West metro town briefs

Two-for-one cat offer at Humane Society The Animal Humane Society is resuming the "Double the Love" cat adoption program that it offered last year.

Starting this week, customers can adopt one cat or kitten at the regular adoption fee and get a second cat with the fees waived. All cats and kittens are sterilized prior to adoption.

When the society made the same offer last year, more than 350 adopters took advantage of it to give more than 700 cats new homes during a four-month period.

"We see this as an opportunity for the public and community to respond to the crisis of cat overpopulation," said Cindy Johnson, the society's director of customer service. Nearly 20,000 cats a year pass through the society's shelters.

The Double the Love program is available at all five Animal Humane Society locations, in Buffalo, Coon Rapids, Golden Valley, St. Paul and Woodbury.

Customers may select one cat or kitten of any age, but the second cat must be one year old or older. The cats must be adopted at the same time.

For more details, go to www.animalhumanesociety.org .

Operation Glass Slipper participants who have qualified for the program will be able to try on dresses and choose from a variety of shoes, bags, shawls and other accessories, all at no charge.

Operation Glass Slipper collects dresses year-round from donors and local bridal shops. Volunteers mend dresses and also shop clearance aisles for coordinating purses and shoes to have available for the event.

The giveaway is set for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 13 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 14 on the fourth floor of the Mall of America's rotunda.

Operation Glass Slipper is a nonprofit founded in 2006. For more information, go to www. operationglassslipper.org.

Lions Club plans spaghetti fundraiser The Hopkins Noontime Lions Club is sponsoring a spaghetti dinner to benefit Opportunity Partners from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Opportunity Partners' Koch Technical & Training Campus, 5500 Opportunity Court, Minnetonka.

Dinner will include spaghetti with meatballs or meatless sauce, salad, bread, dessert and beverages. Take-out is also available.

Tours of Opportunity Partners' Koch Campus will be offered during the dinner. Opportunity Partners is a Twin Cities nonprofit that provides services to 1,500 people with disabilities each year through employment, residential and training programs. For more information, go to www. opportunitypartners.org .

How to make green changes at home The Green Institute at 2801 21st Av. S. in Minneapolis is planning workshops this month to help homeowners with renovations that are energy efficient and money saving.

A workshop on window rehabbing will help homeowners choose the right option for their windows, from temporary to permanent fixes that reduce heat loss and air infiltration. Paul Schmidt of Twin Cities-based Restoration Window Systems will speak from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday.

Cost is $15. RSVP to Agatha Vaaler at avaaler@green institute.org or by calling 612-278-7142.

The workshop will cover questions about appliances, heating and cooling, water usage, moisture control and other sustainable living issues.

This workshop is free. RSVP to Cristen Porter at cristen .porter@tchabitat.org.

Get off to a fast start come spring The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive in Chanhassen, is planning several workshops this month to help homeowners and gardeners get off to a fast start come spring:

•Basic Landscape Designs, scheduled for 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, will deal with principles of landscape design and how to choose the appropriate style, balance and texture. The instructor will be Jim Van Slyke, lead designer for the Lawn Ranger in Eden Prairie. Cost is $30 for Arboretum members and $40 for non-members.

•Orchid Culture 101, scheduled for 9:30 a.m.-noon March 13, will cover how to grow orchids year after year in a climate-controlled Minnesota home environment. Orchid expert Jerry Fischer will lead the discussion, and participants will get a chance to start growing orchids right away with a take-home seedling-sized orchid plant. Cost is $35 for Arboretum members and $45 for non-members.

Empty Bowls event stresses need The St. Louis Park Emergency Program is sponsoring its ninth annual Empty Bowls event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at the city Recreation Center, 3700 Monterrey Blvd.

The Empty Bowls project is intended to focus community awareness on the growing number of people who need food assistance. Bowls have been created by local students and artists and are donated for the event.

Soup and bread will be served, and entertainment will be provided by local musicians at both the lunch and dinner sessions.

There is no admission charge, but a free-will offering is suggested. Last year's event raised $22,000 after expenses.

Women in Transition is offering a workshop on "Moving On" for people facing job or life changes. It is scheduled for 1-4 p.m. March 10 at Lenox Community Center, 6715 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park.

Admission is on a sliding fee scale. For more information or to register, call 612-752-8444.

Heritage Award entries sought The city of Edina is seeking entries for its eighth-annual Edina Heritage Award contest, which showcases local historic preservation. Awards are given each year to a person or group that has made an outstanding contribution to the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and use of Edina's heritage resources.

The Heritage Preservation Board will select this year's winner, who will receive a commemorative plaque from the City Council in May.

Award nominations are due by 4:30 p.m. April 6. A nomination should include the address of the heritage resource; description of its preservation, rehabilitation and restoration; and the name and address of the owner. A photo should also be included.

Entries should be sent to Edina Heritage Award, Edina City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St., Edina, MN 55424. Entries also may be e-mailed to edinamail@ci.edina.mn.us or filled out online at www.cityofedina.com .

Newcomers Club plans March events The Newcomers Club of the Southwest Suburbs will hold a luncheon and fundraiser on Tuesday at Bent Creek Golf Club, 14490 Valley View Road in Eden Prairie.

Proceeds will benefit the Minnesota Military Family Foundation. Bill Popp, founder of the foundation, will speak.

The luncheon is set for 11:30 a.m., with a gathering beforehand beginning at 10:30. RSVP to Barb Miller at miller.barb@gmail.com or at 612-865-3862.

The club also will sponsor a coffee and conversation from 10 to 11:30 a.m. March 25 at Dunn Bros. coffee shop, 8107 Eden Prairie Road, Eden Prairie.

Wayzata library to change hours The Wayzata Library, 620 Rice St., will begin a new schedule on March 15 because of the opening of the new Plymouth Library.

Its new schedule will be noon-8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The library will be closed on Sundays.

For more information, call the library at 952-847-6150 or go to www.hclib.org.