The mailing day for the 2012 Mercer Island Directory is Friday, March 16, and volunteers are needed to help stuff and seal envelopes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Emmanuel Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 4400 86th Ave. S.E. Contact the Mercer Island Guild of Seattle Children’s Hospital at miphonebook@gmail.com.

Wednesday | 7

Probus Club of Mercer Island Meeting: 10:30 a.m., March 7, Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave. S.E. Speaker: Mike Lavelle, Museum of Flight director of public programs, will discuss the early days of Pan Am and the role played by the Boeing 314 flying boat in the age of developing transoceanic routes. The public is welcome. Bob Simonds: (206) 236-2190.

Thursday | 8

Change the Color of a Child’s Life: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., March 8, Mercer Island Community and Event Center, 8236 S.E. 24th Street. Celebrate Holi, India’s springtime festival of color, and International Women’s Day with a lunch to benefit The Kiran Anjali Project’s first project in India: The Wings School. Guest speaker: Dr. Sutapa Basu, UW Women’s Center executive director. Emcee: Vijya Patel. Minimum suggested donation: $50. Contact: Linda Floyd, lfloydwa@hotmail.com, (206) 755-3527.

Primal Pet Food Demo: 2-5 p.m., March 8, All The Best Pet Care, 3037 78th Ave. S.E. Learn how a raw food diet can change the life of your cat or dog. Come in for free samples and knowledge on how to feed your pet a species-appropriate diet. Free. Contact: (206) 232-4377, mercer.atb@gmail.com.

Pacific Northwest Audio Society Meeting: 7:30-9:30 p.m., March 8, Mercer Island Congregational Church, 4545 Island Crest Way. Audio luminary Steve McCormack (inventor of Tiptoes, engineer of the Direct Disc LPs and founder of McCormack Audio) presents his VRE-1C preamp together with Genesis loudspeakers. Free. www.audiosociety.org.

Friday | 9

Mission Nutrition: 1-3 p.m., March 9, Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 East Mercer Way. For school-aged children with a parent. Can you feed your family a healthy dinner for less than you’d pay for a happy meal? At this hands-on family workshop, estimate how much sugar is in everyday food items; predict the origins of exotic fruits and vegetables before sampling; discuss cooking vs. eating out. Co-sponsors: Pacific Science Center, Mercer Island Food Revolution. Free. www.sjcc.org.

Saturday | 10

Super Safe Sitters Babysitting Class: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., March 10, Mercer Island Community and Event Center, 8236 S.E. 24th Street. The class teaches young people, ages 11 to 15, basic babysitting skills and safety. Bring a lunch to class. Fee: $40 (resident), $47 (nonresident).

“Can We Break the Chains of Materialism?”: 2 p.m., March 10, Mercer Island Community and Event Center, 8236 S.E. 24th Street. Speaker: John Tyler, Christian Science practitioner and teacher. Sponsored by First Church of Christ, Scientist, of Mercer Island.

Emerald City Basketball Academy Annual Spring/Summer Boys Tryouts: 1:30-7:30 p.m., March 10-11, Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club PEAK, 4120 86th Ave. S.E. Tryouts for Preston, Mercer Island, Seattle, Kirkland, Edmonds and Auburn locations. Cost: $5. baskettecbateams@yahoo.com, (206) 248-9730. www.ecbahoops.com/teams/tryouts.

ROCK Student Ministries Auction & Benefit Show: 6:30 p.m., March 10, MIPC Community Life Center, 3605 84th Ave. S.E. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets at the door: $10 (individual), $25 (family), $5 (seniors). Catalogues available online: www.MIPC.org.

Sunday | 11

Richard LeMieux at MIUMC: 11 a.m., March 11, Mercer Island United Methodist Church, 7070 SE 24th Street. LeMieux, author of “Breakfast at Sally’s,” will share his journey from affluence to homelessness and recovery. The 11 a.m. service will be followed by lunch in the fellowship hall. The public is invited. (206) 232-3044.

Let’s Talk About It: Making Sense of the American Civil War: “Part Three – Making Sense of Shiloh Book Discussion: Selections from America’s War,” 2 p.m., March 11, Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E. Five-part reading and discussion series in commemoration of the Civil War. Each discussion is led by project scholar, Dr. Lorraine McConaghy, Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) public historian.

Monday | 12

Mercer Island Covenant Church Lively Saints Luncheon: 12 p.m., March 12, MICC, 3200 78th Ave. S.E. Shirley Hamblen (piano) and Jim Jansen (violin) will share old, familiar songs. Please note the group is meeting on Monday this month only. Cost: $7. Call (206) 232-1015 to reserve your place.

Getting Ready for the 1940 Census: “Searching Without a Name Index and One-Step Webpages, A Potpourri of Genealogical Search Tools,” 7 p.m., March 12, Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 East Mercer Way. Doors open: 6:30 p.m. Speaker: Stephen Morse, creator of the One-Step Website, will present tools for searching the 1940 census to be released in April 2012. Free (members), $5 (nonmembers). www.jgsws.org.

Tuesday | 13

Mercer Island Sister City Association French Conversation Evening: 7-9 p.m., March 13. All levels of French are welcome. Join in an informal evening for anybody who wants to improve his/her French at the home of Monica Howell. Call for address and directions: Monica, (206) 232-2983.

Wednesday | 14

Turn the Page 2012: “Women of Character: A Celebration of Resilience and Renewal,” 5:30-8:45 p.m., March 14, Mercer Island Community and Event Center, 8236 S.E. 24th Street. Speaker: Gilah Kletenik, on “Recap, Rework, Recommit: Jewish Women and Justice.” Presenter: Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. Dinner, dessert. Dietary laws observed. Cost: $36, $72 patron. RSVP by Friday, March 9. info@jewishinseattle.org, www.jewishinseattle.org/news-events/events/turn-page-2012-women-character.

Thursday | 15

St. Patrick’s Day Senior Lunch: 12-1 p.m., March 15, Mercer Island Community and Event Center, Mercer Room, 8236 S.E. 24th Street. Come for a “bit of blarney” in celebration of this Irish holiday. Corned beef and cabbage lunch will be served. Cost: $5 plus tax. Reservations required. Call 275-7609 to reserve your spot. Transportation available.

Mercer Island Radio Operators Meeting: 7 p.m., March 15, Mercer Island Fire Station, 3030 78th Ave. S.E. Learn about amateur radio communications and emergency preparedness. www.mirohams.org.

Upcoming

Basic Disaster Preparedness Class: 9 a.m.-12 p.m., March 17, City Hall Council Chambers, 9611 S.E. 36th Street. First class in the 2012 Emergency Volunteer CERT Training Series. The series is 10 classes with a (CERT) Community Emergency Response Team Base. Classes are held monthly. Free. RSVP to Officer Franklin if you wish to attend: (206) 275-7905.

First Aid and Adult CPR with AED Class: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., March 17, Mercer Island Fire Station, 3030 78th Ave. S.E. Cost: $35 (check or cash). Call (206) 275-7607, Monday through Friday, to reserve a space. Parking is available behind the fire station. This is not a health care provider class. If you are a health care provider, we offer private classes at your location.

Emerald City Basketball Academy Annual Spring/Summer Girls Tryouts: 3:30-5:30 p.m., March 17, Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club PEAK, 4120 86th Ave. S.E. Tryouts for Preston, Mercer Island, Seattle, Edmonds and Auburn locations. Cost: $5. baskettecbateams@yahoo.com, (206) 248-9730. www.ecbahoops.com/teams/tryouts.

The Strivers “Time Banks – Time Well Spent”: 1:45 p.m., March 20, Mercer Island Library, Large Meeting Room, 4400 88th Ave. S.E. Speakers: Drs. Kim Kendall and Karen Jensen will present a slideshow and discussion. As members of Transition Initiative Mercer Island, they are working with MIYFS to launch a Time Bank in Mercer Island. Free. (206) 232-9161.

Infant/Child and Adult CPR with AED Class: 7-9 p.m., March 21, Mercer Island Fire Station, 3030 78th Ave. S.E. Cost: $20 (check or cash) at event. Call (206) 275-7607 to reserve a space. This is not a health care provider class.

Mercer Island Spring Recycling Event: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., March 24, Mercer Island Boat Launch, 3600 East Mercer Way. Safely dispose of the old equipment and household items that are cluttering your basement or garage. For a list of acceptable and unacceptable items, go to www.mercergov.org.

Events | Ongoing

“The Adventures of Peter Rabbit”: ongoing through March 18, Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 S.E. 40th Street. Thursdays, Fridays: 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays: 2:30 p.m. Tickets: $10. (206) 232-4145, ext. 109. www.youththeatre.org.

Mercer Island Visual Arts League Gallery “Color and Fun”: ongoing through March 31. Art by Marianne Bond. MIVAL Gallery has 20+ local artists. MIVAL has been bringing community together through visual arts since 1961. Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 12-6 p.m.; Sunday, 12-4 p.m. www.mival.org.