Spaghetti dinner

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Minerva Center for Academic Success is sponsoring a spaghetti dinner and silent auction from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at St. Anthony Church Parish Center. Quarrier Diner chef Tony Henderson will prepare the dinner. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for children under 6. Proceeds benefit Minerva Center for Academic Success, a nontraditional middle and high school in Charleston.

Tickets will be sold at St. Anthony Church Parish Center, 1000 Sixth St., at the door or in advance by calling Judie Smith at 304-389-8025 or Bradley Marple at 304-610-4388.

Men's shelter needs

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Crossroads Men's Shelter, in Charleston, needs the following items: oatmeal, eggs, milk, cheese for sandwiches, Pine-Sol and laundry detergent.

Items may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at Crossroads, 503 Leon Sullivan Way.

Alpine Theatre benefit

RIPLEY, W.Va. -- A night of film and fun will benefit the historic Alpine Theatre from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at the theater in Ripley.

Debuting at the Alpine that night is "The Shadow of October: The Barn After Dark." The film, produced by Adam Stover and written and directed by Lawrence Burgess, documents the expansion of the haunted barn Halloween attraction.

A screening of "Second Shift," second-place winner in the short/student categories at the 2011 Colony Film Festival, will also be shown, as will a music video by Brewin Company, a Ripley-based alt-folk jam band.

Admission is $5. The event also will include guest speakers and refreshments.

Donate art supplies

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Arts Council of Kanawha Valley is holding an arts supply drive.

New or used art supplies to be donated to the Salvation Army's Boys & Girls Club may be dropped off through Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at West Virginia State University Economic Development Center, 1506 Kanawha Blvd. W., or from 1:30 to 5 p.m. weekdays at the Arts Council office, 1031 Quarrier St. Call 304-807-2787 if another delivery time is needed.

Education for needy kids

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- T.V. and Vijaya Ramakrishna, formerly of Charleston, return to host a dinner and information session on Sahasra Deepika, the facility they founded in Bangalore, India, to house and educate children who are orphans or who have a single destitute parent.

The event will take place at the India Center, 800 Green Road, at 6 p.m. Dec. 15 and includes dinner, a short documentary on the facility and comments from the Ramakrishnas.

There is no charge to attend, but advance registration is required. Email i...@sdie.org.

'Voodoo' fundraiser

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Those who buy their tickets early will get a discount for the Jan. 19 "Carnaval New Orleans: Voodoo on the Bayou" at the Clay Center.

The fundraising masquerade benefit for the Clay Center and the Charleston Ballet sold out last year, and raised nearly $94,000 for the education programs of both groups.

This year, the New Orleans-themed gala will cost $175 if the ticket is purchased before Jan. 4, and $200 per person afterward. Tickets may be purchased by calling 304-561-3521 or at www.biddingforgood.com/CarnavalNewOrleans.

Entertainers lined up so far for the popular event are the Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band from New Orleans, singer Davell Crawford, also from New Orleans, and The Wild Rumpus from Fayetteville.

Chefs from Charleston Embassy Suites will prepare a buffet of Louisiana cuisine that may include shrimp etouffee, gumbo and Natchitoches meat pies.

New this year is online bidding for the silent auction. Carnaval goers and others can bid before the event and keep up with the bidding on trips and other prizes via computer or mobile phone. To pre-register, visit www.biddingforgood.com/Carnaval/NewOrleans.

Rally for Elk Theatre

SUTTON, W.Va. -- The community and local businesses are rallying to save Braxton County's only movie theater from the advance of technology.

The historic Elk Theatre must go digital or close. Movie production companies have given notice that they will discontinue distribution of 35 mm film movies next year.

A pancake breakfast with Santa will take place from 8 to 11 a.m. Dec. 15 at the Town Square Café & Restaurant, 400 Fourth St. The breakfast costs $5.99 for adults, $3.99 for children.

For reservations, call 304-750-2086.

Make-A-Wish air miles

PITTSBURGH -- Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia has a high need for airline miles.

More than 70 percent of the wishes granted by Make-A-Wish last year included air travel for families to reach their wish destinations.

"Donating unused airline miles is an easy way for supporters to help us grant children's wishes this holiday season and give them an experience that improves the quality of life for them and their families," said Chapter President and CEO Judi Stone.

To donate miles, visit www.wishsouthwv.org or call 800-664-9474.

Gifts for kids in ER

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- The Greenbrier has announced its gift of $50,000 to Paws2Care, which will go toward the purchase of more than 2,000 children's books and stuffed animals to be delivered to Washington, D.C.-area kids who wake up in Inova Hospital emergency rooms on Christmas morning.

The gift was part of The Greenbrier's grand opening this past week of The Upper Lobby, a sales and concierge office in Washington.

The gift to the Inova Health System, which operates six hospitals in the D.C. area, is just one element of the $1 million in toys and gifts, personally donated to area charities by Jim Justice, the owner of The Greenbrier, as part of his second annual "Create a Dream Tree for Kids" initiative at the resort.

"At The Greenbrier, it's part of our mission to bring smiles to children of all ages," Justice said, "and we're delighted that our gift to Paws2Care will help brighten Christmas morning for so many throughout D.C. and Virginia."