Buenaventura Art Association announces a “Call for Entries” for their 25th Annual Open Competition at the Buenaventura Gallery. The exhibit will run from January 11 – January 29 with the bring-in for the artists on Sunday, January 9 and Monday, January 10 from 11 am – 2 pm. The awards ceremony (with $1,500 in prizes awarded) will be on Saturday, January 15, 2011 4-7 pm. John Carlander, art professor at Westmont College will be the juror.

John Carlander is a practicing artist and college professor who has exhibited widely in the US and abroad. His paintings are acrylic on canvas and oil on canvas as well. Prof. Carlander has taught painting, drawing and design at Westmont College since 1980. He was a graduate assistant and teaching fellow at Bowling Green State University where he earned his MFA degree. He taught at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, and Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, before coming to Westmont. He has had 30 one-person shows, numerous 2-person and innumerable group shows. Both figurative and non-figurative work can be found among his prolific number of paintings, which are in public and private collections throughout the US.
Eligibility for the exhibition is open to all professional and amateur artists. Downloadable bring-in forms are available at www.buenaventuragallery.org or stop by the Buenaventura Gallery.

The Buenaventura Gallery is located at 700 E Santa Clara St. in downtown Ventura. Hours are Tues – Friday from 12 – 5 pm and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information and entry form, visit their website at www.BuenaventuraGallery.org.

DUE DATE: December 30, 2010

The City of Moorpark invites Southern California artists to compete for selection as the “featured artist” for next year’s Arts Festival. Moorpark’s annual Arts Festival attracts up to 2,000 visitors to the Civic Center and adjacent High Street for the one-day event featuring visual art, music, theater and children’s activities. Each year the Arts Festival showcases a different established or emerging “featured artist” with a daylong exhibition, and focuses on one of the artists’ images in promotional materials such as press releases and event program produced by the city.

The 2011 Festival will be held Sunday, April 17 at the Moorpark Civic Center, Moorpark Library, High Street Arts Center, and various businesses on High Street. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Material Submission Deadline: Thursday, December 30, 2010, 4:00 p.m. All materials may be hand-delivered, emailed or mailed, but must arrive by the deadline.

Mail materials to:
Parks and Recreation Department
City of Moorpark
799 Moorpark Avenue
Moorpark, CA 93021
Attn: Danielle June
Hand-deliver materials to:
Arroyo Vista Recreation Center
4550 Tierra Rejada Rd
Parks and Recreation Department
799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, California 93021 (805) 517-6300 fax (805) 532-2551
Moorpark, CA 93021
Email materials to:
djune@ci.moorpark.ca.us

Eligibility: Open to all artists in Ventura and West Los Angeles Counties. ALL visual art media accepted.

What to submit:
1. 10 color jpeg images (email or on a CD). Please save each jpeg as a number 1-10.
Images submitted must be available to exhibit the day of the Arts Festival and the artist
must have all rights to reproduce the image.
2. Description sheet that corresponds to the numbers on the jpegs. Include the title, date,
media and size of your work for each image you submit.
3. Current resume (maximum of 3 pages) that includes your name, address, phone number
and email (if applicable).
4. Self addressed and stamped envelope for return of all materials (unless emailed).
Criteria of Work: The following will be considered in the selection process:
o Appropriateness to a public venue
o Artistic quality of work
o Reproducibility
o General public appeal

Schedule/Process: The panel will include artists, community members and city staff. The panel will review applicants’ materials and choose one artist as the Featured Artist for the 2011 Arts Festival. Applicants will be notified via e-mail of the panel’s decisions. Application materials will be returned to applicants with the letter, with the exception of the selected artist.

Applicants who are not selected for the Featured Artist will have the opportunity to submit artwork during the general call for entries sent in January.

If you require additional information about submitting materials for consideration, contact Danielle June at 805-517-6300.

Kids from the Sespe Players Musical Theater workshop will perform on stage at the Sespe Auditorium, 627 Sespe Avenue in Fillmore, Sat. Dec. 18th, 2 pm. There will only be one performance of this very popular and upbeat musical set in the early 60’s. This will be Sespe Players third Musical Theater Workshop Performance having completed “Grease” last spring and “The Wiz” last summer.

Please come out to support our children in the Performing Arts, their talent and dreams!

Admission is by donation to support the arts. No reservations required.

For information on future musical theater workshop performances, contact Priscilla Rzezuski (805) 524-0553.

Camarillo, CA. - The CSU Channel Islands Art Program will present its sixth Annual “Student Art Sale Extravaganza” with a gala reception open to the public in the Napa Hall art studios on Thursday, Dec. 9. The three-day benefit art sale will feature student art at great prices including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, photography, illustration, digital prints, and graphic design products. Art sale hours are Thursday, Dec. 9 from 4 to 8 p.m., Friday Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A portion of the sales will be donated to the University’s Foundation to support the CI Art Program gallery exhibitions throughout the campus and surrounding communities.

Limited parking is available on campus and is $6 for a daily permit. Follow signs to designated event parking areas. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station /Lewis Road parking lot in Camarillo with shuttle service to and from the campus. Riders should board the Vista Bus and the fare is $1 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.

CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

CI Mission Statement
Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.

Xavier Montes playing his harp.
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Santa Paula, CA. - The Santa Paula Art Museum is pleased to announce the closing reception for the 17th Annual De Colores art exhibition. The exhibition highlights the narrative paintings and cultural story telling of forty Latino visual artists. The Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street in historic downtown Santa Paula. Reservations are encouraged by calling 805-525-5554 or emailing info@santapaulaartmuseum.org. Closing exhibit admission is: $10.

The program will include a reception hour including guest artists: Louie Moreno, Veronica Valadez, Andrea Vargas-Mendoza, and Jose Zuniga. Musical Entertainment provided by Angels On Harps, and by classical harpist Xavier Montes. The evening also includes spoken word performances by Joseph Casteñeda and Vanessa Teran as well as a short film screening by director Karen Farfán.
Because occupancy at the museum is limited we recommend an RSVP to secure entrance.

For further information about the Santa Paula Art Museum please call 805-525-5554 or email them at info@santapaulaartmuseum.org.

WHAT: De Colores Art Exhibit Closing Reception
WHERE: Santa Paula Art Museum, 117 North 10th Street, Santa Paula
DATE: Thursday, December, 30th 6-8:30 PM
Closing RECEPTION COST: MEMBERS $10 NON-MEMBERS $10, RESERVATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED
WEBSITE: www.SantaPaulaArtMuseum.org
REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS: WEDNESDAY – SATURDAY 10-4, And SUNDAY 12-4.
DAILY ADMISSION: ADULTS $4, SENIORS $3, STUDENTS FREE WITH ID

To commemorate 86 years of Santa Paula High School football and 100 games between the Santa Paula. Cardinals and the Fillmore Plashes, one of the oldest high school football rivalries in California, the California Oil Museum presents its newest exhibit Red, White and Rivalry: A History of Santa Paula High School Football. Former players, cheerleaders and fans have loaned their personal photographs, jerseys, medals and memories to provide a nostalgic look back at not only the history of Cardinal football, bat the history of high school football itself!

Whether you are a Cardinal, a Flash, or just a football fan, you will be reminded of your love for the game!

LOCATION: 1001 E. Main Street, Santa Paula, CA. 93060.
HOURS: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday thru Sunday.
PRICE: ADULTS $4, SENIORS $3, YOUTH (6-17) $1

At the fall meeting of the Ojai Valley Museum docents, OVM Director Michelle Pracy welcomed Mary Guinn and Donna Santoro into the group of volunteers staffing the exhibit. Gathered in the museum library, the docents learned about the exhibit as well as resources available to answer questions from visitors. Then it was time for a tour of the exhibit with Pracy who pointed out the highlights.

In her clear and enthusiastic presentation, Pracy showed how the design of the exhibit moved from serene works on the right and left walls to stormy and dynamic works catching the eye from the back. Docents viewed the stellar group of prizewinning art work, entered from all over the Southern California region that were chosen by a museum committee and then selected for awards by distinguished outside judges: Tim Schiffer, Director/Ventura County Museum and Khaled Al-Awar, Owner/Primavera Gallery. Unexpectedly grasping a tall metal sculpture, Pracy demonstrated the playfulness of an artwork that visitors could be encouraged to touch. She accented the scope of exhibit as the docents explored everything from oil painting to ceramics, textiles to furniture, and assemblage to photography.

Ojai Celebrates Art III continues through the holiday season. A trip to the Ojai Valley Museum makes a refreshing break for downtown shoppers and inspiration for gift giving. All of the artwork is for sale, with thirty percent of the sale price going to the museum as a tax-deductible donation. Continuing on view is the Otto and Vivika Heino Collaborative exhibit, offering a rare chance to purchase a ceramics masterpiece from the 1970's to 1990’s, created by the world-renowned Ojai husband-and-wife team.

The Ojai Valley Museum is open Thursday and Friday 1:00 to 4:00 P.M., Saturday 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., and Sunday 12:00 Noon to 4:00 P.M. It will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is $4 for adults, $1 for children 6-18, free for children 5 and under. For further information, contact the museum at 640-1390.

Christian Choh, winner of the 2010 VMF student Jazz competition. Photo by James Lee Needham.

Ventura County, CA. – For the fifth year in a row, the Ventura Music Festival (VMF) will host a music competition for talented young jazz musicians. Open to middle and high school students throughout Southern California, the VMF Student Jazz Competition offers a rare opportunity for young musicians to showcase their talent and compete for the privilege of performing live on stage with a professional jazz artist during a live VMF concert.

Funded by the Ventura Music Festival’s Board of Directors, the three top contestants are awarded scholarships of $500, $250 and $100. The winning student musician is invited to perform with jazz legend Arturo Sandoval on Feb. 12, 2011 at his VMF concert at Seaside Park.

Students are encouraged to mail or email examples of their instrumental work to the Ventura Music Festival by Jan. 4, 2011. Five finalists will perform for a panel of judges and an open-to-the-public live concert competition on the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 16th at Ventura’s Laurel Theater.

Last year’s competition winner was Christian Choh, a 17-year-old alto sax player from Agoura Hills.

All competitors receive discounted tickets to Arturo Sandoval’s 2011 Valentine’s Day weekend concert. In addition, the winner will be able to invite his or her entire Jazz Ensemble to the Sandoval Concert. For more information, call the Ventura Music Festival at: (805) 648-3416 or email: Brenda Yates: by@venturamusicfestival.org.

About the Ventura Music Festival
Founded in 1994, the Ventura Music Festival presents world renowned classical, jazz, and crossover musicians in various venues throughout Ventura and surrounding areas. Most of the venues have historical significance and provide warm and intimate settings for the world-class musical performances. Today, the festival stands as one of Ventura County’s signature events, attracting upwards of 10,000 concert-goers during 10 days in April and May, 2011.

For the 17th season, April 28 through May 7, 2011, the Ventura Music Festival welcomes jazz trumpeter, Chris Botti, Italian classical pianist, Roberto Prosseda, Grammy award-winning violinists, the Mark O’Connor String Quartet and Martina Filjak, winner of the 2009 Cleveland Piano Competition.

Each year, the Ventura Music Festival’s Education Outreach Program presents live performances, stories, and interaction to nearly 4,000 local students through “Music in the Schools” presented by Artistic Director Nuvi Mehta.

The Ventura Music Festival is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. Information: (805) 648-3146 or www.venturamusicfestival.org

“Mother Earth” by Hanna Lore Hombardy won The Use of Symbolism Award.
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“Home Grown In California” by Pam Shelly won The Honoring Our Artistic Roots Award.
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“Fresh Picked” by Eileen Maloney won Honorable Mention.
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The Ag Art Alliance Announces the Winners of the The Third Annual “Art About Agriculture Exhibit” at the Santa Paula Art Museum

The Santa Paula Art Museum and the Ag Art Alliance are pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 Art About Agriculture exhibit. $500 in prizes were awarded by judges Meg Phelps and David Schwabauer to the seven winners.

The Use of Symbolism Award went to “Mother Earth” by Hanna Lore Hombardy. “Home Grown In California” by Pam Shelly won The Honoring Our Artistic Roots Award. The Excellence in Technique Award was given to “Big Tom” by Marcey Sheffield. The Sense of Agriculture Award was given to “Fall Vineyard” by George Lockwood and the sculpture, “A Slice of Life” by Duanne Dammeyer garnered the coveted Juciest Award.

Honorable Mentions round out the awards with recognition going to two watercolors, “Upper Ojai Hay” by Patty Van Dyke and “Fresh Picked” by Eileen Maloney.

“Art About Agriculture” is an agricultural themed art exhibit at the Santa Paula Art Museum, 117 N. 10th Street in historic downtown Santa Paula. The purpose of the exhibit is to promote Art About Agriculture by exploring all the facets of agriculture from workers to water, from machinery to soil and to the food that goes on our plates.

Art About Agriculture features art by 40 artists working in both two and three dimensional media who create art that in some way draws its inspiration from our agricultural heritage and/or contemporary agriculture. That inspiration includes, but is not limited to, depictions of rural landscape, farm animals, farm products, rural life, and art that in a more abstract way deals with issues and ideas related to agriculture.

The Ag Art Alliance was formed in 2007 by Gail Pidduck and John Nichols to promote a greater appreciation of the place of agriculture in our lives by revealing the many facets of agriculture through the eyes of artists.
The Santa Paula Art Museum is the repository and exhibition hall for the Santa Paula Art Collection. The valuable assemblage represents the accumulation of award winning entries in the Santa Paula Art Show which began in 1937. Also featured at the Art Museum are rotating exhibits of contemporary and local artists. The Museum is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday from noon to 4:00 pm. Admission: Adults $4, Seniors $3 and members and students are free.

WHAT: Ag Art Alliance 3rd Annual Exhibit “Art About Agriculture” Winners

WHERE: Santa Paula Art Museum, 117 N. 10th St. Santa Paula, CA

EXHIBIT DATES: Through February 6, 2011

The 26th annual Ojai Peddler's Fair is being held from 9am - 4pm Saturday and Sunday, December 11 & 12, 2010. Located inside the Chapparal Auditorium at 414 E. Ojai Ave., in downtown Ojai CA. Parking is free in the adjacent municipal parking lot, and admission is always free.

Held rain or shine, the Peddler's Fair is chock-full of quality antiques, collectibles, handcrafts and international crafts.

This is a benefit for the Mira Monte PTO.

Vendors are sought.

For more information, please contact Pat at 805-964-8915 or Jodie at 805-640-4384 x2284

“Hobo Jungle, Roots Ventura Calendar cover art” painting by Sarah Kalvin, design by Regina Vorgang.

Roots Ventura: The Exhibit and The Calendar are at the Buenaventura Gallery from December 7 - January 2, 2011. Opening Reception and Calendar Signing will be on Saturday, December 11, 2010 from 4 - 7pm.

Roots Ventura: The Exhibit celebrates the release of Buenaventura Art Association’s (BAA) second fine art calendar which features the legacies of E.P. Foster. The theme of Roots Ventura recognizes the generosity and foresight of one of San Buenaventura's founding fathers and philanthropists.

Roots Ventura, the calendar, features images created by 12 BAA artists, many of whom will be apart of the exhibition. Foster's legacy is highlighted through educational information collected by Sarah Kalvin, curator of the exhibit as well as the artists who’s “Hobo Jungle” is the cover image for the calendar. “If one man has his name on a library, a school, and a few public parks then this is a man worth knowing.” states gallery director Emily Thompson, “Those stoic pines and palms at the Ventura River mouth are a symbol of a legacy washing away and now that his home is gone, the artists work truly deepens the community's connection to this year’s calendar.” Paintings and photographs of the 100 year old house the Foster's lived in, which burned to the ground last August, will be a poignant aspect of the exhibit.

The calendar is a fundraiser for the BAA's Annual Student Scholarships. Calendars will be for sale at the Buenaventura Gallery and Harbor Village Gallery while supplies last. The 2010 Two Trees Calendar rose over $2500 in scholarships given to Ventura County College Art Students.

The Buenaventura Art Gallery is located at 700 E. Santa Clara Street, Ventura, CA 93001. Hours are Tues – Friday from noon – 5 pm and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. Please call (805)648-1235 or visit www.buenaventuragallery.org.

Organizers of the Ventura Botanical Gardens will close its charter membership offering December 31. Other levels of membership and participation will continue to be available, but charter members will be capped at the end of the year. Presently there are 400 charter members.

The Gardens are set to occupy a stunning site on 107 acres of Grant Park, with a 360 degree view overlooking downtown Ventura, the coastline, the mountains and the area’s expansive agricultural fields. Specific garden areas already planned include California Native, cactus and Mediterranean, traversed by scenic paths and hiking trails. The Gardens will also include public recreational and gathering areas with educational activities organized to promote knowledge of native botany, horticulture, environmental preservation, ecology and organic methods.

Charter members will have their names listed on a permanent installation at the site, receive ongoing discounts and special offers and will be invited to the VIP Groundbreaking Reception. Charter membership costs $100 and is a permanent status.

Ventura Botanical Gardens, Inc. is a non profit public benefit corporation with a mission to create and maintain public gardens for the preservation, education, cultural contribution and enhancement of the entire Ventura County community. Organizers envision bringing people together from all over the county and beyond to enjoy a unique and extraordinary open space. Upon completion the gardens figure to become a landmark of the region and a leading tourist destination.

"This is an opportunity for our entire community to share in our dream and our vision," said VBG President Beverly McCaslin. "Everyone can be a member. Our charter members include business leaders, community leaders, gardening enthusiasts and neighbors and friends from all walks of life. What we plan to accomplish will become a lasting legacy in Ventura County's history.”

More information on charter membership can be obtained by visiting the organization’s website at www.VenturaBotanicalGardens.com.

Camarillo, CA - The Channel Islands Choral Association (CICA), a community group working in partnership with CSU Channel Islands (CI) has announced upcoming concert dates in December. The concerts are free and open to the public and admission donations will be accepted.

The first concert will be held on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary Magdalen Chapel, 2532 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo. The second concert will be held on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, 1251 Las Posas Road in Camarillo.

Dr. KuanFen Liu is the Artistic Director of the Channel Islands Choral Association, a member of CI’s music faculty, and the conductor of the CSU Channel Islands Choir. Liu and the choir perform at concerts and make many appearances at different community venues. Last year they provided Christmas caroling at the Camarillo Outlet Mall.

For additional information contact Dr. KuanFen Liu at 805-278-0375.

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A Lifetime in Stone, an exhibition of stone works by artist JoAnne Duby, will be on exhibition in the Sculpture Gallery of the Museum of Ventura County from December 7, 2010 through February 20, 2011.

Duby’s work reflects the natural environment, an appreciation she attributes to her upbringing in Seattle, where she first started her art career. It was while teaching ceramics at Santa Barbara City College that she discovered her love for sculpting. Since then, her sculpture has been shown internationally, and her work is held in collections in Europe and the Americas. She also gives individual instruction and conducts carving workshops.

In addition to her own projects, Duby has also assisted or collaborated with other sculptors, including Donald Davis. At one time, she and sculptor Todd Andrews partnered in a company called T.A.S.C.O., which specialized in enlarging small models to monumental size. In 1988, fellow sculptor Paul Lindhard invited Duby to rent a studio at Art City in Ventura. There she concentrated on her own carving in addition to commissions for monumental works and bronze castings. She has been involved in the Ventura County area ever since. In 1995 she was a featured artist in an award-winning documentary on Art City by Donna Granata of Focus on the Masters.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street in downtown Ventura. Hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, members and children under 6 are free. For more museum information go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323.

Jamie Fleming

Written By Writer/Contributor Michele Pracy, Ojai Valley Museum Director

The museum hosts its first Gala Holiday Party on Friday, December 3rd from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the museum galleries. The theme of the night is “Mystery at the Museum” which includes a cocktail party with delectable edibles by “Private Chef Robin” and a no-host bar; a beguiling Treasure Hunt especially created by renowned Clue Master, Jamie Fleming; and a finale of drawing the winners of the museum’s Fall Raffle fundraiser. Ojai Harpist, Betty Goodspeed, will provide the musical component of the evening.

Following an hour of food, drink, and visiting, attendees will be handed magnifying glasses for the premier event of the evening: the Treasure Hunt among the paintings, sculpture, and historical objects exhibited in the museum. Clue Master, Jamie Fleming, will host this portion of the night.

Fleming, Ojai resident, new Ojai Film Festival Executive Director, and Clue Master for LACMA, SBMA, among other national venues, has donated his expertise this season to the Ojai Valley Museum’s Mystery night. A natural with words, Fleming creates visual clues using catchy puns that everyone will enjoy deciphering. Grand Prizes for the three winning sleuths will be awarded at the end of the Treasure Hunt.

The Gala evening’s finale is the drawing for fabulous prizes in the museum’s Fall Raffle fundraiser. Several hundred-ticket buyers have the chance to win from among 20 primo items including fine art; lodging/dinner packages; tours, and events.

Tickets for “Mystery at the Museum” are limited. Call (805) 640-1390 to reserve yours now. The RSVP deadline has been extended through November 26 to accommodate your holiday calendars.

An exhibition of garden sculptures by 12 local artists, chosen by the Ventura Music Festival to create work around the theme of Art In the Garden. The artists are Christine Beirne, Duane Dammeyer, JoAnne Duby, David Elder, Linda Elder, Frances Elson, John Gerletti, Suzi Perret, Chris Provenzano, Tesi Sanchez-Halpert, Fred Whitman, and Sandy Wolk.

Ventura, CA. - ”Green” is the theme of a new art exhibit Community Memorial Healthcare Foundation is showcasing at Community Memorial Hospital from Dec. 6 through March 6, 2011. The public is invited to view the art at a “Meet the Artists” reception on Tuesday, Dec. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m., in the hospital’s first-floor lobby.

Some paintings and drawings hanging on the hospital’s first-floor walls will feature images of pastures, forests and lagoons. Others will evoke feelings of renewal, safety and health. Others still will be inspired by environmental protection and sustainability.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” said Emily Thompson, executive director of the Buenaventura Art Association, a co-sponsor of the exhibit. “When I put out a call to our artists, I told them ‘Think green!’”

All works are by local artists and are for sale throughout the exhibit. Proceeds from each sale go towards the maintenance of the program, local artists, Buenaventura Art Association and philanthropic support of Community Memorial Hospital.

CMH has been holding art exhibits quarterly for the past two years, and Thompson said they have proven to be successful in exposing art to a wider audience.

“The goal of the CMH exhibits is to get the community involved and make art more accessible,” Thompson said. “I’ve heard instances of people going to the hospital to visit family members or friends and they end up unexpectedly buying artwork. I’ve heard of patients buying artwork too.”

This event is open to the public and reservations are not necessary. Community Memorial Hospital is located at 147 N. Brent St. in Ventura.

Community Memorial Hospital is a member of Community Memorial Health System, a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and nine family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.