About Town | 12-7-15

West Hawaii County Band to perform Christmas concert

West Hawaii County Band will perform a free Christmas concert from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at Hale Halawai on the corner of Hualalai Road and Alii Drive. Seating will be provided.

Lisa Archuletta, who received her music degree from the University of Hawaii and her master’s degree from Yale School of Music, will conduct the concert.

Drugs, tobacco, alcohol and littering are not allowed.

Info: Marshall Tohara, 327-3565.

Low Vision Support Group hosts open house

The Low Vision Support Group of the West Hawaii Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind will host a lunchtime open house from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday at Hale Halawai. Those with questions concerning living with vision loss are invited to learn about the support group and how they help each other continue active, independent lives.

This event is free and open to the public.

Info: nfb-westhi.org, Sally, 345-7065.

Mental health class offered

An eight-hour Mental Health First Aid class will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at the West Hawaii Community Health Center on Kuakini Highway.

The class is approved by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and includes a 200-page color manual, light pupu, and a three-year national certification. Participants will learn about signs and symptoms of mental illness and how to help. They will also learn how to initiate the conversation about suicide, learn about available services, gain confidence, help erase stigma and raise awareness.

Cost is $99 to community members.

Info: stressfreesouls.com, info@stressfreesouls.com.

Committee on the Status of Women meets

The Hawaii County Committee on the Status of Women meets at 9:30 a.m. Friday at the Waimea Center, 65-1158 Mamalahoa Highway, Suite C, Waimea. The public is welcome to attend.

Wii gaming slated at library

The Kailua-Kona Public Library is offering Wii gaming for young adults and teens from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. There will be free chips and soda and it is first come, first served. Teen gaming titles are appropriate for ages 13-17. The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Libraries, Kona.

Info: 327-4327.

AdvoCats members participating in events

AdvoCats will not be holding its general meeting in December but will be participating in Kona’s Christmas Parade on Saturday, the Kailua Village Stroll on Sunday and the Mauna Lani Charity Christmas Trees. Volunteers are needed.

AdvoCats is a Hawaii County-endorsed, nonprofit “trap-neuter-return” organization committed to solving the homeless cat problem in a humane way. In November, it spayed and neutered 107 cats at its Kona clinic and 85 cats in Ocean View. The next clinic will be Jan. 20 at the Kona Palisades Community Center.

If you have cats to be trapped, spayed or neuters and returned, call or email 327-3724 or www.advocatshawaii.org.

Donations of time, money, cat food, cellphones and ink cartridges are appreciated.

Seating is limited.

Hazardous waste collection planned

A household hazardous waste collection is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Kealakehe Recycling and Transfer Station. The event is for household generated and self-hauled waste only. Business, government agency, nonprofit agency or farm wastes are not allowed. No electronic waste will be accepted.

Some types of acceptable waste collected are automotive fluids, used batteries, fluorescent lights and pesticides. Latex paint will be accepted at the event for reuse. For a more complete list of acceptable or unacceptable waste, visit www.hawaiizerowaste.org.

Info: Chris Chin-Chance, 961-8554, recycle3@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Dances of universal peace planned

Dances of universal peace will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at New Thought Center in Kealakekua.

Participants will move in the moment while singing sacred phrases, mantras and poetry of many spiritual traditions.

Info: Swami Om, 323-3344.