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 Portage community coordinator Barbara Martin.

E-mail: bmartin@nwitimes.com.

Fax: (219) 762-8386.

Address: 3410 Delta Drive, Portage IN 46368

Questions? Call (219) 762-1397, ext. 2227.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT | Portage

The Caregiver Support Group will meet at 10 a.m. March 8 at Miller's Senior Living Community - Assisted Living Apartments, 5911 Lute Road. The group provides information in a supportive environment where caregivers can share problems, ideas and solutions. All those who provide care are welcome. The Caregiver Support Group is designed for caregivers of people with any disease, with an emphasis on the elderly. Sharon Orenick, a licensed clinical social worker with Harbor Light Hospice, facilitates the group. The Caregiver Support Group meets at 10 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month at Miller's Senior Living. The meeting is free. The public is invited. Reservations are requested but not required. Refreshments will be served.

FYI: Call (219) 764-0628.

ARTS-A-BUDDING | Valparaiso

An opening award reception will be held at 1:30 p.m. March 9 for students entered in the annual Porter County Arts-A-Budding student art show, which continues through March 13 at the Chapel of the Resurrection on the Valparaiso University Campus. This is an exhibit of the best artwork produced by Porter County students in first through eighth grades. Students will be publicly recognized by name and will receive a ribbon. Arts-A-Budding began 33 years ago and was started by visual arts teachers who wanted to honor art students and encourage their creativity.

FYI: Call (219) 462-5162.

REBUILDING VOLUNTEERS | Portage

Volunteer applications for the April 26 Portage Rebuilding Together are available at Horizon Bank, 6504 U.S. 6; Portage Township trustee's office, 3484 Airport Road; RE/MAX Hometown Professionals, 3200 Willowcreek Road, Suite C; Portage Township YMCA, 3100 Willowcreek Road; Portage City Hall, 6070 Central Ave.; Portage Public Library, 2665 Irving St.; South Haven Public Library, 403 W. County Road 700 North; Schoop's Hamburgers, 3285 Willowcreek Road; Centier Bank, 3220 Willowcreek Road, Portage; Centier Bank, 390 W. U.S. 6; NorthShore Health Centers, 3564 Scottsdale St., and 6450 U.S. 6, Portage; Lowe's Home Improvement, 6221 U.S. 6; and Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 356 W. County Road 700 North, South Haven.

Rebuilding Together also is looking for donations. Checks can be sent to Portage Rebuilding Together at P.O. Box 2511, Portage, IN 46368.

FYI: Call (219) 764-2187.

CHARITY FUNDRAISER | Valparaiso

Prevent Child Abuse of Porter County will have its annual charity ball fundraiser, the Spring Carnival Gala, beginning at 6:30 p.m. April 5 at Old Towne Center, 711 N. Calumet Ave. This charity ball will include carnival games, Wii games and casino games. Entertainer J Jay Brooks will emcee the event. Seating is limited. The cost is $50 per person. Reservations can be sent to Prevent Child Abuse of Porter County, P.O. Box 1846, Valparaiso, IN 46384-1846. The group is seeking donations for its silent auction.

FYI: Call (219) 531-9012.

CASINO NIGHT | Chesterton

State Park Little League will hold a Casino Night from 6 p.m. to midnight March 8 at the Chesterton Moose Lodge, 602 Broadway. Charity gamblers will play for fun and prizes and also have an opportunity to buy into a poker tournament for cash prizes. Tickets are $40 and include dinner, unlimited gambling chips and an entry into several prize drawings. Tickets for the poker tournament buy-in are $100. Drink tickets will be available for purchase during the evening event. Only 200 tickets will be sold for the event. Organizers are accepting donations of prizes. Proceeds from the event will go toward the league's planned expansion that will provide additional parking and a third ball field.

FYI: Call Lori Hasselberger at (219) 926-8562 or Cheryl Bachman at (219) 926-6579 or visit the Web site at www.stateparklittleleague.org.

WINTER CARNIVAL | Portage

Nativity of Our Savior Catholic School's 13th Annual Winter Carnival will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. March 8 at the school, 2929 Willowcreek Road. Also that day, the seventh-graders will hold a spaghetti dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children. The menu includes spaghetti, garlic bread and tossed salad. Proceeds from the annual spaghetti dinner will go toward the class trip. Carnival tickets sell for 25 cents each. This year's carnival has a Disney theme. Among the activities will be Hannah Montana make-overs, High School Musical karaoke, Over the Hedge Snack Bar and Hunchback of Notre Dame bingo.

FYI: Call (219) 763-2400.

BENEFIT SUPER BINGO | South Haven

South Haven American Legion Post 502 will host Benefit Super Bingo March 9 at the post, 429 W. County Road 750 North. Early birds start at 1 p.m. The cost is $20 for the player's packet. Food will be available for purchase. Proceeds will benefit Alex "Johnny" Szmutko, a member of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 502 for the past 11 years. He was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This is one of many events the Legion will hold to help him. A bank account has been set up at Centier Bank to accept donations to the Alex "Johnny" Szmutko Benefit. Donations also can be made via Pay Pal or credit card at the Web site, www.szmutko.com.

FYI: Call (219) 759-2121.

FREE MOVIES | Portage

Portage 16 IMAX, 6550 U.S. 6, offers free spring matinees at 10 and 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through April 27. The March 8 and 9 movie is "Surf's Up." "Are We Done Yet?" is the March 15 and 16 movie. "Bratz: The Movie" will be shown March 22 and 23. "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" will be shown March 29 and 30. "The Golden Compass" will be shown April 5 and 6. "Bee Movie" is the April 12 and 13 movie. " Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" will be shown April 19 and 20. The final movie in the free spring matinee series will be "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" on April 26 and 27.

FYI: Visit www.GQTI.com.

PREVENT CHILD ABUSE | Valparaiso

Prevent Child Abuse Porter County's council will meet at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at Porter County Administration Center, 155 Indiana Ave, Suite 309. Meeting dates are March 10, April 14, May 12, June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13 (administration will be closed; location will be announced), Nov. 10 and Dec. 8.

FYI: Call (219) 531-9012.

FAMINE | Portage

Portage United Methodist Youth, the youth group at First United Methodist in Portage, will hold a 30-hour famine to raise money and awareness for world hunger. The group's goal is to raise $720, which will feed two children for a year. The famine begins at 5 p.m. today. The youths will drink water and juice only during the fast, which will last until 11 p.m. March 8. During that time, they will make tie-dye T-shirts and pillowcases, play board games and survivor games, and doing an in-house service project. They'll break their fast at 11 p.m. March 8 with a meal prepared for them by church members. The youth group is accepting tax-deductible donations. Checks can be made to The First United Methodist of Portage and sent to 2637 McCool Road, Portage IN 46368.

FYI: Call Lil Falk at (219) 763-6098 or the church at (219) 762-3846 or visit the Web site at www.30hourfamine.org.

SHAMROCK FEST | Hobart

Hobart Jaycees will host a ShamROCK Fest at 6:30 p.m. March 15 at American Legion Post 54, 208 S. Linda St. Bands include C4, Day After Dinosaur and NSM. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Drink specials will be featured at the cash bar. Proceeds benefit Rebuilding Together with Christmas in April for Hobart/Lake Station.

FYI: Call Tina Bateman at (219) 947-2278 or e-mail Tnissan_2@msn.com.

ANTIQUES SHOW | Washington Twp.

Mental Health America of Porter County will hold the 21st annual Antiques and Collectibles Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 29 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 30 at the Porter County Expo Center, 215 Division Road. Admission is $4. Children younger than 12 years will be admitted free. The event features a Porter County's Own Antique Revue from 6 to 9 p.m. March 28. The casual evening will feature free appraisals, silent auction, appetizer buffet and an early start on shopping. Dealers' booths will be open for sales. Tickets for Porter County's Own Antique Revue will be $25, and there will be a cash bar. The antiques show will feature different types of dealers with an array of antiques and collectibles such as antique glassware, Coca-Cola collections, furniture and toys. Concessions will be available for purchase. The antiques show is a major benefit fundraiser for Mental Health America of Porter County, a nonprofit organization that has been promoting mental wellness in the

community for more than 54 years. Dealers' booths are available for rent at $100.

FYI: Call Mary Hodson at (219) 462-6267.

STRIKE OUT | Dyer

A baker's double tournament supporting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation is set for March 8 at Stardust Bowl III, 1330 Sheffield Ave. Signups start at 8:30 p.m. and bowling starts promptly at 10 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and include food. There will be door prizes, 50/50 tickets and raffles.

FYI: Call (219) 405-1181 or 758-6538.

SILENT AUCTION | Munster

For the Love, the seventh annual dinner and silent and live auction benefiting the Samaritan Counseling Center, will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. March 8 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 8955 Columbia Ave. The Samaritan Center is a not-for-profit ministry of counseling and education, offering help and hope to those suffering from stressful situations such as depression, anxiety, grief, marital conflict, and substance abuse. Tickets are available by phone.

FYI: Call (219) 794-4179 or 741-4134.