MISSION HOSPICE in San Mateo is participating Oct. 10 in "The Voices of Hospice," an international event in which hospices from around the world organize concerts and perform them on the same day.

The free concert, which celebrates hospice care around the world, will begin at 7 p.m. at St. James A.M.E. Zion Church, located at 825 Monte Diablo Ave. in San Mateo. For inquiries, call 650-703-4599.

Buy spaghetti, support San Bruno library: The Friends of the San Bruno Library are inviting the public to dine at Pasta Pomodoro in San Bruno from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Oct. 3 and 4, as 20 percent of your food purchases will be donated to the Friends.

The proceeds support summer reading, One Book One Community, and other reading programs as well as special projects at the San Bruno Public Library.

The Friends will benefit from all purchases at the restaurant, located in the Bayhill Shopping Center at 811 Cherry Ave. Please mention that you support the Friends of the San Bruno Library.

Millbrae church holds Animal Blessing: Calvary Lutheran Church will hold an Animal Blessing for the public at 1 p.m. on Oct. 4 at the church, located at 401 Santa Lucia Ave. in Millbrae.

Bring your best animal friends — dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, fish or others — to the church for a blessing in honor

Meet on the front lawn for a short service by the Rev. Karen Woida followed by an individual blessing of all animals present.

Sequoia Union honors award winners: The Sequoia Union High School District recently announced the winners of its annual awards at its kickoff meeting for the 2009-10 academic year.

Two mathematics teachers, Glenn Carpenter of Woodside High School and Mike Radoye of Sequoia High School, were honored as teachers of the year.

Carpenter, a master teacher and mentor to student teachers, is skilled in using hands-on teaching techniques to engage and motivate students. He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics from the University of Colorado and a law degree from Stanford.

Radoye, a faculty member since 1983 and a master mathematics instructor, uses engaging instructional strategies to reach students in a wide academic range.

An Indiana University graduate with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, Radoye also holds master's degrees in secondary education and educational administration from California State University, San Francisco.

Jesus Garcia, a Menlo-Atherton High School custodian who inspires students to help keep the campus impeccably clean, and John Parker Campbell, an instructional aide in the Carlmont High School special education department who also encourages student interest in creative writing and poetry as part of the after-school program, were named employees of the year.

Juan Ramirez earned Adult School Employee of the Year for his many contributions, including helping to improve the school's intake process for English learners and general educational development students.

The volunteers of the year were Victoria Anderson, of Sequoia; Laura Rhodes, of Woodside; Nina Stahl, of Carlmont; Pam Stoner, of Menlo-Atherton; and Steven Grabianowski, of Redwood.

Veteran employees Zaida Bowers, a Sequoia math teacher, Linda Lum, a district food services worker, and Wendell Wiley, a Menlo-Atherton custodian, were honored for their 30 years of service in the district.

Morrow hands out "Skyline Shines" awards: Skyline College President Victoria Morrow has announced the two winners of the fourth-annual "Skyline Shines" award: Dino Nomicos, Skyline's head baseball coach, and the President's Council.

The award recognizes individuals or groups who help the San Bruno college shine in terms of the quality of its programs and services and its reputation for quality. Each year, two awards are presented — one to a Skyline employee or employee group and the other to a community member or group. Morrow made the announcement at the school's recent opening-day celebration.

"Dino Nomicos, in his 10 years at Skyline, has represented every positive facet of the community college system," said Morrow. "It is impossible to list everything professor Nomicos has done to make Skyline College one of the premier places to be for students and student-athletes.

"Some of his accomplishments include winning the first Coast Conference Championship in 25 years in 2004 and being named Coast Conference Coach of the Year, both in 2004 and 2007," Morrow said.

Nomicos' student-athletes have achieved a 95 percent graduation rate to four-year universities, and 80 percent of them have received baseball scholarships to top universities throughout the country. He has produced 12 All-Americans and had eight players sign professional contracts.

Nomicos has also given endless amounts of personal time and money to campus beautification. A primary example is his attractive renovation of the baseball facility.

As for the President's Council, Morrow said the body is a "a shining example of community spirit in action."

"Each member's enormous dedication and level of commitment over the past 10 years is truly inspiring," she said. "The President's Council was created in 2000 to provide community input and support for the president of Skyline College as well as to give feedback in creating a resource development program for the college."

One of the council's first projects was to renovate and landscape the Skyline Children Center's toddler play yard and entrance.

In 2001, the first President's Breakfast raised financial support for the new President's Innovation Fund. The fund was created to provide seed money for innovative and creative projects that encourage faculty and staff to "dream out loud." The annual community event drew more than 330 guests this year and will be held again in March at the South San Francisco Conference Center.

Faculty service awards were also given to several faculty members for their length of service to the college. Jacqueline Cresta, Richard Piserchio, and Laura Venning were honored for 30 years of service.

Lauria Biagi, Norman del Prado, and David Hill were recognized for 25 years of service.

Community college district recognizes staff excellence: The San Mateo County Community College District's board of trustees presented "Above and Beyond" awards to eight staff members of the district's Facilities Department at a recent board meeting in San Mateo. Board President Karen Schwarz made the presentations.

The employees were recognized for designing, welding and installing the new district logo sculpture in front of the district office at 3401 CSM Drive.

Samuel Brambila, Tim Granillo, Rome Langi, Juan Lopez, Diane Martinez, Adrian Otis, Carol Reed, and Steve Zoboli were the honored employees.

Chancellor Ron Galatolo said the staff members contributed their talents and used scrap metal materials left over from CSM's Welding Department for the sculpture and the base.

Vice Chancellor Jose Nunez reported the cost to the district was about $600, none of which came from the general fund.

If you have any news tips about our county communities, call or fax Carolyn at 650-355-5533 or e-mail her at carolynlivengood@sanbrunocable.com.