior and Ecology, and then went to the University of California, Davis for a Ph.D. in Ecology in 1999. At the beginning of 2000, Seth began in his current position as Wildlife Ecologist with the National Park Service at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. His current projects, all related to the impacts of urbanization on wildlife, include a mountain lion GPS telemetry study covering the influence of rat poison and pesticides on wild mammals, a bobcat telemetry study and a number of projects on the impacts offreeways on wildlife. Seth co-edited a book on Urban Carnivores which published in 2010, and a book on the effects of roads on smaller wildlife species, which came out in 2015.

The formation of the Conejo Valley and its earthquake risk
Thursday, August 15th at 6:30PM
Guest Speaker: Derek Field

Derek has recently been focusing his career on offering interpretive hikes and talks to the general public on local geologic origins and features. His presentation will include some surprising information on the formation of familiar landmarks in the Conejo Valley and the potential for seismic changes that might impact our communities and open space.

Derek is originally from Calgary, Canada. He received his B.S. in Geology from California Lutheran University and then earned his Master’s degree in Geology from Northern Arizona University. His Master’s thesis involved mapping and interpreting ancient volcanic rocks in the High Sierra. In between his studies, he did a number of Andean expeditions and walked 900 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. In the past year, Derek worked as a visiting lecturer for the geology department at California Lutheran University. Besides teaching, he has led field trips to Death Valley, Owens Valley and the Grand Canyon. Additionally, he recently led a Conejo Recreation and Parks hike to Simi Peak, explaining the geologic formations to the Open Space Appreciation hiking group. He loves empowering people with knowledge about the geology of the land around them.

The 6 dimensions of open space
Thursday, October 17th at 6:30PM
Guest Speaker: Aly Covington

Aly's talk focuses around the six dimensions of wellness, which include Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Connectional, Environmental and Spiritual. In this engaging presentation, she will talk about why it is important to mindfully focus on total wellness in our lives and how the open space can help us build resilience and enable us to thrive and live life to the fullest!

Aly Covington grew up in Agoura Hills. She received her B.A. in Kinesiology/Athletic Training from Cal State University Northridge, as well as her M.S. in Health Administration. She has over 20 years experience in the health and fitness industry and owns her own business called ABC’s Village, helping individuals of all ages and skill levels achieve their wellness and performance goals. Aly has a passion for inspiring healthy habits at an early age and was awarded the Youth Advocate of the Year award in 2008 by the National Alliance of Women Business Owners for her efforts to combat childhood obesity. She enjoys community outreach and has served on the Westlake Village Cultural Advisory Board. An avid hiker and trail runner, Aly loves the outdoors and considers the open space her “happy place.”

Discovery Center 2018-2019 Science Speaker Series at Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks

NOV 7TH LECTURE HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO TRAGIC EVENTS IN THOUSAND OAKS www.vcemergency.com

The Discovery Center for Science and Technology Science Speaker Series "Science Everyone Can Understand" takes place at Cal Lutheran's Lundring Event Center, 130 Overton Court, Thousand Oaks on the following dates: 10/4/18, 11/8/18, 1/17/19, 2/28/19, 4/25/18. More info at discoverycntr.org.

Tickets at www.eventbrite.com/o/the-discovery-center-for-science-and-technology-8456175758.

Simi Valley Festival of Trees on November 28 to December 1, 2018

Kick off your holiday season with the 2nd Annual Simi Valley Festival of Trees, a festive charity event benefiting Adventist Health Simi Valley's cancer patients and their families. The event will be held Wednesday, November 28th through Saturday, December 1st at the Simi Valley Town Center, 1555 Simi Town Center Way.

Event hours:
Wednesday, November 28 5:30 - 8:30PM (OPENING NIGHT)
Thursday, November 29 4-8PM
Friday, November 30 4-8PM
Saturday, December 1 10AM-4PM

Opening Night (Wednesday, November 28th) The night to attend! All the beautiful Trees and Wreaths will be auction off in a fun silent auction along with our “Lights On” program - sharing with you the “WHY” this event is so special. Enjoy food, shop the Elf Emporium and Frostys’ Sweet Shoppe for hand-made gifts and treats, Santa photo ops, and much more! 

Opening Night Tickets are $20 and will be available at the door or can be pre-purchased at www.adventisthealth.org/Simi-Valley/pages/about-us/ahsv-foundation/upcoming-events.aspx.

The rest of the Festival (Thursday, November 29th through Saturday, December 1st) can be attended with General Admission tickets available at the door: $5/adults, $4/seniors, and $3/children ages 2-11. There will be tree viewing, food trucks, live entertainment, the Elf Emporium Boutique, and photo opps with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

This will be a fun event that supports a wonderful local cause -- all monies raised during this event will go to help the cancer patients of Adventist Health Simi Valley. We look forward to seeing you there!

Visit simivalleyfestivaloftrees.com for more information.

19th Annual YMCA Prayer Breakfast at Cal Lutheran on Thursday, May 3, 2018

Join us for the 19th Annual YMCA Prayer Breakfast with keynote speaker, Cody Jones, USA Paralympian and California Lutheran University graduate. Our goal is to bring people of all faiths together to pray for the nation and reflect on, discuss and celebrate our many blessings.

Last year’s Prayer Breakfast was attended by nearly 400 community members, and we expect another great turnout this year with an inspiring program and theme: Pray for America - UNITY.

Participants will include spiritual and community leaders from Agoura Hills, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Oak Park, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and Westlake Village.

We hope you will join us for this special event. To reserve your seat on May 3, please visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/ymca-prayer-breakfast-2018-tickets-41479427083