Here are the events taking place over the next two weeks:  

Performance Employee Assistance & Business Services is providing the following workshop as part of their 2012 Employee Relations Workshop Series: Job Performance - What Guarantees Individual Success? Did you know that 80% of all performance problems can be attributed to a lack of expectations, standards, and feedback? This workshop will be on October 24, from 8:30am to 10:30am in the Family & Youth Conference Room. Register at www.fyca.org/erworkshops.html or contact Sue at 337-436-9533 or sue@fyca.org.

The Southwest Louisiana Genealogical and Historical Library is hosting a Louisiana Bicentennial Documentary and Panel Discussion on Wednesday, October 24 from 1pm to 3pm. The documentary, narrated by Harry Connick, Jr. will take us through the state's historical past to the present with wonderful points of interest. The library is located at 411 Pujo Street in Lake Charles.

Once again, the City of Lake Charles is teaming up with the Louisiana Crossroads concert series in the Central School Theatre. The concert series is known for its trademark mix of music and conversation, which includes moderated artist and audience question and answer sessions. The program airs via 100,000-watt regional National Public Radio affiliate KRVS, simultaneously streaming audio worldwide via krvs.org. The season premiere will take place at 7pm, Wednesday, October 24, with a very special performance by Grammy-Award winning Cajun super-group BeauSoleil. Advance tickets for the Lake Charles shows are $10 and can be purchased at the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana on the second floor of Central School or on line at www.louisianacrossroads.org. Tickets at the door will be $12. For more information, please call (337) 491-9159 or visit the department of cultural affairs at www.cityoflakecharles.com.

Dr. George "J." Trappey IV, orthopaedic surgeon and shoulder specialist, will be the speaker at "Reach for Shoulder Pain Treatment," on Thursday, October 25, at Center for Orthopaedics in Lake Charles. The seminar will begin at 5:30pm. Seating for the seminar is limited and pre-registration is requested. Refreshments will be served. Center for Orthopaedics is located at 1747 Imperial Blvd. in Lake Charles. Call 721-2903 or register online in the event section of www.centerforortho.com.

The World Trade Center of New Orleans, Chevron, and the State of Louisiana will host the Ambassadors from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for a two day event promoting trade and investment opportunities in both the ASEAN and Gulf Coast regions. The nations represented by their respective Ambassadors include: Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand. The Ambassadors and representatives from state, local, and national public and private entities will convene on Friday, October 26 for a program that will include presentations, individual meetings, and a luncheon with a special keynote speaker. General inquiries can be directed to asean@wtcno.org. Please visit www.wtcno.org/asean for more information.

Habitat for Humanity is having a Baked Chicken Plate Lunch Fundraiser on October 26. For $8, you will get a Baked Chicken Leg Quarter, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Bread and Dessert. Pick up time is from 10:30am to 1pm. Orders of 15 or more can be delivered. Call Tony at 497-0129.

This Friday, Harbor Foundation is hosting their Taste for Life food and winetasting. This event will be from 6pm to 10pm at the BrickHouse. There will be live music and a silent auction. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door. You can order your tickets online at harborfoundation.com. For more information, contact acarpenter@harborhospice.com.

Movies Under the Stars concludes with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on October 26. Movies Under the Stars is a free event to the public. Each movie will begin at 6pm. Residents are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets and food. Snacks can also be purchased on-site. Prien Lake Park is located at 3700 West Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles. In the event of inclement weather, dates may be cancelled. For more information please call 721-3500.

McNeese University's Leisure Learning has even more classes of interest to the business community! QuickBooks II, Setting up Payroll, Financial Reports & Misc. Transactions starts October 29; Sushi has been rescheduled to Oct 30; and PowerPoint, Level I: Creating a Presentation begins Oct. 30. To register, call 337-475-5616. Go to their website: www.mcneese.edu/leisure for more class descriptions.

The USS Orleck dares everyone to visit their experiment in terror - The Bludd Vessel which will be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October (and October 30 and 31). Ship hatches will open at 7pm. For information, call 337-214-7447, email info@orleck.org , or find them on Facebook.

The Cans for Coffee food drive benefiting Abraham's Tent runs through Monday, October 29, with each donor receiving a free McCafé coffee beverage from McDonald's. All Calcaseiu Parish locations are participating.

Between Us Girls, an adolescent class offered by West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital, is scheduled for Saturday, October 27, from 8:30am to 11:30am in the hospital's Cafeteria Conference Room. Class sessions are designed for girls ages 9-11 and 12-15, and their mothers or guardians. There is a $20 fee for each girl attending. Class size is limited. Please call (337) 527-4361 to reserve space.  

The Literacy Council is hosting an event at Central School on Saturday, October 27th from 5pm to 9pm. For more information, contact Tommeka Semien at 337-494-7000.

MADD, Mothers against drunk driving, is having their first walk on October 27 at Prien Lake Park. Registration starts at 7am and the walk starts at 9am.  Sign up on line at WALK LIKE MADD.org. There will be great prizes and zumba to warm up. If you have lost a loved one to drunk driving or you are a victim, please attend. They will have a balloon release at the end of the walk to remember our lost loved ones, so please bring a picture of your loved one.

Orange Leaf Yogurt will have their GEAUX trailer at the McNeese Game on Saturday, Oct. 27th! Go see them - the Freaux Yeaux will be flowing!

Alexander Art Studio is hosting a spate of activities on October 27 from 10am to midnight including four showings of the 1931 classic Frankenstein. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to the St. Nicholas Center for Children.

Ted and Trudy Mayeux are hosting Dinner at Mi CASA on Sunday, Oct. 28, to support Court Appointed Special Advocates and the abused and neglected children they serve. The dinner is presented in partnership with the culinary team of Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel. (CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, recruits and trains volunteers who are appointed by Family and Juvenile Court Judges to advocate for the best interests of children who have be removed from their homes because of abuse and neglect. Abused and neglected children with a CASA volunteer typically spend less time in foster care and have a better chance of finding a safe, loving, and permanent home.) Dinner at Mi CASA's goal is to increase community awareness and support for CASA and children in foster care. For more information or tickets, $150 per couple, visit www.fyca.org for tickets, or contact Roxanne Camara, at 337-436-9533 or roxanne@fyca.org.  

The SWLA Alliance is hosting an ITA workshop on October 30, on Building Customer Loyalty. In the world of non-profits, it is more important than ever to keep and nurture the customers, volunteers, and donors that you already have on board. This event is perfect for Executive Directors and front-line staff for non-profits. It will be held at the McNeese Alumni Center from 8:30am to 10:30am. RSVP to Gaye Courville at gcourville@allianceswla.org.

If you or someone you love has suffered from a heart attack or heart disease, join Dr. Fernando Ruiz, a cardiologist with Memorial Medical Group and Heart & Vascular Center, for Keeping the Ticker Ticking, a free seminar about heart attacks and their prevention and treatment.   Keeping the Ticker Ticking is a free seminar being held at noon on Tuesday, October 30, in the Shearman Conference Center at Memorial Hospital on Oak Park Boulevard. Light lunch will be provided, and reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.lcmh.com/seminar or call (337) 494-2936.

Business Health Partners is hosting a Blood Drive on Thursday, November 1, from 11am to 4pm. The donor coach will be in their parking lot at 299B Cities Service Hwy, Sulphur.  Anyone is welcome to donate.  McDonald's will be providing a FREE surprise to all who donate that day.  Come save a life!  For more information, contact Erin Davison at 337-626-1011 or edavison@businesshealthpartners.com.

The City of Lake Charles and partnering organizations will host the 2012 Business Summit and Showcase on Thursday, November 1, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the Contraband Room and Mezzanine at the Lake Charles Civic Center. The program will have answers to such questions as: What is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), how do you become certified, and what opportunities are afforded to contractors? For more information, please contact Esther Vincent, Director of Community Development and Services, City of Lake Charles, (337) - 491-1440.

The Healthy Woman program at Women & Children's Hospital will host their next free seminar on Thursday, November 1.  The topic is "Survive the Holidays" featuring Dennis Miller, M.D. and Hilma Lisa Green, M.D. with Lake Area Physician Services. The event will be held at the Lake Charles Country Club and will include light refreshments and door prizes.  Doors open at 5:30pm and the program begins at 5:45pm.  Register by October 26 by visiting www.women-childrens.com/healthywoman or call Nadia Nazeer at 337-475-4064.

The Institute for Industry-Education Collaboration at McNeese State University is offering the following class: DOT Hazardous Materials Transportation (HM-181) (November 3, 8 am - 5 pm, $300). For more information or to register, call 337-562-4139 or e-mail iiec@mcneese.edu