Community Information Program

The rolling calendar below lists community events, such as resource sharing meetings, training classes, funding opportunities and events for fun. It is updated frequently so check back often for new additions.

CIP now has another calendar listing ongoing programs, such as support groups, health classes and parenting workshops. For that calendar, click here.

Listings on both calendars are sponsored by nonprofit or governmental organizations. To request an event to be added to either calendar, email Amy Shulman at shulman@plsinfo.org.

Click on the event below or scroll down for details.
For events during July August September October click on the month.

Library Events
For a list of events at public and community college libraries in San Mateo County, including story times for kids, book clubs, movies, author visits and more, visit plsinfo.org/calendar.

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Rooms for Rent Flyer from HIP Housing
HIP Housing is a nonprofit organization in San Mateo County. For a partial list of the most recent shared housing opportunities available through the Home Sharing Program click here. Contact HIP Housing at 650-348-6660 to schedule an appointment to discuss home sharing opportunities or other available affordable housing.

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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Program
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Program has been the national model for training people to help respond to emergencies. Trained CERT members can provide immediate assistance to themselves, their family and neighbors and assist first responders. CERT training is approximately 20 hours and is taught over several weekly evenings or weekend days. The training class modules include disaster preparedness, fire safety, basic disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, CERT organization, disaster psychology, terrorism and CERT, and hands-on disaster exercise. There are 16 CERT programs throughout San Mateo County; for the current list of classes visit www.smcready.org/Community/Overview.html.

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Dining for a Difference
Through July 31. Support eight charities on the coast by dining at Cetrella in Half Moon Bay. During June and July, the restaurant will donate 10% of your check to one of eight Coastside charities. Last year Cetrella donated $100,000. They donate the money, you pick the charity. Choose from Boys and Girls Club of the Coastside, Cabrillo Education Foundation, Coastside Child Development Center, Coastside Children's Programs, Coastside Hope, Senior Coastsiders, Seton Coastside or Sonrisas Community Dental Center.

Location: Cetrella, 845 Main Street, Half Moon Bay.

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Free Summer Concerts
Through October 2. Enjoy free concerts all summer long, featuring bands that play rock and soul, big band, swing, country rock and more. Check out each city's Web site for the line up and more details.

An Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Family Past Times Program
July 4, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. The lazy hot days of summer will soon be upon us. What better way to celebrate than creating old time Independence Day decorations and taking a turn at hand-cranking the homemade ice cream inside the cool historic Courthouse Grand Rotunda.

Location: San Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City. Half price for everyone: $2 adults/$1 students and seniors/children under age 5 free/free to members. For more information call 650-299 -0104 or visit www.historysmc.org.

Fourth of July Red White and Blues Parade and Barbeque Party
July 4; noon parade; 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm barbeque party. At noon, a traditional parade will be held downtown Half Moon Bay. Just after, attend the Red White and Blues Barbeque Party and hear harmonica master Andy Santana, Alligator Records Recording Artist Rusty Zinn on guitar, Mike“Pops” Phillips on bass and June Core on Drums.

Location: The parade will be held on Main Street, Half Moon Bay. The barbeque party will be held at Coastside Adult Day Health Center, 645 Correas, Half Moon Bay. There is no charge but donations to support the Coastside Adult Day Health Center will be accepted.

Good Car Keeping Workshop
July 7, noon - 1:00 pm. Maintaining your car properly is the green thing to do. At this workshop, learn how to properly upkeep motor vehicles; identify regular maintenance, oil fluids and proper tire pressure; change a tire; carry what you need in your trunk; identify when it's time for a trip to the mechanic; and how to choose a good mechanic.

Location: Redwood City Motor Pool, (behind 455 County Center), Redwood City. Limited space available; RSVP by July 3 to Michelle Lopez at 650-312-8838 or mclopez@co.sanmateo.ca.us.

Free Citizenship Application Workshop
July 7, 6:00 pm. This free workshop is offered by the International Institute of the Bay Area to assist San Mateo County residents in applying for U.S. Citizenship.

Habitat for Humanity Night at AT&T Park
July 7, 7:15 pm. Join the San Francisco Giants in supporting Habitat for Humanity San Francisco, which partners with working families and the community to build affordable ownership homes in Marin, San Francisco and the Peninsula, providing a unique solution to the local housing crisis. $8 from every ticket purchased will be donated to help build affordable homes for local working families. The Giants will be playing the Florida Marlins.

Location: AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco. To purchase tickets call 415-972-2298 or visit click here.

Free Home Buyer Workshop: Credit Reports for First Time Home Buyers
July 8, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Learn everything first time home buyers need to know about credit reports such as what mortgage lenders look for on those credit reports. Discover how to correct inaccurate information and rebuild credit so that you can buy a house. Other home buying workshops will be held July 22 and 25; check those listings for details.

Location: Consumer Credit Counseling Service, 595 Market Street, Ninth Floor, Room 960, San Francisco. For more information and to register contact Arman at 800-777-7526 ext. 174 or alimon@cccssf.org.

Home Doctor Checkup
July 8, 6:30 pm. Have you been hearing terms like "green tech," "clean tech" or "green collar" in the news? Ever wonder when all of these promises of sustainability will come to fruition? Did you know that there is a lot you can do to your own home today without the typical expensive solar panel or major remodel to make these promises come true?

Jason Bowers, with Sustainable Spaces, a home performance retrofitting company, will be sharing the results of a home examination and discuss how to make our homes healthier, more comfortable to live in and more energy efficient. Wine and appetizers will be provided.

Location: Scott House, 1967 Maddux Drive, Redwood City. For more information call 650-776-9045.

Manly Girls and Girly Men: Things that Attorneys Should Never Say (Gender Bias in the Legal Profession)
July 9, noon. Author, professor and attorney Teri L.K. Shugart will present a lighthearted but content-rich look at gender bias in the legal profession and why it matters. Ms. Shugart is a frequent speaker and educator on the issues of gender and sexual orientation harassment and discrimination in schools and in the workplace.

Location: San Mateo County Law Library, 710 Hamilton Street, Redwood City. The public is invited to attend this free lecture. For more information contact Karen Lutke at 650-363-4913 or visit the Law Library online at www.smcll.org.

Coastside Collaborative Monthly Meeting
July 10, 9:00 am - 10:30 am. For information on this month's topic, contact Cheryl Sinclair at 650-563-7121 or cherylsinclair@dochs.org.

Location: Cabrillo Unified School District Office, 498 Kelly Avenue, Half Moon Bay. Anyone is welcome to participate. For more information contact Cheryl Sinclair at 650-563-7121 or cherylsinclair@dochs.org.

2009 Bike for Breath
July 11, check-in from 6:30 am - 7:30 am for 50 and 62 mile riders; 8:30 am - 9:30 am for 10 and 18 mile riders. Ride one day and make a difference for a lifetime, during the 2009 Bike for Breath, Breathe California’s annual fundraiser. Four "breath-giving" routes, ranging from 10, 18, 50 or 62 miles, will be available. Start your own team or register as an individual at www.bike4breath.org. Every dollar raised stays in local communities to help improve care and find a cure for lung disease.

Location: Life Technologies (formerly Applied Biosystems), 4000 East Third Avenue, Foster City. Kids under 18 $35; those over 18: $50 for the 10 and 18 mile route/$60 for the 50 and 62 mile route. For more information or to register contact Nicole Villanueva at 650-994-5868 or nicolev@ggbreathe.org or visit www.bike4breath.org.

AARP Driver’s Safety Program
July 11 and 16, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. This eight-hour refresher course is especially designed for drivers 50 and up. Some automobile insurers give discounts to those taking this course.

Location: Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City. Cost is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members. Space is limited to 30. For more information and to sign up call 650-780-7270.

Get the Job, Get a Life in Belmont and Millbrae
July 11; 10:30 am - noon Belmont; 2:00 - 3:30 pm Millbrae. Nancy Miel, a human resource professional with over 14 years' experience in the field will discusss conducting an effective job search; marketing yourself through your cover letter and resume; successful interview skills; and a critique of your resume. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 18, 25, 28 and 29 and August 15, 17 and 20. See those listings for details.

Location: Belmont Library, 1110 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont.
Millbrae Library, 1 Library Avenue, Millbrae.

Advance Health Care Directive Clinic
July 16, 10:00 am - 1:30 pm. The purpose of the health care directive is to put in writing what your wishes are regarding life sustaining medical treatment in the event that you become incapacitated and cannot tell the doctor what kind of treatment you want. Volunteer lawyers and law students from the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County will provide assistance in completing forms.

Location: Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City. To make an appointment call 650-780-7274.

Stress Reduction and Meditation
July 16, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. Dr. Kaisha Puhakka will lecture on a topic that has come to the forefront of discussions of health, longevity and quality of life. Everybody experiences stress in their lives, both good and bad. Discover what you can do about the “bad” type.

Location: Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City. For more information contact Stephanie Douglas at 650-780-7313.

Get the Job, Get a Life in Woodside and San Carlos
July 18; 9:00 am - 10:30 am Woodside; 2:00 - 3:30 pm San Carlos. Nancy Miel, a human resource professional with over 14 years' experience in the field will discusss conducting an effective job search; marketing yourself through your cover letter and resume; successful interview skills; and a critique of your resume. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 11, 25, 28 and 29 and August 15, 17 and 20. See those listings for details.

Location: Woodside Library, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside.
San Carlos Library, 610 Elm Street, San Carlos.

West Bay Community Band Patriotic Concert
July 18, 6:30 pm pre-concert cocktail hour; concert 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm. This special patriotic concert will feature an array of songs honoring our country, along with popular hits from the World War II.

Location: Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City. Advance purchase $10. Tickets at the door $15. Proceeds will benefit the West Bay Community Band and the Veterans Memorial Senior Center. For more information or to pre-purchase a ticket call 650-780-7274.

Healing Grief Together
July 19, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. A one-day workshop for parents and children who are grieving the death of a loved one or anticipating death in the family. A trained expressive arts facilitator will offer guided painting and discussion exercises to bring about healing and improve communication about death, grief and feelings. A light snack will be included. Sponsored by Sutter Hospice, a nonprofit, community agency.

Jail Planning Public Meeting in Redwood City
July 21, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. The County of San Mateo is hosting two public meetings to guide the process of locating a replacement jail. Without a replacement, the County is in danger of being ordered by the courts to release inmates early to relieve chronic overcrowding. County officials also want to improve public safety by expanding in-custody programs to reduce crime. Sheriff Greg Munks will be at the meetings; another one will be held July 22 in San Carlos. See that listing for details.

Location: San Mateo County Credit Union, 350 Convention Way, Redwood City. For more information call 650-508-6722 or visit www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/jailplanning.

Free Home Buyer Workshop: Money Management for First Time Home Buyers
July 22, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. Learn about budgeting and saving for homeownership including the sources of down payment and how much is required. Other home buying workshops will be held July 8 and 25; check those listings for details.

Jail Planning Public Meeting in San Carlos
July 22, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. The County of San Mateo is hosting two public meetings to guide the process of locating a replacement jail. Without a replacement, the County is in danger of being ordered by the courts to release inmates early to relieve chronic overcrowding. County officials also want to improve public safety by expanding in-custody programs to reduce crime. Sheriff Greg Munks will be at the meetings; another one will be held July 21 in Redwood City. See that listing for details.

Location: San Carlos Library, 610 Elm Street, San Carlos. For more information call 650-508-6722 or visit www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/jailplanning.

Get the Job, Get a Life in Pacifica and East Palo Alto
July 25; 8:30 am - 10:00 am Pacifica; 2:00 - 3:30 pm East Palo Alto. Nancy Miel, a human resource professional with over 14 years' experience in the field will discusss conducting an effective job search; marketing yourself through your cover letter and resume; successful interview skills; and a critique of your resume. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 11, 18, 28 and 29 and August 15, 17 and 20. See those listings for details.

Location: Pacifica-Sharp Park Library, 104 Hilton Way, Pacifica.
East Palo Alto Library, 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto.

Free Home Buyer Workshop: The Basics
July 25, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Learn about renting versus homeowner responsibility, selecting lenders, realtors and brokers, pre-approval versus pre-qualification, escrow and closing. Other home buying workshops will be held July 8 and 22; check those listings for details.

Get the Job, Get a Life in Belmont
July 28, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Patty Leeper, a Productivity Coast with over 15 years' experience will guide attendees in achieveing their goals as well as how to overcome common barriers to reaching the life they want. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 11, 18, 25 and 29 and August 15, 17 and 20. See those listings for details.

Get the Job, Get a Life in Foster City
July 29, noon - 2:00 pm. Patty Leeper, a Productivity Coast with over 15 years' experience will guide attendees in achieveing their goals as well as how to overcome common barriers to reaching the life they want. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 11, 18, 25 and 28 and August 15, 17 and 20. See those listings for details.

Peninsula Job Forum: Get Ready to Go Back to Work!
July 29, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. The Burlingame Public Library, the Burlingame Library Foundation, in partnership with PeninsulaWorks, presents this job forum featuring retraining, interviewing and resources. A PeninsulaWorks representative will discuss free resources and retraining assistance for laid-off workers. Learn practical tips and insider strategies for interview success during an hour-long workshop with Joanne Daniels, career counselor and adjunct professor from Skyline College. There will also be a question and answer period with the Employment Development Department (EDD) and PeninsulaWorks regarding unemployment insurance benefits and an array of employment related books and other sources to assist participants with a job search.

Location: Burlingame Public Library, 480 Primrose Road, Lane Community Room, Burlingame. RSVP to Pat Harding at 650-558-7410 or harding@plsinfo.org. For more information, contact Veronica Lopez at PeninsulaWorks at 650-802-6517 or vslopez@smchsa.org or visit www.peninsulaworks.org.

Nutritional Needs of Aging
July 30, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. A registered dietician from Kaiser Hospital will discuss the changing nutritional needs associated with aging during this interactive question and answer session.

Location: Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City. Free. For more information contact Stephanie Douglas at 650-780-7313.

Caregiver University Series – Tools for Effective Caregiving
August 1 and 8, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. This class is designed for those who are caregiving for elderly relatives, friends or neighbors. It will focuse both on the needs of caregivers and the care receivers. The workshop will cover Home Safety, including fall prevention and body mechanics; Managing Caregiving Stress including understanding and working with difficult emotions; Management of Problem Behavior; and Basic Hands-on Personal Care Skills. Caregivers will also be connected with support groups and other community resources.

Location: Mills Health Center, 100 South San Mateo Drive, Fourth Floor Classroom, San Mateo. Free. Registration is required as class size is limited to 15. For more information and to register call 650-696-3660.

Third Annual Bay Area Gardeners Foundation Recognition Dinner
August 1, 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm. The Bay Area Gardeners Foundation helps low income students by providing them with college scholarships and the opportunity to pursue their dreams. The Keynote Speaker at this fundraising event will be the Honorable Commissioner Jesus Valencia, Jr., Santa Clara County Superior Court. Mistress of Ceremonies will be Maria Leticia Gomez of Univision. The event will end with a live Mariachi Band.

Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1221 Chess Drive, Foster City. $75 per person. For more information and to order tickets contact bagfoundation@yahoo.com.

Get the Job, Get a Life in Woodside and San Carlos
August 15; 2:00 - 3:30 pm. Nancy Miel, a human resource professional with over 14 years' experience in the field will discusss conducting an effective job search; marketing yourself through your cover letter and resume; successful interview skills; and a critique of your resume. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 11, 25, 28 and 29 and August 17 and 20. See those listings for details.

Get the Job, Get a Life in San Carlos
August 17, 10:00 am - 11:00 am. Patty Leeper, a Productivity Coast with over 15 years' experience will guide attendees in achieveing their goals as well as how to overcome common barriers to reaching the life they want. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 11, 18, 28 and 29 and August 15 and 20. See those listings for details.

Get the Job, Get a Life in Atherton
August 17, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Patty Leeper, a Productivity Coast with over 15 years' experience will guide attendees in achieveing their goals as well as how to overcome common barriers to reaching the life they want. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 11, 18 and 29 and August 15 and 20. See those listings for details.

Let's Live Well Workshop
Tuesdays, August 18 - September 22, 10:00 am - 12:30 noon. Sick and tired of being sick and tired? Get help for chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, emphysema, heart conditions, hypertension and arthritis. This workshop will cover topics such as working with your doctor; medication "how to's;" personalizing a fitness and exercise program; relaxation techniques; dealing with negative emotions; managing symptoms; improving communications; tips for eating well; and setting weekly goals and effective problem-solving. Learn how to deal with your symptoms and frustration, design your own self-management program and feel better. Supplies and a medical reference book will be provided free of charge. The workshop is offered by Edgewood Center for Children and Families, 957 Industrial Road, Suite B, San Carlos. A $15 Safeway giftcard will be awarded to those with perfect attendance.

Location: Sequoia Hospital Wellness Center, 749 Brewster Ave, Redwood City. For more information contact Leticia Rolon at 650-367-5998, Michele Jariya, RN at 415-375-7646 or Judy Maller, RN at 415-375-7593.

Basic Facilitation Training
August 20 and 21, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. The Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center (PCRC) presents its eighth annual training on meeting management and facilitation. This two-day class offers basic facilitation techniques, tips on dealing with difficult personalities and role plays and scenarios. Learn the four building blocks for effective meetings:

Step One: Planning and preparing for the meeting
Step Two: Managing interactions, generating ideas and making decisions
Step Three: Preventing and intervening as problems arise
Step Four: Closing with summaries, action items and evaluations

Location: San Mateo Public Library, 55 West Third Avenue, Laurel Room, San Mateo. $225/participant payable in advance. Discounts are available for groups. Space is limited; reserve by July 20. Participants must attend both sessions. For more information and to register call 650-513-0330 or visit www.pcrcweb.org.

Get the Job, Get a Life in Atherton
August 20, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Patty Leeper, a Productivity Coast with over 15 years' experience will guide attendees in achieveing their goals as well as how to overcome common barriers to reaching the life they want. Sponsored by the San Mateo County Library. Other job search-related workshops will be held July 11, 18 and 29 and August 15 and 17. See those listings for details.

Eighth Annual North Fair Oaks Community Festival
August 23, 11:00 am. Organized by parents, youth, local merchants, school staff, nonprofit organizations and the faith community, this benefit for the Sheriff's Youth Program Fund creates community pride and revitalizes the neighborhood; provides information about community resources; and includes family and youth activities areas. The Festival will kick-off at 11:00 am with an hour-long parade and feature two stages of live entertainment throughout the day.

Location: Middlefield Road between First Avenue and Fifth Avenue in Redwood City. For additional information contact Lydia at 650-368-2497 or lydia@northfairoaksfestival.org.

22nd Annual Nonprofit Day Conference
August 27, 7:00 am – 4:30 pm. This year’s Nonprofit Day will include three concurrent plenary sessions covering The Future of Leadership, The Future of Movement Building and The Future of the Economy. Conference participants are being asked to help shape the content of these sessions based on what Bay Area nonprofits find most relevant. After registering for Nonprofit Day and choosing a plenary and breakout sessions, registrants will have the opportunity to submit one question related to the plenary chosen.Questions will be forwarded to the panelists prior to the start of the conference. Submit questions on or before August 14.

Location: Hilton San Francisco, 333 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco. For more information and to register visit www.compasspoint.org/nonprofitday.

Healing Arts Kids’ Grief Group
Thursdays, September 17 through November 5; time to be announced. Designed or children aged 6 to 11 who have experienced the death of a loved one, the group will incorporate play, creative arts and age appropriate discussions to facilitate connection with other bereaved children, develop coping and emotional communication skills and deepen understanding of grief and death issues. Sponsored by Sutter Hospice, a nonprofit, community agency.

Location: 700 South Claremont Street, San Mateo. Suggested donation $5 - $25. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. For more information or to register, contact Sue Hobart, Children's Bereavement Coordinator, at 650-685-2806.

Shelter Network’s Annual Benefit Breakfast
October 8, 7:30 am – 9:00 am. The Keynote Speaker will be Dan Rather, award-winning journalist and homeless advocate. Dan Rather earned the title of "the hardest working man in broadcast journalism," holding down the top job at three national news programs simultaneously: CBS Evening News, 48 Hours and 60 Minutes II. Concurrently he wrote a nationally syndicated newspaper column while recording a radio program, (Dan Rather Reporting) heard on over 300 radio stations nationally. Mr. Rather has received numerous Emmy Awards for his broadcast journalism work, as well as the Peabody Award. He is deeply committed to protecting the least fortunate among us and supporting the efforts of organizations like Shelter Network that help people overcome homelessness and return to self-sufficiency.

Location: Burlingame Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame. $75 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets contact Erin Johnston at 650-685-5880 ext. 123 or ejohnston@shelternetwork.org or visit www.formsite.com/shelternetwork/breakfast2009/secure_index.html.

The Great California Shake Out
October 15. Earthquakes can shake the state at any time and this is a chance to practice what to do to be safe. Millions of people throughout California will participate at work, school, and home in the ShakeOut Drill, the largest earthquake preparedness activity in United States history. It has been organized to help raise awareness as well as help Californians prepare for the big earthquakes in our future. For more information visit shakeout.org.

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Rebuilding Together Peninsula Application Deadline
October 15. Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP) strives to improve the lives, homes and community facilities of low-income individuals while providing a positive volunteer experience for community members and partners. Every project that RTP undertakes is unique. Each work site comes with a different history, need, scope of work, and volunteer team. RTP provides a variety of services from yard cleanup and painting to skilled repairs of plumbing, windows, electrical systems and flooring. They also repair or replace roofs on homes and community facilities.

National Rebuilding Day is an annual event that takes place every year in April. For this one-day rebuilding event, thousands of volunteers and corporate sponsors unite to rehabilitate the homes and community facilities of low-income neighbors and revitalize communities across the Peninsula. The next National Rebuilding Day will be held April 24, 2010, but applications for services are due October 15. For information on applying call 650-366-6597 or visit www.rebuildingtogetherpeninsula.org/.

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Community Gatepath Presents The Power of Possibilities Recognition Breakfast
October 30, 8:00 am - 10:00 am. Keynote Speaker will be Jason McElwain, whose senior year basketball performance defied NBA statistics and inspired the autism community. Along with his coach Jim Johnson, they will retell the story behind the four minutes when Mr. McElwain played during a high school basketball game and scored twenty points, making the national news.

Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1221 Chess Drive, Foster City. For more information visit www.gatepath.com.

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Inclusion of an event does not imply endorsement, nor is exclusion a reflection on the value or quality of the event.