Find events going on in your community, and plan your week's activities with The Times.

To get listed in the calendar, contact Illinois community coordinator Jennifer Pallay.

• E-mail: jpallay@nwitimes.com.

• Fax: (219) 933-3249.

Pet blessing | Griffith

St. Mary Church, 525 N. Broad St., will host its 29th annual Feast of St. Francis Pet Blessing and pet food and supply drive at noon Oct. 4 in the church courtyard. They will accept pet food and supplies such as unflavored dog biscuits, large absorbent cloth towels, laundry detergent, bleach, nonclumping cat litter, plastic litter pans and monetary donations. All donations go to the Humane Society Calumet Area and Griffith Animal Shelter. Everyone and their pet are invited to come to the blessing. All pets must be on a leash.

FYI: Call (219) 922-2277.

Bazaar, crafts | Hammond

Hammond High All School Booster Club will host its first community bazaar, craft and fun fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4 in the parking lot at the high school, 5926 Calumet Ave. There will be a concession stand, games and sale items. It's a school fundraiser.

FYI: Call (219) 933-9135.

ARTS AND CRAFTS | Highland

Highland Parks and Recreation Department's 2008 arts and craft show with vendor fair is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 4 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 5 at Lincoln Center, 2450 Lincoln St. Handmade items as well as products from direct sales will be available. The winter show is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 29 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 30. Returning arts and crafts vendors must register with payment for the winter show by Oct. 30 or the space will be given to another vendor. New vendors may sign up after Oct. 30.

FYI: Call (219) 838-0114.

Harvest Gala | Schererville

The St. Thomas More Home and School Association will have its 2008 annual Harvest Gala Oct. 25 at the Halls of St. George, 905 E. Joliet St. The evening will feature bar, dinner, dancing, live and silent auctions and raffles. Auction items include Bulls tickets, Bears tickets, a year's worth of pedicures and a chance to take home the 1953 Heisman Trophy awarded to Johnny Lattner for a week. Reservations are being taken until Oct. 6. The cost is $50 per person.

FYI: Call (219) 836-9151, ext. 350, or Kevin and Katie Connelly at (219) 865-8930.

Gala planned | Hammond

The sixth annual gala to support Nazareth Home will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 16 at Hammond Federal Courthouse, 5400 Federal Plaza. There will be live and silent auctions, raffle tickets and celebrity chefs. Tickets are $60 per person.

FYI: Call (219) 947-8559 or visit www.nazarethhome.com.

Luncheon | Gary

The City of Gary, Division of Health and Human Services, in partnership with Methodist Hospitals and the Lake County Minority Health Coalition will have its annual Campaign Against Breast Cancer luncheon at 11 a.m. Oct. 18 at Genesis Convention Center, 1 Genesis Center Plaza. RSVP by Oct. 10. It's $25 per person.

FYI: Call (219) 881-5275.

FAMILY SUPPORT | Hammond

CAMEO, an educational support group for family caregivers to the elderly, meets from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Purdue University Calumet Entrepreneurship Center, 1247 E. 169th St. This session will feature a discussion of family stress. CAMEO has been offering support to those caring for elderly loved ones since 1982. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month except July and August.

FYI: Call (219) 989-2863.

FLOOD RELIEF | Lake County

Lake County Salvation Army has provided assistance to more than 5,682 flood victims within the past several weeks. The total cost has been $450,000. The Salvation Army continues to feed and hydrate residents and emergency workers throughout flood-affected areas at three fixed feeding sites and with five mobile canteens traveling through the neighborhoods. Monetary donations earmarked "Disaster Relief" can be sent to: The Salvation Army of Lake County Indiana, 8225 Columbia Ave., Munster, IN 46321, or made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by phone.

FYI: Call (800) SAL-ARMY.

VOLUNTEER TASKS | Northwest Indiana

Shirley Heinze Land Trust has announced its schedule for volunteer workdays. The public is invited to join regularly scheduled volunteer events to accomplish a variety of tasks such as planting native plants, removing brush, building footbridges for trails, and controlling invasive plant species. Volunteer workdays are held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, including Oct. 4 at demonstration site on Broadway in Beverly Shores; Oct. 11 at Ivanhoe South in Gary; Oct. 25 at Hidden Prairie in Hobart; Nov. 8 at Coulter in Portage; Dec. 6 and Feb. 14, 2009, at Beverly Shores; Jan. 10, 2009 at Coulter in Portage. Volunteers can also contact Jim Erdelac for volunteer work assignments to fit their schedule at ( 219) 879-4725 or email at volunteer@heinzetrust.org

The nonprofit organization owns and manages more than 1,000 acres of nature preserves and natural areas in Lake, Porter and La Porte counties, which are open to the public for hiking and wildlife viewing.

FYI: Visit www.heinzetrust.org for directions or call (219) 879-4725.