Head's Up Thru Nov. 17: Worthwhile Events This Week

By Martin Henderson

A look at what's going down and coming up for Lake Forest and residents of the surrounding area.

• The third leading cause of death in America is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and only about half the 24 million citizens afflicted with it have been diagnosed. Find out more about it Tuesday, 6 p.m., at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills. Register online here, or click here for more details.

• If you have never tried Slaters 50/50, there is a fundraiser for the El Toro High music program on Tuesday. The restaurant will donate 20 percent of the event's sales to music program. Click here for more details.

• Is your child going to sign a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday, or later in the week, to attend college to play a sport? If so, let everyone know by posting it on the Boards in the Town Square section, which is the preferred method—you can even post a photo! You can also send the info to martin.henderson@patch.com, but include the name and school of the student, the sport, and the college of choice. The sports that can officially sign during the fall period are baseball, basketball, golf, hockey, lacrosse, softball, swimming/diving, tennis, volleyball, women's water polo and wrestling. 

• Security blankets will be donated to children in need, and the Soroptimist International of Lake Forest will be making the no-sew fleece blankets on Wednesday, 6 p.m. Bring $10 donation or a security blanket kit from Jo-Ann Fabrics. RSVP to Marion Duffy at 949-683-7874. Click here for more details. 

• Sport Chalet will host a Triathlon 101 Clinic at its Foothill Ranch location on Wednesday, 6:45 p.m. Experienced coaches and athletes will be on-site to identify three keys to success. Click here for more information. 

• The public is invited to participate in the Elks Lodge community service blood drive on Thursday, 1 p.m., in Mission Viejo. Click here for details. 

• The Planning Commission will meet Thursday, 7 p.m., and it will commend former commissioner Tim Hughes for his service to the community. In addition, the commission is considering signage at Sammy's Original restaurant and satellite horse wagering facility, and development of a building on Prism Place near Dimension used by Wildfire Gymnastics, which is relocating from Tustin.

• Not sure where Scooby Doo is on Wednesday, but the musical artist Shaggy will be performing at The Coach House. On Thursday, it's Gaelic Storm, and Friday is Dave Mason. Tickets, respectively, are $30, $17.50-$20, and $35.
 
• Comedian D.L. Hughley will be performing four shows over Friday and Saturday at the Improv in Irvine.