Find out all the events going on in your community, and plan your week's activities with The Times.

To get listed in the calendar, contact Eastlake community coordinator Marlene A. Zloza at least 10 days in advance.

• E-mail: mzloza@nwitimes.com.

• Fax: (219) 662-5296.

• Address: 2080 N. Main St., Crown Point, IN 46307.

• Questions? Call (219) 662-5340.

GRIEF SUPPORT | Hobart

Augustana Lutheran Church is offering GriefShare, a welcoming, nondenominational seminar and support group for people who are grieving the death of someone close to them. The group will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. each Wednesday for 13 weeks beginning March 26. Sessions include a video seminar and group discussion. Cost is $15 per person, which includes a workbook. The group will meet in the upstairs meeting room at Augustana Lutheran Church, 207 Kelly St.

FYI: Call Terry at the church office (219) 942-3574.

TOAST FOR TOMORROW | Hobart

Tickets are available for the "Toast for Tomorrow" celebration and fundraiser to benefit children and adults with developmental disabilities who attend Center for Possibilities - Cerebral Palsy of NWI, Inc. The event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 26 at Hobart Elks Lodge 1152, 3580 W. 61st Ave. Tickets are $20 per person and are available at Center for Possibilities, 22 Tyler St., Hobart, and the Hobart Chamber of Commerce office. The event will include special guest Bob Love of the Chicago Bulls, a champagne toast, hors d'oeuvres, cash bar and a silent auction. Auction items will include four Walt Disney World Hopper passes, an autographed Indianapolis Colts football, Deep River Water Park passes, Indianapolis & Chicago Children's Museum passes, Chicago Wolves, Chicago Cubs & Gary SouthShore RailCats tickets, and more. Proceeds will provide an ongoing preschool program, therapy services and an adult day program for children and adults with developmental disabilities

living in Lake and Porter counties.

FYI: Call (219) 962-5751.

TAX ASSISTANCE | DeMotte

The tax assistance service provided by AARP at the DeMotte Library has been cancelled.

FYI: Call (219) 987-2221.

HUB RUN | Crown Point

Southlake YMCA will host its 28th Annual Hub Run 5K/2K race at 1 p.m. April 6 at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 889 S. Court St. Entry fee is $15, and $8 for each additional family member, until March 28, and also $8 for all children in grade 8 and younger until March 28. Fee is $20 for each participant after March 28. Race applications are available at the Southlake YMCA, 1450 S. Court St., or can be downloaded at www.slymca.org. Proceeds help low-income families and individuals participate in YMCA membership and programs.

FYI: Call (219) 663-5810.

HEROS FUNDRAISER | Lowell

A family fundraising event will be held March 30 to benefit Military HEROS, a newly formed foundation aimed at helping military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The fundraiser will be held from noon to 7 p.m. March 30 at D.C.'s Country Junction, 3599 W. 161st Ave. The event will feature bands such as Scamp, Shud Up and Drive, Flint Lock, Country Junction, Spare Time and Nick Danger. Raffle prizes will include a guitar autographed by country singer Mark Chestnut and two front-row tickets to any country concert at the Midwest Amphitheater in Tinley Park, Ill. There also will be activities for children, including face painting and balloon animals. Tickets are $10 per person with ages 15 and younger admitted free. Sondra Julian, of Chesterton, started the foundation after her son was deployed to Iraq last year. She formed the Military HEROS Foundation, Inc., also known as M-HEROS, which stands for Mental Health Extras Restoring Our Soldiers. Julian is trying to form a

national network of doctors outside of the Veterans Administration who would agree to treat returning vets with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She also would like the foundation to raise enough money to pay for that treatment.

FYI: Visit the Web site at www.mheros.org, send e-mail to contact@mheros.org or call (219)

728-9440.

CELEBRATION OF GIFTS | Crown Point

St. Mary Catholic Community School is seeking donations for its live and silent auctions at the annual Celebration of Gifts event April 5 at Avalon Manor, 3550 E. U.SD. 30, Hobart. Products, services and gift certificates are welcome.

FYI: Call (219) 988-2774.

DINNER & AUCTION | Hobart

A benefit dinner and silent auction has been planned for the Smith family of Hobart to help with medical and other expenses associated with the illness of their daughter. The event, sponsored by Trinity Lutheran Church and School and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, is scheduled for noon to 7 p.m. March 30 at the Trinity Lutheran School Gutzler Gymnasium, 891 S. Linda St. Mike and Mary Smith's 13-year-old daughter, Christina, an eighth-grader at Hobart Middle School, is recovering from acute transverse myelitis and is receiving extensive physical therapy. The event will include an Italian dinner consisting of pasta, salad, bread sticks, drink and dessert. There will be entertainment, a silent auction, door prizes and a bake sale. Carry-outs are available. Tickets are available in advance for $7 for adults, $4 for children 4 to 12. Younger children will eat free. Tickets at the door will be $8 for adults and $5 for children younger than 12.

FYI: Call Sue at (219) 942-3570, Joe at 942-0358, or the church office at 942-2589 for tickets.

RIDING PROGRAM | Hobart

Exceptional Equestrians Unlimited Inc., a 510 (c)93) nonprofit charity offering therapeutic horseback riding lessons, is accepting applications for the spring session on a first come, first served basis. The EU program provides recreational and therapeutic equine activities for children and adults with various physical, mental and emotional disabilities. Classes, both mounted and unmounted, will be held at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, April 17 through June 28 in Hobart. Request a registration packet or call for more information about participating, volunteering or donation to the program. Visit www.eeucenter.org.

FYI: Call Rondi Wightman at (219) 617-1136 or e-mail rondi_wightman@yahoo.com.

FIRST-TIME BUYERS | Crown Point

Northwest Indiana ACORN will host a First-time Home Buyer workshop from 6 to 8 p.m.

April April 29 in the second-floor conference room at South Lake County Community Services, 1450 E. Joliet St. Topics will include budgeting/savings, credit repair, shopping for a new home and obtaining a mortgage, closing on a home, home maintenance and foreclosure prevention. Space is limited to the first 40 people.

FYI: Call (219) 662-6970 to RSVP.

LIVING WITH LUPUS | Chesterton

Lupus Foundation of America, Indiana chapter, presents a Living Well with Lupus seminar March 29 at the Waterbird Conference Center, 556 Indian Boundary Road. The program is designed for people with lupus, their family, friends and area physicians. The event features medical professionals, panels and lunch. Call for seminar times.

FYI: Call (219) 762-6575.

PU GLEE CLUB | Hobart

Hobart Family YMCA hosts the Purdue Varsity Glee Club in a Sunday afternoon concert at 2 p.m. April 6 at the Hobart High School auditorium, 36 E. Eighth St. Tickets are $15 and are available by calling the Y with cash or a major credit card. Any tickets still available will be sold at the door beginning at 1 p.m.

For information, call (219) 942-2183.

GET A GRANT | Jasper, Newton counties

Jasper Foundation, Inc. and the Newton County Community Foundation wish to announce two rounds of grants for this year from their undesignated fund. Grant applications for the first round are available for Jasper County and Newton County nonprofit groups and are due by April 1. Areas of interest include education, arts and culture, social services, health and historic preservation. Applications may be obtained at www.jasperfdn.org. Interested groups should contact Linda Reiners at the foundation office regarding their potential grant.

FYI: Visit www.jasperfdn.org.

FREE TAX FILING | Crown Point

NWI ACORN is offering free tax filing for low to moderate families filing 1040 or 1040EZ through April 15 at South Lake County Community Services, Inc., 1450 E. Joliet St. Call for an appointment. Items needed include filer's driver's license, Social Security cards, W-2's and all pertinent information for all members of the family, spouse if filing jointly. No complicated filing at this site.

FYI: Call (219) 663-0627.

LUNCH AND FASHIONS | Hobart

Tickets are now on sale for the Chicagoland Christian Village Auxiliary's Spring Luncheon and Style Show at 1 p.m. April 20 at Avalon Banquet Center, 3550 E. U.S. 30. In addition to the meal, the latest in men's and women's spring fashions will be presented by Chicco's and Dress Barn. Doors will open at noon with a variety of vendors available for shopping and a multitude of silent auction items available for bidding. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased from an auxiliary member or by phone. All proceeds will benefit the residents of Chicagoland Christian Village in Winfield. Anyone interested in providing a silent auction item or obtaining a vendor application can call Frank Klubucar at (219) 662-0642.

FYI: Call (219) 662-0642.

TAX ASSISTANCE | Lake County

Professionally trained tax counselors will provide free assistance for senior citizens and low-income people completing this year's 2007 income tax preparation at several sites of the Lake County Public Library. Dates and times will vary from February to April and an appointment is necessary. Be sure to bring last year's tax return, all property tax bills, and all federal and state booklets received in the mail. Counselors will not be able to prepare business or farm taxes.

FYI: Call (219) 980-5180 to schedule and appointment.

MORTGAGE HELP | Crown Point

Countrywide Mortgage and NWI ACORN have a partnership to help low- to moderate-income families who are in foreclosure and have a mortgage with Countrywide. Make an appointment to visit the NWI ACORN office at 1450 E. Joliet St.

FYI: Call (219) 218-5204.

FORECLOSURE AID | Crown Point

NWI ACORN is accepting applications from low- to moderate-income families facing foreclosure at South Lake County Community Services, 1450 E. Joliet St. Families must provide original loan documents, recent tax returns, monthly budget, bank statements, etc. Canvassers are needed to distribute information concerning foreclosure assistance in Crown Point, Dyer, Hammond and East Chicago.

FYI: Call (219) 218-5204.

PAGEANT CONTESTANTS | Northwest Indiana

The Puerto Rican Parade and Cultural Organization of Northwest Indiana seeks contestants for the 2008 Miss Puerto Rico and Northwest Indiana and the 2008 Juvenile/Tiny King and Queen. Applications are due March 22. Candidates must be of Puerto Rican descent, a resident of Northwest Indiana for a year, in school with a GPA of 2.0 or above, be of good moral character and be outgoing. Miss Puerto Rico contestants must be 16 to 21 years old and never married or living with someone, have no children and be able to speak Spanish. Tiny King and Queen contestants must be 7 to 12 years old and able to speak Spanish.

FYI: Call (219) 397-1217, 398-0632, 801-1896 or 923-3170.

SENIOR SERVICES | Merrillville

Merrillville Clerk Treasurer Eugene M. Guernsey has created a new department within the clerk treasurer's offices at the Merrillville Town Complex, 7820 Broadway. Senior Services, a nonprofit service and an all-volunteer operation, will provide information, literature and guidance to Merrillville seniors. Information on senior health issues, home care services and other resources geared toward senior lifestyles is available.

FYI: Call Carol Miano, director of senior services, at (219) 769-3501 or (219) 736-8258.