Spokane Calendar

Today

Great Decisions lecture series – Whitworth College hosts Vandana Asthana speaking on “China and India: Partners or Competitors?,” 7:30 p.m. today at Weyerhaeuser Hall, 300 W. Hawthorne Road. Asthana heads up the Christ Church College Political Science Department and Environmental Studies Unit in Kanpur, India; 777-3270.

Upcoming

Songs for Peace – An evening of music in opposition to the war in Iraq and the erosion of civil liberties, 7-9 p.m. Saturday at the Community Building, 35 W. Main. Performers include Laddie Ray Melvin, The Raging Grannies, Mark Stanton, Jenny Edgren and The Blue Ribbon Tea Company; 323-3816.

Whitewater safety – The Northwest Whitewater Association offers an indoor seminar on whitewater safety, 9 a.m. Sunday at the Valley YMCA, 2421 N. Discovery Place; $25; (208) 661-3042.

Spaghetti dinner – St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church presents its annual event Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the church, 503 N. Walnut road; $20 family of six, $6 adults, $5 seniors and children 6-12, free for children under 6; 926-5428.

Engineers Forum of Spokane – Guest Tom Connelly, owner of Pilot Used Books, will discuss his business, noon Monday at the Holiday Inn Airport, 1616 Windsor Drive. Lunch is $12; 244-3467.

Surviving war – Excerpts of the documentary “The Pilot” and discussion on the mental and emotional impact of war facilitated by Robert Smith, former director of psychiatry at Sacred Heart Medical Center, 3 p.m. Monday, SCC Learning Resources Center, 1810 N. Greene; 533-7382.

Poverty – The United Nations Association-Spokane presents Bart Haggin of the Spokane County Growth Management Steering Committee speaking on the fundamentals of poverty, 7 p.m. Monday at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 4340 W. Fort George Wright Drive; 624-3608.

Valentine’s Day dance – hosted by the Spokane Valley Senior Center, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place. Uncle Harold’s Dance Band will provide the music; refreshments will be served; 18 and over only; $5; 926-1927.

“The Bicycle Corps” – A film on the creation of the Bicycle Corps in 1897 by the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry, 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the SCC Learning Resource Center, 1810 N. Greene; 533-7382.

Black History Month – Spokane Falls Community College hosts Dan John, director of student programs and multicultural student services at Lower Columbia College, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in Sub Lounges A and B, 3410 W. Fort George Wright Drive; 533-3240.

Spokane City Forum – Guest Theresa Sanders, executive vice president-business development for the Spokane Area Economic Development Council, will speak on “Spokane’s Economic Development Succeeds with Leaps of Faith,” 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church, 318 S. Cedar. Reservations are required. Lunch is $8.50, $5 for students. Child care available by reservation; 777-1555.

Whitworth College Great Decisions lecture series – Guest John Yoder, a professor of political studies at Whitworth, will speak on “Democratization and Elections: Perspectives on Liberia,” 7:30 p.m. next Thursday at Weyerhaeuser Hall, 300 W. Hawthorne Road. Yoder recently served on The Carter Center’s international monitoring team that observed the elections in Liberia; 777-3270.

University Women – The American Association of University Women hosts Kathy Carman, who lived in South America, speaking on the culture of the Cuna Indians, 10 a.m. Feb. 18 at Chic-A-Ria, 1812 W. Francis. Reservations are required; lunch is $15; 487-1080.

Auction fund-raiser – The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick charity benefit, 1-3 p.m. Feb. 18 at Heroes and Legends, Lincoln and Riverside; 880-2785.