What does it take to differentiate your organization from the hundreds of other nonprofits in the area? Branding. Better brand positioning will enable your organization to be known as "the expert" in your particular field. In this roundtable discussion you will learn classic consumer marketing methods to build your brand. Proven marketing techniques will also be explored that will help your nonprofit make a stronger impression with donors, volunteers and clients.

Fee: $10 NSC Members/ $20 Nonmembers
Roundtable held at the Santa Maria office of the Nonprofit Support Center (NSC) at 120 E. Jones Street, Santa Maria. The Nonprofit Support Center provides leadership to nonprofit organizations on the Central Coast through information services, trainings, consulting and advocacy.

The national launch of an entirely new craft will be spotlighted at “Sassy Feet!”, an exhibition of fifty colorful, custom-decorated shoes, opening Wednesday, April 4 at the San Luis Obispo City-County, 995 Palm Street.

The work of Morro Bay artisan and author Margot Silk Forrest, “Sassy Feet!” is free and open to the public through April 28. The large six-showcase display features shoes ranging from stilettos and wedges to comfort shoes and includes information on how even novice crafters can learn to paint, bead, and bedeck on their own.

The show is open during the library’s regular business hours: Tuesday 10-8, Wednesday through Saturday 10-5 (closed Sunday and Monday).

Tickets are $20 per performance and may be purchased in advance. The space is small and thus seating is limited and will be availaable on a first come, first serve basis. Proceeds from these events will benefit Variable Velocity Performance Group, Inga Swearingen and ARTS Obispo, the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council.

At Temple Beth David, 10180 Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo

Stanley Stern and the Beth David Klezmer Band, Singers, Dancers and a Story-teller will weave together a magical afternoon that will bring tears of joy to your eyes, make your spirit rejoice, and rejuvenate your soul. Audience participation is definitely encouraged.

Tickets $20. Call 544-0760 for information.

A former mayor, state representative, candidate for lieutenant governor in Massachusetts, and Executive Director of the Log Cabin Republicans, Patrick Guerriero has devoted his career to public service. He continues his important work advocating gay and lesbian equality through the Gill Action Fund.

Free and open to the public. Cal Poly. University Union, Building 65, Room 220.

Co-sponsored by Modern Languages and Literatures Department, Political Science Department, Pride Alliance: The LBGB Center, and Cal Poly's Women's Studies.

Since its founding by Ludmilla Chiriaeff in 1957, Les Grands Ballets has presented a wide variety of ballets ranging from the great classics to groundbreaking 20th century works by Balanchine, Jooss, Nijinsky, and many others.

A pre-show lecture by Cal Poly Dance department faculty member Moon Ja Minn Suhr will be held in the Cohan Center Gallery Lobby at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the general public range from $42 to $54. And as part of an on-going commitment to student support and outreach, Cal Poly Arts is offering a special $5 rate on all seats purchased with a valid student I.D. This special student rate is available for advance ticket sales and at the door. Tickets are available at the Performing Arts Ticket Office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, call 805/756-2787; to order by fax: 805/756-6088. Order on-line at www.pacslo.org.

Tickets are $6 for students and senior citizens and $10 for the public. They are on sale at the Performing Arts Ticket Office 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends. To order by phone, call SLO-ARTS (756-2787); to order by fax, dial 756-6088. Patrons who buy season tickets to four Music Department events through the Performing Arts Ticket Office will receive a 10 percent discount; a 15 percent discount is given to those who buy tickets to five or more events. The performances are sponsored by the Cal Poly Music Department and College of Liberal Arts and supported in part by local donors. For more information, call the Music Department at 756-2406.

The Awakening the Dreamer symposium will be held Saturday, April 14, from 1:00-5:00 pm at the Oak Creek Commons community center, located at 635 Nicklaus in Paso Robles. A donation of $10.00 is requested, to cover costs ($5.00 for students with ID). Snacks and drinks will be provided.

This symposium was created by the Pachamama Alliance, www.pachamama.org., a non-profit organization working in partnership with indigenous peoples in the Amazon region to protect the rainforests and their way of life. The event is co-sponsored by the Institute for Sustainable Living (ISL), a new Paso Robles non-profit organization, and the Oak Creek Commons community.

It is open to the public and will include practical information on things you and your neighbors can do to promote a more sustainable future. There will be an opportunity for dialog and connection with other attendees immediately following the symposium.

For more information, visit the website at www.awakeningthedreamer.org/.

Seating is limited. Reservations are recommended. To reserve a place, contact Cindy Dixon at cindy.dixon@charter.net, or 805-237-1135, or Jim Cole, jim.cole@charter.net or 805-239-0147 (email is preferred). Doors open at 12:30pm. Please arrive early to allow time for parking and sign-in.

This year’s team of business students hopes to hit a milestone: reaching the quarter of a million dollar mark in total money raised in its six-year history.

Businesses from San Luis Obispo County have generously sponsored the event and donated items for the live and silent auctions. Community members are invited to attend the event. The Cal Poly Wheelchair Foundation hopes to raise $66,000 this year. The money will purchase and deliver 880 new wheelchairs to disabled people in Argentina.

The Wheelchair Foundation is a non-profit organization leading an international effort to deliver wheelchairs to those who need but cannot afford them. The gift of a wheelchair allows people with physical disabilities freedom, self-reliance, mobility and hope.

Tickets for this year’s event are $75 – the cost of one wheelchair. Those unable to attend the Gift of Mobility event can donate a gift of $75 to purchase and send a new wheelchair to someone in Argentina.

For tickets and event information, contact the Cal Poly Wheelchair Foundation at calpoly@wheelchairfoundation.org or call 805-756-2010.

Tickets are $6 for students and senior citizens and $10 for the public. They are on sale at the Performing Arts Ticket Office 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends. To order by phone, call SLO-ARTS (756-2787); to order by fax, dial 756-6088. Patrons who buy season tickets to four Music Department events through the Performing Arts Ticket Office will receive a 10 percent discount; a 15 percent discount is given to those who buy tickets to five or more events. The performances are sponsored by the Cal Poly Music Department and College of Liberal Arts and supported in part by local donors. For more information, call the Music Department at 756-2406.

Tickets are $20 and may be purchased in advance. The space is small and thus seating is limited and will be availaable on a first come, first serve basis. Proceeds from these events will benefit Variable Velocity Performance Group, Inga Swearingen and ARTS Obispo, the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council.

The San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation (SLOCCF) is asking for nominations for the sixth annual San Luis Obispo County Environmental Awards. The awards honor organizations or individual members of the community who, in the last year, have worked to improve and help preserve the Central Coast. Nominations must be completed by April 16 and the award ceremony will take place on June 1 at the SLO Botanical Gardens.

Each of the three award categories honors a distinctly different type of environmental work and the recipients of the three awards will receive cash prizes for their contribution and efforts towards the community.

• The Environmental Achievement of the Year award honors an individual or group that has made the most important environmental contribution to the Central Coast in the past year.
• The Sustained Environmental Contribution award gives $2,000 in recognition of the environmental efforts of a group or individual over a period of time.
• The Environmental Initiative award is given to those making a unique environmental contribution to the community. The winner of this award receives $1,000 for their work.

This year, the award ceremony will take place on June 1 at the SLO Botanical Gardens and will feature keynote speaker Michael Sutton. Sutton is the Vice President of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Director of the Center for the Future of Oceans. He has worked for a number of environmental causes surrounding the ocean and marine wildlife.

The SLO County Environmental Awards are sponsored by Lou and Ann Robinson. For information regarding the awards or the Community Foundation please call (805) 543-2323 or log on to www.sloccf.org

The presentation, titled “The Enduring Legacy of Jackie Robinson,” will be from 12:10 to 1 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium in the University Union. The special presentation will honor the legacy of Jackie Robinson’s major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field 60 years ago on April 15, 1947, an event that changed baseball and American professional sports forever.

Tygiel is a history professor at San Francisco State University and a pioneering historian of baseball. He is the author of “Baseball's Great Experiment: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy” and “Past Time: Baseball as History.”

The presentation is sponsored by the Cal Poly History Department and the College of Liberal Arts. The event is free and open to the public.

Where: Congregation Beth David, 10180 Los Osos Valley Rd, SLO
When: Monday evenings starting April 16 at 7.00 pm
Sign Up & Details: Call Peggy Schiller at Congregation Beth David - 544-0760

Tickets for the performance are $32 to $38, with student discounts available, and may be purchased at the Performing Arts Ticket Office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, call 805/756-2787; to order by fax: 805/756-6088. Order on-line at www.pacslo.org.

Rebecca attended Indiana University's prestigious School of Music on scholarship, and graduated with a degree in Jazz and Spanish. It was at IU that she fell in love with Jazz and studied with David Barker and Pat Harbison. Her love for Brazilian music was ignited there through her studies with Marcos Cavalcante and the Latin American Music Ensemble. Rebecca's debut Album, "Raio de Sol" displays the range of her musical passions. The album includes beautiful performances by Airto Moreira, Jovino Santos Neto, and Lionel Loueke among other musical friends. Rebecca currently maintains a busy touring schedule as a performing and recording artist. To view more about Rebecca, go to www.rebeccakleinmann.com

Earth Day is for everyone! Bring the entire family and neighborhood. Learn how to be the solution to the global warming crisis. Featuring 30 exhibitors, a green car show, a tour of the environment for kids, and complimentary health care services for the body, mind, and spirit with many free give aways. The community is invited to share in the Dances of Universal Peace. The earth day stage will feature Lily Diamond, Calinambe “World Fusion” Tim (Timo) Beckwith, Johnee Gange & Rob Strom. Craig Nuttycombe the Planetorial Janitor and Peter Yelda; Native Wind, Debra Windsong & Michael Hocking, Amy Sorrell, poetry of Dian Sousa and Kevin Patrick Sullivan and a few surprises. Free movies and demonstrations will take place all day.

Exhibitor, sponsorship and volunteer information call: 544-8529. Items for the earth day drawing are tax deductible and being accepted. What are you doing for Earth Day 2007?

5010 Santa Rosa Road, Lompoc. 805-688-3300.

For information call (805) 239-9569 or (805) 528-8280 or visit the Central Coast Scottish Society’s website for details at www.SLOScots.com.

This fundraising dinner will be held at Arciero Winery, 5625 Highway 46 East. $25 adult plates and $15 children plates. There will be a raffle and live auction.

The McManus Family is also gratefully accepting donations to the "Bailey McManus Benefit Fund" through Mid-State Bank.

Call Central Coast Gymnastics today at 549-8408 to reserve your spot for this fun evening. Central Coast Gymnastics is located at 21 Zaca Lane, Suite 100 in San Luis Obispo.

Tickets to the Open House Concert are $8 to $19 and can be bought at the Performing Arts Ticket Office 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, call SLO-ARTS (756-2787); to order by fax, dial 756-6088. Patrons who buy season tickets to four Music Department events through the Performing Arts Ticket office will receive a 10% discount.

Violinists Paul Severtson and Randy Garacci, Violist David Hennessee, Cellist Jeanne Shumway, and Bassist Ken Hustad will perform two works:

Trio Sonata in F by Gluck, arranged and transcribed by Burr Van Nostrand
String Quintet in G by Dvorak

Requested donation $15, students $5, children 12 and under free

She will appear at the San Luis Obispo public Library at 995 Palm Street from 4 to 5:30 PM for a lively afternoon of stories followed by a book signing of her autobiography, "An Unreasonable Woman." Suggested donations are $ 20; $ 5 for students with I.D.

At 6:30 PM on the 22nd, you can also join Diane for an intimate cocktail reception at a private home in San Luis Obispo. Share conversation and inspiration along with appetizers and desserts. The donation is $ 40 per person; a special combination package offers the library event and reception for a $ 50 donation. Reservations are required as seating is limited.

For more information visit the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility at www.a4nr.org and for reservations contact David Weisman at 772-7077 or e-mail davidweisman@charter.net

As a special event prior to the evening’s performance, there will be a 6:30 p.m. pre-show reception and art show in the Spanos Theatre lobby for local artist Robin Robinson, whose on-going works have been exhibited in the Spanos lobby since September, 2006. Robinson is a graduate of Cal Poly and a member of the College of Liberal Arts Advisory Board.

The works are being made available for purchase, with a portion of the evening's art sales to benefit the College of Liberal Arts. Refreshments will be served and the reception is open to the general public as well as Ballet Hispanico patrons. The Spanos artist reception/show is free of charge.

Tickets for the “Ballet Hispanico” performance are $38 & $44, with student discounts available, and may be purchased at the Performing Arts Ticket Office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, call 805/756-2787; to order by fax: 805/756-6088. Order on-line at www.pacslo.org.

Jensen Guitar & Music Co. "Main Stage" Venue, 2905 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA, 7:30 PM $15 in advance, $17 at door. (805) 563-3200 tickets and info at Myspace.com/mainstagesb

Men, women, and children are invited to participate in the mile-long march through downtown San Luis Obispo. Men are encouraged (but not required) to don women's shoes to show their solidarity with the movement to end sexual assault, rape, and gender violence. In addition, this year's event will include an Awareness Fair featuring local health, social service, and violence prevention agencies, a Santa Maria Style BBQ, and live music by local artist Chase Emery. Check-in begins at 11:00 am at Mitchell Park in San Luis Obispo and the March will begin at 12:00 pm. Registration is $20.00 per individual and $100.00 per team (of 6 members maximum). Pre-registration is encouraged and all participants registered prior to April 13th will receive a free event t-shirt.

For more information please visit www.sarpcenter.org, call (805) 545-8888, or email contact@sarpcenter.org. All proceeds benefit the SARP Center.

Guitar Workshop at Jensen Guitar & Music Co. 2905 De La Vina St, 11am, $20 in advance, $25 at door, includes 2 free sets of GHS signature strings ($25 value) refreshments available. (805) 563-3200 tickets and info: Myspace.com/mainstagesb

For ticket and event information please call 805-543-8562 ext 0# or log on www.sloartcenter.org The San Luis Obispo Art Center is located at 1010 Broad Street, on the west end of the Mission Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo.

On Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 8 p.m. in Harman Hall of the Christopher Cohan Center, Cal Poly Arts proudly presents the return of RCR with their award-winning revival of “Pirates of Penzance,” complete with stunning new period costumes, staging and designs. A pre-show lecture by Cal Poly Music professor Alyson McLamore will be held at 7 p.m. in the Philips Recital Hall.

Tickets for the performance are $42 to $54, with student discounts available, and may be purchased at the Performing Arts Ticket Office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by phone, call 805/756-2787; to order by fax: 805/756-6088. Order on-line at www.pacslo.org.

Tickets $10 available at Miner's, Coalesce, Volumes of Pleasure, Pacific Coast Home & Garden. Proceeds benefit local education and community projects.