-CHURCH/CHARITY

Harvest Hope Food Bank Empty Bowls 2009 will be February 13, 6 pm, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Table sponsorships are still available for $500 for a table of eight. Tickets are $50 per person and $90 per couple. 254-4432.

First Presbyterian Church continues with its Wednesdays @ First lunch services in Jackson Hall, 1324 Marion Street. Lunch is available 11:30 am- 12:15 pm, followed by a speaker and ending at 12:50 pm. Hot meal $6; soup and salad bar $5. Free parking. 799-9062.

Hope Lutheran Church will host a Valentine Concert and dinner February 14, 5 pm, at 1400 Kennerly Road. 781-8673.

-DANCE

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 $3 per lesson or $10 for all four lessons if paid in advance. www.USAdance.us

Contra Dance will continue February 14, 7 pm- 10:30 pm, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Admission $8. 796-8935.

-ENTERTAINMENT

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

The Symphony League's Annual Valentine Ball will be February 13, 6:30 pm- 11 pm, at the Forest Lake Country Club. 772-4227.

-FAMILY

Sesquicentennial State Park is offering owl prowls at 6:30 pm 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 one day prior to the program. 788-2706.

-FOOD

Historic Columbia Foundation will host the Palladium Society's 11th Annual Chili Cook- Off February 28, 5 pm- 8 pm, at the Ellison Building on the State Fairgrounds. www.historiccolumbia.org

The Lower Richland Ruritan Club will hold a Country Fried Pork Steak Dinner February 21, 4 pm- 7 pm. Tickets are $7. 771-0219 or 776-5033.

-FUNDRAISER

Hand Educational Foundation will host a gala fundraiser February 21, 7 pm- 10 pm, at 701 Whaley St. Tickets are $25 per person. 343-2947.

Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church will hold their annual education fundraiser, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner February 24, at 6 pm. 776-5033.

-MEETINGS

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.

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. Free and open to the public.

The Lake Murray Association's quarterly public meeting will be February 17, 7 pm, at the Hollywood Ruritan Club in Saluda County. The Midlands Area Lewy Body Dementia Support Group meets the 2nd Monday of each month from 6:30 pm- 7:30 pm. Meetings are held at The Haven in the Summit. 917-3470.

Councilwoman Val Hutchinson will host a Northeast Conservation and Beautification meeting February 19, 7 pm, at 900 Clemson Road. 576-2062.

-MUSIC

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. Donations are accepted. 732-5115.

Columbia Harmonizers a male chorus/ensemble is seeking male singers. Meeting are held each Mondays, 7 pm, at Shandon United Methodist Church. 798-1538.

-SPORTS

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 10th Annual CAPS (child and parent) Soccer Clinic will be February 21, 10 am- 3 pm, at the USC Indoor Fieldhouse on Whaley Street. 254-5996.

13th Annual SC Book Festival with a Run and Walk for Books will be February 21, at 8 am. There will be an 8K run and a 4K walk. Register at http://www.strictlyrunning.com/gpscrlgnReg-9f.asp

The women of the Columbia QuadSquad roller derby league will host Beware the Thighs of March bout against the Sintral Florida Derby Demons, March 1, 6:30 pm, at Jamil Temple. Admission to the event is $10 in advance and $12 at the door. www.columbiaquadsquad.com

-THEATER

The University of South Carolina's Lab Theatre will stage the Columbia premiere of Kid Simple February 26- March 1, at 8 pm. Tickets are $5 each and available only at the door of the theater on Wheat Street.

The University of South Carolina's Theatre South Carolina will stage Thornton Wilder's classic comedy, The Skin of Our Teeth February 20- March 1, 8 pm, at Drayton Hall. Tickets are $16 for the public, $14 for military personnel and University of South Carolina faculty and staff and senior citizens (age 60+) and $10 for students. 777-9353.

-TRAINING/EDUCATION

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

The University of South Carolina will offer College Goal Sunday, a financial aid workshop February 28, 10 am- 1 pm, at the Richland County Public Library on Assembly Street. 777-5127.

The South Carolina State Museum will present a four- day workshop for artists entitled The Business of Art During Hard Economic Times February 14, 15, 22, and 28. 898-4952.

South Carolina photographer Cecil J. Williams will give a public talk about the state's role in the civil- rights movement February 18, 3:30 pm, at the University of South Carolina. 777-4472.

Hungry for History Series will be held February 19, noon- 1 pm, at the Robert Mills Carriage House, 1616 Blanding St. 252-1770 ext. 33.

-VOLUNTEER/ NON- PROFIT

The S.C. Association of Non- profit Organizations will partner with the Non- profit Risk Management Center to offer the Risk and Financial Management Conference February 19, 8:30 am- 4:15 pm, at the S.C. Archives and History Center. www.scanpo.org/calendar.asp