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.

DYNGESS DAY | Portage

The Sons of the American Legion Squadron 260 will host a Dyngess Day pierogi and Polish sausage drive from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 24 at the Portage American Legion Hall, 5675 Mulberry Ave. The menu includes two choices of pierogi, Polish sausage, kraut and a slice of real Polish bread. Dine-in or carry-out orders are available.

FYI: Call (219) 762-3541.

MAYOR'S NIGHT OUT | Portage

The next Mayor's Night Out will begin at 6:30 p.m. March 25 at Portage American Legion Post 260, 5675 Mulberry Ave. Mayor Olga Velazquez and city department heads will attend. Topics for discussion include Neighborhood Watch programs and a public safety committee to start in April.

FYI: Call (219) 762-5425.

SPAGHETTI DINNER | South Haven

South Haven American Legion Post 502 will host a spaghetti dinner and dance March 29 at the post, 429 W. County Road 750 North.The cost is $10 per person. Cocktails with a cash bar will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 .m. A dance follows dinner. Entertainment will be provided by TS Express. The event also includes a silent auction, tip boards and a 50/50 raffle. 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. 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.

FRENCH CHEF COLLECTIBLES SOUGHT | Washington Twp.

Mental Health America of Porter County is seeking "French chef" collectibles, gift cards, kitchen cookware, artwork and other chicculinary items, new or gently used, for its L'Endroit de Bonne Sante (the Place of Good Health) at the 21st annual Antiques and Collectibles Show. This French kitchen-themed booth will be set up and run by volunteers and members of Mental Health America groups. Proceeds will fund Building Up Girls, BUG Bites, Building Up Our Youth and Open Door Social Club.

The antiques show will be held 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.

FYI: Call Trudi Gallagher at (219) 462-6267 or mentalhealthpc@verison.net.

SCRAPBOOK AGAINST CANCER | Portage

Bass Pro Shops will host an all-day scrapbooking event from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. April 12 at the store, 6425 Daniel Burnham Drive. The cost is $35. Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Mail checks, payable to American Cancer Society, c/o Ashley Spurgeon, 6425 Daniel Burnham Drive, Portage, IN 46368. Participants are invited to bring their scrapbooking supplies and spend all or part of the day scrapbooking for a good cause. The event includes door prizes, a chiropractor on site to help with active-release techniques, snacks, dinner and beverages.

FYI: Call Ashley at (317) 460-1982 or e-mail acspurgeon@basspro.com or call Chris at (219) 682-4551.

'MARRIAGE CAN BE MURDER' | Portage

The Nativity Home and School Association presents "Marriage Can Be Murder," a murder mystery dinner show, from 6 to 11:30 p.m. April 26 in the Nativity of Our Savior Catholic Church hall, 2949 Willowcreek Road. Doors open at 6 p.m. The play begins at 7 p.m. Dinner is included. The evening includes a DJ and dancing until 11:30 p.m. Baby-sitting is available if reserved in advance. Tickets cost $25 if purchased prior to April 21 and $30 after that date. Buy a table of eight for $175 prior to April 21. Tickets are available at the school, 2929 Willowcreek Road.

FYI: Call (219) 763-2400.

LIGHT UP THE CITY | Portage

Purchase a purple light bulb for your porch light and help light up the city in support of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Light bulbs cost $5 each and are available at the UPS Store, 3311 Willowcreek Road; at Rhame & Elwood Attorneys at Law, 3200 Willowcreek Road. Organizers ask that residents turn on their purple-bulbed porch lights between Memorial Day and June 7 to show support for the fight against cancer. Proceeds will be donated to the Friends and Family of Eddie Aleman's Relay for Life Team.

FYI: (219) 764-3167 or (219) 762-0494

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 Banquet 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.

PLANT SALE | Chesterton

The Friends of Indiana Dunes will hold the 12th Annual Native Plant Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 5 at the Indiana Dunes State Park Bath Pavilion, Ind. 49 at Lake Michigan. The sale includes bulbs, plants, shrubs and trees. Prices range from $5.50 to $48. All 128 varieties are certified as native to Lake, Porter, or LaPorte counties. Admission to the park and sale is free. Gardening experts will be on hand to answer questions. Vendors with books and gardening miscellany also will be available. Some varieties will be gone before the doors open, so participants are encouraged to order early. All profit is used to fund public programs and activities of the Friends of Indiana Dunes at the state and national dunes parks.

FYI: Call (219) 926-7561, ext 230.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED | Chesterton

Rebuilding Together Duneland is looking for volunteers willing to lend a hand as the group celebrates National Rebuilding Day by working on improvements to at least seven houses and three community projects. This year's work day is slated for April 26. Volunteer applications are available online at www.rtduneland.org or at the following locations: Hopkins Ace Hardware, 320 S. Calumet Road; Chesterton Tribune Office, 193 S. Calumet; Westchester Public Library reference desk, 200 W. Indiana Ave; Duneland Chamber of Commerce, 303 Broadway; and Chesterton High School front desk, 2125 S. 11th St. Volunteer will receive a canvas bag in which to keep a water bottle, snacks and personal belongings while on the job site. The deadline to apply is March 28.

FYI: Call (219) 926-4276.

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.

RECORDERS WANTED | Chesterton

Crocker Baptist Church is requesting donations of musical recorders (tonettes) to be sent to the church's missionary, Shirley Killosky of Kids Alive International in Valparaiso. She is serving in Hauna Village in Papua New Guinea, and the recorders and books are used to teach the village children to read music and play the instrument. Donations can be taken to the church, 275 W. County Road 1050 North.

FYI: Call (219) 395-6607

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED | Porter County

Meals on Wheels, a program of the Visiting Nurse Association of Porter County, is seeking volunteer drivers to deliver meals to elderly and homebound residents. The need is particularly great in Portage. Volunteers pick up the meals at a central site on weekdays and spend about an hour to 90 minutes delivering the food on their route. Drivers can volunteer as often as their schedules permit. Last year, the Porter County program delivered 60,000 meals to more than 350 residents. Organizers are looking for businesses willing to adopt Meals on Wheels routes and provide volunteers to deliver meals, also.

FYI: Call (219) 462-5195.

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.

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

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.

LUPUS ALERT OPEN HOUSE | Portage

The Lupus Foundation of America, Indiana chapter, presents a National Lupus Alert Day open house from 4 to 7 p.m. April 1 at the Portage Lupus office, 2642 Eleanor St. An Ask the Doctor session with Dr. Tarek Kudaimi begins at 6 p.m. The Tell 20 campaign in honor of the chapter's 20th anniversary urges people to distribute lupus information to 20 friends by e-mail, phone, mail, or literature.

FYI: Call (219) 762-6575.

SEAMSTRESS NEEDED | Portage

Portage Community Historical Society is looking for volunteers to sew vintage dresses. The society operates and manages historical programs for the city at the historical complex at Countryside Park, 5250 U.S. 6. Society members will wear the dresses during group tours and during the annual Portage Historical Festival scheduled for June 21 and 22 at Countryside Park. The historic farmhouse and museum are open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, through November. The historic farm house also is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. School tours are available by appointment.

FYI: Call Lois Mollick, historical society president, at (219) 762-4218.

HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS | Northwest Indiana

Unity Hospice of Northwest Indiana LLC, 7863 Broadway, Suite 240B, Merrillville, is looking for compassionate, caring and dedicated people to serve as volunteers to help with patients and in its office. Visit the Web site at www.unityhospice.com.

FYI: Call (219) 769-8648.