PAT OPEN HOUSE | Lowell

Tri-Creek Community Schools will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to noon today at the Tri-Creek Schools Administration Building, 195 W. Oakley Ave., to highlight a new family support and early childhood program available to area families. The new Parents as Teachers program in Lowell is a nationally-acclaimed early childhood parent education and family support program, serving families throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten. Free to families in the Tri-Creek school district, Parents as Teachers staff and school administrators will explain the new program to interested families, teachers, and community members, and young children are welcome.

FYI: Call (219) 663-4230 or e-mail christinec@patlakecounty.org

BOATER'S GIFT | Lake Station

Burns Waterway Flotilla of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering a gift certificate for enrollment in the Winter Boating Skills and Seamanship class as a gift for that boater or outdoorsman on the Christmas list. The gift certificate costs $35 and classes will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays for six weeks beginning in February at Edison Junior-Senior High School in Lake Station. After successful completion, graduates may qualify for lower insurance rates and will receive a one-year membership to BOAT U.S.

FYI: Call (219) 996-2765.

GED TESTING | Gary

Lake Ridge Adult Education will administer the GED test Dec. 17 and 18 at 8111 W. Ridge Road. Registration is open through Dec. 16.

FYI: Call (219) 989-7816 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday or 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

AG ECONOMICS | Crown Point

Professor Larry DeBoer of the Purdue University Department of Agricultural Economics will present a teleconference, "The 2009 Legislative Session: What Should We Expect?" from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 18. The program from the PU campus will be delivered via two-way video and viewed at multiple locations, including the Lake County Extension Office, 880 E. 99th Court, Suite A, as well as online via video streaming at mms://video.dis.purdue.edu/agcomm using Windows Media Player. Aimed at anyone involved in county and local government budgeting, participation is free but registration is due by 4:30 p.m. Dec. 17.

FYI: Contact Holly Kowalski at (219) 755-3240 or hkowalsk@pudue.edu

TOUR BIRTH PLACE | Crown Point

Free tours of The Birth Place are offered at 3 p.m. Dec. 14 at St. Anthony Medical Center, 1201 S. Main St. Families can familiarize themselves with the unit and what to expect there. Limited to 10 couples per tour.

FYI: Call (219) 757-6368.

Y-ME MEETING | Munster

Northwest Indiana Group of Y-ME Illinois, an organization dedicated to breast cancer education and support, has its next open door meeting at 10 a.m. Dec. 13 in the Doctor's Meeting Room at The Community Hospital, 901 MacArthur Blvd. Dr. Michael Nirenberg, of Friendly Foot Care in Crown Point, will discuss the 10 best ways to alleviate arthritis pain. Attendees are encouraged to bring cookies for an exchange.

FYI: Call (219) 838-6111.

DIABETES EDUCATION | Merrillville

A free Diabetes Education class will be held at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 13 at Family Wellness Center, 5495 Broadway. Patients must have a sample or prescription for Humalog or Byetta, and caregivers are welcome. Learn to identify target blood glucose levels and A1C goals, recognize the effects of food and exercise on glucose levels and begin treatment plan and medications.

FYI: Call (219) 985-5500 and ask for the Wellness Shoppe to register.

TICKET RAFFLE | Crown Point

Crown Point High School softball team is raffling off four tickets to the Purdue vs. Valparaiso men's basketball game Dec. 28 in West Lafayette. These tickets are in the tenth row right behind the Purdue bench. Raffle tickets are $10 each and there will only be 100 tickets sold for the Dec. 21 drawing.

FYI: Call coach Brett Crutchfield at (219) 663-4885, ext. 11253.