North metro town briefs

Free theater programs offered at libraries Free theater programs for kids, teens and adults are being offered by Lyric Arts Theater of Anoka in partnership with Anoka County libraries.

Lyric Arts will offer poetry theater workshops for children ages 8-12 on Saturdays in April at various libraries: this Saturday at Rum River Library in Anoka; April 10 at Northtown Library in Blaine; April 17 at Centennial Branch in Circle Pines; and April 24 at Mississippi Branch in Fridley. Students will learn theater games, acting skills and character development. All sessions are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each workshop will be limited to 20 participants. Register in advance with the appropriate library.

Teens and adults can discuss and then take in a production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It" at the Lyric Arts Theater. This program has three parts: a group discussion; a session with director Stephen O'Toole, who will share insights into the production process; and seeing the play.

For ages 13-17, the program is scheduled for April 17 and will run from 5:30 to about 9:30 p.m. For adults, it is scheduled for April 25 from noon to about 4 p.m. The number of participants will be limited to 30 for each workshop, and registration should be completed by April 8.

To register, call Lyric Arts at 763-422-1838.

For more information go to www.anoka.lib.mn.us or www.lyricarts.org.

Senior Expo set for April 10 The Anoka County Senior Expo will be held April 10 at Lord of Life Church in Ramsey.

The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon at 14501 Nowthen Blvd. NW. Sponsors are Anoka County Human Services and Alliance for a Violence Free Anoka County. Call 763-323-6042 for more information.

New group confronts youth violence A new group is looking to tackle youth violence in the Twin Cities area. The Get Real Youth Program (GRYP) is affiliated with the Minneapolis Mad Dads chapter, according to organizer Montrell Donaldson. It started in February, and he hopes later to expand it to include recreational offerings and job help.

Now it's focused on developing leaders to help assemble a youth plan of action against the rise of violence.

"These youth need someone positive or they'll be led astray," said Donaldson, 20, of Minneapolis.

GRYP is open to people of all ages, Donaldson said. It is meeting Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in the community room at Brookdale Shopping Center in Brooklyn Center.

Use your wits and GPS to race for the cache Brooklyn Park will hold its first annual Amazing GPS Race for teams to find caches in area parks using GPS.

The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. on April 17 at the Community Activity Center, 5600 85th Av. N. Teams will compete to find caches in area parks using GPS units.

The first three teams to return to the center with cache items will win prizes. All participants will receive a T-shirt and are invited to a post-race pizza party.

Individuals or teams of up to eight players can register. Cost is $5 per person. Go to www.brooklynpark.org for more information or call 763-493-8333.

Wind ensemble will play at Anoka-Ramsey Pavia Winds, a chamber music ensemble, will give a free concert on Thursday at the Coon Rapids campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center, 11200 Mississippi Blvd. NW, Coon Rapids.

For more information, go to webs.anokaramsey.edu/music.

Vintage Fashion Show will aid area projects The Circle Pines-Lexington Lions Club will host a Vintage Fashion Show presented by Goodwill/Easter Seals volunteers on April 10 at St. Joseph Parish, 171 Elm St., Lino Lakes.

The show will feature fashions from the 1920s and '30s jazz and flapper era. There will be a social hour at 11:30 a.m., luncheon at 12:30 p.m. and the show at 1:30 p.m.

The event will be held in the Great Hall. Admission is $20 (bring old jewelry and get $2 back). Proceeds go to community projects. For tickets, contact Janelle Willard at 763-717-2379, Ginny Hestekind at 763-786-3474 or Lois Byron at 763-784-7801.

The Family Service Center in New Brighton will provide youngsters a taste of summer on Friday with a day dedicated to sports fun and games.

Refugee committee's chief to speak on Haiti Daniel Wordsworth, president and CEO of the Minneapolis-based American Refugee Committee, will speak about that organization's work in Haiti and the current situation in the country.

Sponsored by NW Neighbors for Peace, the free program will begin at 7 p.m. at the Parish Community of St. Joseph, 8701-36th Av. N., New Hope (corner of Boone and 36th. )

All are welcome. For more information, call Pat Helin at 763-542-1966.