This year girls can join a Girl Scout Express Troop for a total of 6 to 8 sessions. Girls will learn about the Girl Scout Cookie Program, the five essential skills and even have the chance to participate in their very own booth sale. Express Troop is open to all girls in K-5. The Express Troop takes off Saturday, January 26 at 9:30 am at Lake Charles Charter Academy. For more information on how to join the Girl Scout Express Troop or how to volunteer visit www.gslpg.org.

The International Dance Company will be hosting a Red Tent Event to celebrate women on Friday January 26, from 6:30 to 9:30pm at their studio at 530 W. McNeese.  The cost is $15 and includes refreshments. They will have Dr. Hilma Green, Thrive Therapy, and Deborah Weeks as speakers.  And as always there will be dancing! 

The City of Lake Charles will open the traveling exhibition"50 Greatest Photographs of National Geographic." The opening reception will take place Friday, January 25, from 5:30-8pm at the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street. All ages are welcome at no charge and refreshments will be served.

Yayi Beads, Gems and Gallery schedules of upcoming events and classes are as follows: Saturday January 26, 10am to 1pm will feature a Start to Stringing: inspirational class for beginners to start in the exciting world of jewelry making (Class Fee $20 plus supplies); Saturday February 2nd, 10am to 1pm focuses on Leather Wraps Bracelet: very popular bracelet with endless possibilities in your design. (Class Fee $20 plus supplies); and Saturday February 16th, 10am to 1pm features Wire Wrapping techniques: Start to accent your Cobochons enhancements (large gemstone bead) with wire (Class Fee $25 plus supplies). Call us at (337) 494-9294 for more information and to register for any of the dates of these great classes. Please remember to register at least three days prior any scheduled class.

 The American Cancer Society would like to invite everyone to their 11th Annual Food Tasting Dinner Experience on Saturday, January 26. Patrons attending will have the opportunity to enjoy a meal created by a diverse group of local restaurants and food establishments who will provide a culinary sampling of their establishment's menu. There will also be a live and silent auction taking place during the event. The event will be held at the American Legion Post 208 in Vinton, Louisiana (Exit 8) from 6pm to 9pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $15 or at the door for $20. For more information, please contact Ariel Caraway 337-433-5817 ext. 2. 

 The Southwest Louisiana Aids Council is hosting a Teen Outreach Program (TOP) Open House on Monday, January 28, from 6pm to 7pm. The Wyman Teen Outreach Program is a fun and exciting program that promotes good behavior and leadership skills within our youth. TOP inspires and enables teens to develop the confidence and skills they need to achieve great success. The Open House will be at The Dream Center located at 1701 Ryan Street in Lake Charles. For more information, call 337-439-5861.

Steven Hale, MD, orthopaedic specialist, will be the speaker at "Overcome Overuse Injuries," a free community seminar on Tuesday, January 29, at Center for Orthopaedics in Lake Charles. The event will begin at 5:30 pm. Common overuse injuries include carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis or golfer's elbow, swimmer's shoulder, pitching elbow, runner's knee, jumper's knee, Achilles tendinitis, and shin splints. These types of injuries are subtle and usually occur over time, making them challenging to diagnose and treat. At the seminar, Dr. Hale will discuss the most common overuse injuries, along with prevention strategies and treatment options. Seating is limited and pre-registration is requested. Call 721-2903 or register online in the event section of www.centerfortho.com. Center for Orthopaedics in Lake Charles is located at 1747 Imperial Blvd.

The Louisiana Crossroads series continues as The City of Lake Charles presents Joel Savoy's Honky Tonk Merry-Go-Round & Special Guests on Wednesday, January 30, at 7pm at Central School Theater, 809 Kirby Street. 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 online 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.

The American Heart Association is asking everyone to Wear Red on February 1, 2013. This all day event supports awareness of the #1 Killer of Women - Heart Disease. The Alliance supports this cause and asks those who want to participate to donate $5 or more to the American Heart Association through this link. 

The Institute for Industry-Education Collaboration at McNeese State University offers the following classes: Private Investigator Basic Training on Fri, Sat, Sun, Feb. 1-3 & 8-10; from 6pm-10pm, and Sat & Sun from 8am-5pm; OSHA 10-HR Standards for General Industry on Wed and Thur, Feb 6 (8am-4:30pm) and Feb 7 (8am-11:30am); Fundamentals of Project Management on Fri, Feb 8 from 8am-3pm; and Introduction to Cyber Security on Tue, Feb 19 from 8am-5pm. For more information, go to www.mcneese.edu/iiec or call 562-4139.

The Arts Council of SWLA announces that the application for the Lake Charles Partnership Grant is available for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. This competitive grant program is funded annually by the City of Lake Charles and administered by the Arts Council, and it expands the accessibility of the arts by providing arts organizations and community groups the opportunity to develop arts programming within Lake Charles. Applicants may apply for up to $3,000 for project assistance for events occurring between April 2013 and March 2014. Eligible applicants may also apply for up to $2,000 for organizational support which provides funding for operating expenses of arts organizations, such as salaries and supplies. Applications may be downloaded at www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org or picked up at the Arts Council office, located at 809 Kirby Street, Suite 202 in Lake Charles. Applications must be received, not post-marked, by Friday, February 1, at 5pm in the Arts Council office; applications may not be submitted to the City of Lake Charles.

The Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight, will perform at L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles on February 15, in the Event Center. Gladys Knight is an eight-time Grammy winner and has performedas a solo and group artist over the past 50 years.Tickets are available through www.ticketmaster.com. Floor tickets will be $60, and stadium tickets will be $50. Must be 21 to attend.

Evergreen Life Services and Painting with a Twist invite you to a fun evening of painting, refreshments, and good company on Sunday, February 17 from 2 -5 p.m., all to benefits the individuals served at Evergreen who have disabilities. Cost to attend is $45, of which 50% is donated back to Evergreen. Call 337-478-0955 to reserve your seat. Door prizes will be given out! http://www.paintingwithatwist.com/events/viewEvent.aspx?eventID=65883

HIRING OUR HEROES returns to the Lake Charles Civic Center on February 19. The career fair for veterans, active duty military members, Guard, Reserve members and their spouses will be held from 9am to noon. To register for this event, go to HOH.GreatJob.net. If you have any questions, email hiringourheroes@uschamber.com or call 202-463-3110.https://hoh.greatjob.net/sc/viewEvent.action?id=738236

American pop rock band, Matchbox Twenty, will hit the stage of L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles on Friday, March 22. Matchbox Twenty recently released its fourth album, "NORTH," which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. Tickets will go on sale on Feb. 8, and can be purchased for $55 via www.ticketmaster.com. Must be 21. For more information on upcoming concerts log on to www.mylauberge.com or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/laubergedulac.

The 2013 Mac Burns/West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, May 11 at Frasch Golf Course in Sulphur.  The tournament will follow a 4-man scramble format with a double shotgun start at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  This year's entry fee is $400 per team and covers food, drinks, shirts, range balls and mulligans.  Various levels of sponsorships are available.  For more information or to participate in the tournament, call (337) 527-4241.