-ANIMALS Friends of the Animals of APL Low County Cook- Out will be January 24, 6:30 pm- 10:30 pm, at the University House Parking Facility. 782-5728.

-ART Frame of Mind: The Art of Eyewear will host Paintings of Birdies by Shayna from February 5 through March 1 at 1520 Main Street. 988-1065.

The Ninth Annual Winter Exhibition of work by artists Stephen Chesley, Mike Williams, Edward Wimberly, and David Yaghjian will open January 23, 6 pm- 9 pm, at Gallery 80808. 252-6134.

The Columbia Museum of Art will host Melissa Chiu for a lecture and signing of her new book Chinese Contemporary Art: 7 Things You Should Know January 25, at 3 pm. 799-2810.

-CHURCH/CHARITY First Presbyterian Church continues with its Wednesdays @ First lunch services in Jackson Hall, 1324 Marion Street. Lunch is available 11:30 am- 12:20 pm, followed by a speaker and ending at 12:50 pm. Hot meal $6; soup and salad bar $5. Free parking. 799-9062.

Living Springs Lutheran Church will host a new support group for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces February 3, 7 pm, at Living Springs Lutheran Church. Facilitated by Chaplain Roy Butler, meetings will be held the first and third Tuesday of the month. 736-0661.

-DANCE The Greater Columbia Chapter of the U.S. Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association will hold a dance on January 24, 7:30 pm- 10:30 pm, at the Hugh Dimmery Memorial Center. www.USADance.us

The Greater Columbia Chapter of USA Dance will hold beginner ballroom dance lessons each Tuesday in February, 7 pm- 8 pm, at 200 Wayne Street. The cost is only $3 per lesson, or $10 for all four lessons if paid in advance. www.USAdance.us

The Palmetto Center for the Arts Dance

Program will present Witness: An

Evening with Vincent Thomas, an original modern dance performance January 24, 2 pm, in the Richland School District Two Auditorium. Tickets will be $5 for adults and $3 for students, the military and senior citizens with proper ID and will be available in the box office before the performance. 699-2800, ext. 2832.

-ENTERTAINMENT All About Beer Magazine and Green's Discount Beverages will present the 2009 World Beer Festival January 24, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. www.allaboutbeer.com/wbfcolumbia

Central Carolina Community

Foundation's 15th Annual International

Festival of Wines and Food will be February 16, 7 pm, at Marriott Columbia. Tickets are $75 each and are available online at www.yourfoundation. org

-FAMILY Sesquicentennial State Park is offering owl prowls at 6:30 pm on February 6 and February 27. The program fee is $5 per adult, $3 for children 15 and under and seniors, which includes park admission. Pre- registration is required by one day prior to the program. 788-2706.

-MEETINGS The Garden Club Council of Greater Columbia will meet January 26, 9 am, 1605 Park Circle, Maxcy Gregg Park.

Palmetto Painters, a SC Chapter of the Society of Decorative Painters, will hold its February meeting February 14, 10 am, at Green Hill Baptist Church, 1734 Augusta Road. 781-2340.

Life Skills group for Adult Survivors of Child Abuse, Alcoholism and Neglect will be February 5 from 6 pm- 7:30 pm. 739-5712.

Grief and Loss support group at Lutheran Hospice will meet every second Thursday of each month, 11:30 am- 12:30 pm, in the Conference Room at 1505 Blanding Street. This event is free and open to the public.

The next meeting of the South Carolina Advisory Council on the Education of Students with Disabilities will be February 6, 9 am- 4 pm, 1600 Williams St. 734-2833.

The Lake Murray Association quarterly public meeting will be February 17, 7 pm, at the Hollywood Ruritan Club in Saluda County.

-MUSIC The Sandlapper Singers and two acts from the SC Musicians and Song Writers Guild, Lucas War Hero and Danielle Howle, will share the stage February 3, 7:30 pm, at the 701 Center for Contemporary Art. sandlappersingers.org

Columbia's Got Talent- a concert of local composers will be February 9, 7:30 pm, at 813 Assembly Street. Admission is Free. 606-1596.

The Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert February 22, 3:30 pm, at the Lexington Middle School New Theatre. The concert is free, though donations are accepted. 732-5115.

-SPORTS The Columbia QuadSquad roller derby

league will host the Savannah Derby

Devils January 24, 6:30 pm, 206 Jamil Road. Admission to the event is $10 in advance and $12 at the door. www.columbiaquadsquad.com

The YMCA, in association with Gateway Baptist Church, is beginning a new adult women's soccer program beginning February 28. 407-0179 x 20.

The Carolina Alumni Association will hold its annual baseball and softball preview January 29, 6 pm- 8 pm, at the University of South Carolina field house on Whaley Street. 777-4111.

-TRAINING/EDUCATION The Shepherd's Center of Columbia is holding its winter session through March 12 at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church. Fee is $25 per semester. 779-4449.

South Carolina Archives and History

Foundation will present the Ramblin'

with Rodger Tour Series History Mystery

Tour of Columbia January 28, 9 am- 4:30 pm. 251-0115.

The American Cancer Society will host

an African American Men's Health

Forum February 7, 8:30 am- 2 pm, at Brookland Baptist Church. www.cancerhealthforum.org

BlueChoice® HealthPlan will offer seminars to educate women on women's health issues at its 8th Annual Women's Health Conference Febuary 21, 8:30 am- 1:30 pm, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. www.BlueChoiceSC.com

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of the Midlands is offering the free 12- week Family- to- Family national education program February 9, at the Dorn VA Medical Center. www.recoveryhope4all.com

Cynthia Pace Photography will host photo sessions to benefit the local March of Dimes starting the weekend of January 23- 24, January 30- 31, and February 6- 7. The session fee is tax deductible with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the March of Dimes. www.cynthiapacephotography.com/dimes

-VOLUNTEER/NON- PROFIT The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina will host a Mission- Effectiveness in Transitional Times non- profit information session January 28, 10 am- 3 pm, at the South Carolina Archives and History Center. The event is open to South Carolina non- profits. 254-0230 ext. 11.

Phase 2 of the Eau Claire Neighborhood Clean Up will be January 24, 9 am- 11:30 am. Eau Claire, Belmont Neighborhood, Gable Oaks residents, and other volunteers are encouraged to participate in this effort. 545-3403.