In brief: Miss Spokane group sponsors fashion show

RIVERSIDE – The Miss Spokane Scholarship Organization will have a holiday fashion show today at the Spokane Masonic Center, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The event will include holiday fashions from Finders Keepers, a raffle, hors d’oeuvres and beverages.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

Tickets may be purchased at Finders Keepers, 309 W. Second Ave., or on the Miss Spokane Scholarship Organization website at www.missspokane.org.

Proceeds will benefit The Children’s Miracle Network and the Miss Spokane Scholarship Organization.

Friday event celebrates area galleries, wineries

SPOKANE VALLEY – Area wine cellars and art galleries will celebrate area artists with the First Friday Spokane Valley Art Tour Friday, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Galleries and wineries include Latah Creek Cellars, 13030 E. Indiana Ave.; Nodland Cellars, 11616 E. Montgomery Drive, Suite 70; Millwood Gallery, 9009 E. Euclid Ave.; Pamee’s Art Studio, 9007 E. Euclid Ave.; Artistic Framing/Whistle Stop Gallery, 3007 N. Park Road; All Rays-N-Shine, 3207 N. Argonne Road; and Northwest Glass Society, 11616 E. Montgomery Drive, Suite 50.

For more information, call Teresa Peluso-Antosyn at (509) 927-2222 or Tim Nodland at (509) 998-8782.

Explorer Search and Rescue plans open house

WEST CENTRAL – Spokane County Explorer Search and Rescue will have an open house on Nov. 18 at the Department of Emergency Management, 1121 W. Gardner Ave., from 6:30 to 8 p.m., for area youth to learn about the training and opportunities available to become certified search-and-rescue volunteers.

Explorer Search and Rescue is a program for young adults, ages 14 to 20, that specializes in the search for missing persons within urban and wilderness environments, recovery of the injured, evidence search operations, and providing mutual aid to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department.

For more information, e-mail Rob Brewer at sarguy@gmail.com or visit www.scesar.org.

EAST CENTRAL – As the holiday season approaches, residents and staff at Alderwood Manor, 3600 E. Hartson Ave., are preparing boxes for Operation Christmas Child and are seeking help from the community.

Boxes filled with toys, candy, school supplies and toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap will be given to children in need in war-torn and poverty-stricken countries by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian relief organization. Information about what to include and not to include, and labels specifying gender and age range, are available at www.samaritans purse.org.

Alderwood Manor’s goal is to collect 1,500 completed boxes for the program. Participants wanting to help may drop off boxes in the lobby Monday through Friday, between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, boxes can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The final collection day is Nov. 22.

For more information, call (509) 535-2071.