The American Red Cross is looking for volunteers. Various positions are available. To volunteer, call Tom Viscount at 310.394.3773 ext. 112 from 1-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
Beyond Baroque offers free writing workshops including Monday night Literary and Experimental Fiction, 8 p.m., Tuesday night Creative Non-Fiction, 8 p.m., Wednesday night poetry, 8 p.m., Thursday night alternative screenplay, 8 p.m., Saturday afternoon poetry 1:30 p.m., and fourth Saturday of the month morning poetry and prose 11 a.m. Beyond Baroque Literary / Arts Center, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice, 310.822.3006
Do You Have the Heart for Hospice? Roze Room Hospice seeks volunteers to provide support and companionship to terminally ill patients and their families. Training is free. We have patients at home and in nursing facilities in throughout the Westside and Los Angeles. For more information, contact Kathleen McMahon, Volunteer Coordinator, at 323.938.1155 or volcoord@rozeroomhospice.org
Donate blood on Monday and Wednesdays at the American Red Cross of Santa Monica, 1450 11th St.. Hours for donations vary, so call to schedule an appointment. 1.800.GIVE.LIFE or 1.888.POR.FAVOR
The Downtown Santa Monica Farmers Market is held Wednesdays at Arizona Ave and Second St. and Saturdays at Arizona and Third St. The two weekly markets are widely considered to be among the best on the west coast and feature field-fresh produce, hundreds of kinds of vegetables, brilliant cut flowers, breads, cheeses, delicious foods, live music, and more. 310.458.8712, smgov.net/portals/farmersmarket/
Free help with anxiety, depression, stress, and anger. Recovery International provides tools and practice in changing thinking habits so individuals can gain personal control over distressing emotions and improve general well-being. This worldwide non-profit organization, founded in 1937, holds weekly meetings every Saturday, 12 p.m., at Trinity Church, California and Eleventh Street, Santa Monica. Donations are requested but not required. For more information, call Randy at 310.828.9328 or go to lowselfhelpsystems.org
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, a 12-step program for those struggling to control their relationship with food, has three meetings every week in Santa Monica. Tuesday, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Youth Lounge, 1220 Second St., Santa Monica; Wednesday, 7 to 8:30 a.m., Unitarian Universalist Community Church, The Cottage, 1260 18th St., Santa Monica; and Saturday, 9 to 10:30 a.m., First United Methodist Church, Room 101, 1008 11th St.., Santa Monica. Free. Call: 800.600.6028 or see: foodaddicts.org
Have you ever wanted to act? Design sets? Make costumes? Whether you want to be on stage, or behind the scenes, we can help you unlock your creative side. Work with professional writers and directors, as well as teens just like you, to develop and sharpen your skills in our free teen theater workshop. Thursday, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at The Christian Institute, 1308 Second St., Santa Monica. For more information call 310.394.4178 or 310.617.4905
Heart Centered Toastmasters Club meets 7:15 p.m. to 8:30 pm Thursdays in Santa Monica. Practice and improve your communication skills in a warm, heart-centered environment. Call Cynthia at 310.995.4283 for more information.
Homeless discussion and advocacy group, Side By Side, for homeless and non-homeless citizens every first, third, and fifth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Ken Edwards Community Center, located at 1527 4th St.. Any non-homeless people interested in listening to and talking with local homeless can come to this regular meeting. Side By Side has met continuously at Ken Edwards since 1996.
ICE at Santa Monica. Once a year, Downtown Santa Monica brings a little skate to the surf and transforms the corner of Fifth St. and Arizona Ave. into ICE at Santa Monica, a premier outdoor ice skating rink. Celebrating its 5th Anniversary, the 8,000 square ft. rink by the beach is open through Jan. 15, 2012, and offers residents and visitors a little taste of winter without the bite. Hours are Monday through Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays from 2 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays from 10 a.m. to midnight, and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission & Skate Rental $12. 1324 Fifth St. www.iceatsantamonica.com
Joel S. Goldsmith Tape Group meets Mondays to listen to the taped class work of Joel S. Goldsmith on his spiritual teaching known as The Infinite Way. 7:15 p.m. (silent meditation), 7:30 p.m. (tape played), 8:30 p.m. (silent meditation). New Age Bible and Philosophy Center, 1139 Lincoln Blvd. (rear entry only off alley) in rear classroom. $5 minimum donation appreciated. 310.963.9377 or email in.stillness@yahoo.com
Meals on Wheels West needs volunteers to deliver meals to homebound people in Santa Monica. Deliveries are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. To volunteer call 310.394.7558
Mt. Olive Film Night, entertaining and thought-provoking films shown on the second Saturdays of each month, supper at 6 p.m., films start at 7 p.m., free, Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 1343 Ocean Park Blvd., 310.452.1116
A new Grief Support Group for Parents who have lost children to addiction, drugs, medications, alcohol. Santa Monica near Ocean and Montana Ave. Dates and times TBA. 310.917.5008, grasphelp.org, graspsantamonica@yahoo.com
Pico Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free. Virginia Avenue Park located at Pico and Cloverfield. 310.458.8712
Pranic Healing Sessions and Meditation. Whether you’re stressed, in pain or just in need of inner peace, PRANIC HEALING can help. Master Choa Kok Sui’s PRANIC HEALING is an energy healing technique that utilizes “prana” or life energy to promote physical, emotional and mental health. It has worked successfully with ailments ranging from asthma, arthritis, cancer, to addictions, stress, depression and phobias. Aanad Saagar Fridays, 6 to 8 p.m., 606 Venice Blvd., #21. Contact: Isabel 310.883.8371. Suggested love offering $10. pranichealingsm@yahoo.com
Pregnancy Support Group, ongoing on Mondays, facilitated by Sahaja Douglass, MA, LMFT and Aleksandra Evanguelidi, LM, CPM. This Support Group will focus on building community, releasing fears about birthing and mothering, and offering a safe place where questions can be answered by health care professionals. 2 to 4 p.m., $25, 11965 Venice Blvd., Suite 204, Los Angeles, 310.566.7690
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Therapy Classes for pain management without the use of drugs and their harmful side effects! Easy to learn, practical to use anywhere or anytime healing body and mind. Taught by Dr. Bonnie Hemauer, Ph.D. 25 years specializing in Self Help, Relaxation/Meditation Therapies, and prevention of stress causing diseases. Every Monday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. 122 Lincoln Blvd. #103, Venice, near Rose Avenue. By donation. RSVP: 310.433.2382
Main Street Farmers Market is held weekly on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free. Main Street at Ocean Park Blvd., 310.458.8712
Qigong in Clover Park for People Affected by Cancer. Free qigong classes for people with cancer and their families in Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wear comfortable clothes. Experience firsthand this ancient healing art with instructor, Michael Sieverts, a brain cancer survivor since 2000. Sponsored by Cancer Support Community-Benjamin Center. For more information, please call 310.314.2555 or visit cancersupportcommunitybenjamincenter.org.
Santa Claus at The Market, recurring daily from Nov. 20 through Dec. 24 at The Market at 395 Santa Monica Place. Children visiting Santa receive a free commemorative gift. Dining Deck on Level 3. themarketsmp.com
Santa Monica Oceanaires barbershop harmony chorus invites men of all ages and voice parts to sing each Monday 7 to 10 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 4427 Overland Ave., Culver City, oceanaires.org, 323.377.3570 or contact us at oceanaires_info@earthlink.net
SMC’s Continuing Education Program is offering free ESL and Citizenship classes, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, at SMC’s Bundy campus, 3171 South Bundy Drive., West Los Angeles and at the Madison campus, 1310 11th St., 310.434.3400
Take a walk through Santa Monica history. The Santa Monica Conservancy conducts downtown walking tours every Saturday at 10 a.m. Tickets are $5 for Conservancy members, $10 for non-members. For reservations, call 310.496.3146 or go to smconservancy.org
The People’s Voice. Emulating the centuries-old tradition of Speaker’s Corner in London’s Hyde Park, the People’s Voice puts up a weekly soap box and microphone for anyone to freely speak his or her piece. Free. Every Sunday 10 a.m. to noon Palisades Park at the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd. and Ocean Ave.
Volunteer for the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, Marina del Rey center. We have various opportunities, at the Marina del Rey center and other locations, weekdays and weekends. Open to all, 18 years and older. Contact Gail at 626.677.2297 or gtomura@girlscoutsla.org
Volunteer to conduct guided programs for school groups and the general public, host a nature center, or patrol park trails. For more information contact Lisa Ann Carillo, 310.858.7272
Yoga for the Community. New days and hours. Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. by donation. All levels welcome. No experience necessary. Classes are on-going. Drop-ins welcome. Classes taught by Max Diamond. Classes located at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 1342 Ocean Park Blvd. Free parking off of 14th St. mtolivelutheranchurch.org For questions contact diamond.max1@gmail.com
The YWCA Santa Monica / Westside holds classes for adults and kids, plus free exercise for women with cancer and free programs for girls in middle school. For more information call 310.452.3881 or go to smywca.org
Zen meditation group led by Sensei Daishin Buksbazen, teacher at Zen Center of Los Angeles meets weekly on Wednesday evening at the Hill Street Center, 237 Hill St., Santa Monica. Meditation instruction for newcomers held from 7 to 7:30 p.m., Zazen from 7:30 to 9 p.m., Dharma talk the first Wednesday of each month. Contact Sensei Daishin at 310.315.3506 or daishin@zcla.org
