The North Valley Youth Baseball Organization has...

The North Valley Youth Baseball Organization has received a cash gift of $5,000 from the Sunshine Canyon landfill. The money will be used to construct scoring booths at the new youth baseball complex adjacent to the Jensen Filtration Plant in Granada Hills.

The University of Judaism of Los Angeles and Valley Beth Shalom Temple of Encino have presented the 1992 Award of Merit to Rita and Jack Sinder for their continued community involvement. The couple are active in both the temple and the university, and Sinder serves as construction chairman on the temple board. The Sinders, who are Encino residents, are also founders of the university’s Wagner Program and are involved in the United Jewish Appeal and Israeli Bonds.

The Braille Institute Auxiliary, San Fernando Valley, will hold its fourth annual fund-raising gala today at the Regency Club in Westwood. Proceeds will benefit the Braille Institute Los Angeles and Braille Institute Youth Center, San Fernando Valley. The institute, a nonprofit organization, is one of the top 100 of 46,000 charities nationwide. There are 55,000 California residents who are legally blind and 60% of those, 33,000, receive services free of charge. Call (818) 999-6515, Ext. 257.

The St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation has received a gift of $250,000 from the estate of a prominent local citizen that will help support the hospital’s Heart Center, Cancer Center and the Home Hospice program. Ray Sence, a Burbank merchant and civic leader who died in 1968, set up a testamentary trust to provide beneficiaries and family members with income until September, 1991. All remaining assets at that time were to be distributed to charitable organizations with a maximum allotment of $250,000 to any one charity. St. Joseph Medical Center is a not-for-profit institution relying on its own resources and the contributions of individuals, industry, foundations and volunteers.

A new education assistance program started by the Encino Chamber of Commerce is benefiting a number of Valley schools. Seven local elementary, middle and high schools will receive more than $3,000 worth of equipment and supplies. The program has accumulated contributions and delivered pens, computers, computer software, art supplies, paper and other needed items to be used by students. The schools include Birmingham, Taft and Zane Grey high schools, Mulholland and Portola middle schools and Lanai Road, Los Encinos and Encino elementary schools. Anyone desiring more information or interested in contributing to the program should contact Jan Sobel at (818) 789-4711.

The Friends of Soka University offer monthly historical and environmental tours of the campus of Soka University, 26800 W. Mulholland Highway, Calabasas. The environmental tours will be offered every first Tuesday of the month, and on every third Tuesday of the month a historical tour will be conducted. All tours begin at 10 a.m. and last about one hour. The Friends of Soka University is a coalition of local property owners and other concerned citizens who wish to support the development of an international educational facility in Calabasas. For tour information and schedule, call (818) 880-4649).

The Volunteer Center of San Fernando Valley will stage a Human Race today at Cal State Northridge. The walk and run will benefit about 50 local nonprofit groups. Registration will be from 6 to 7:30 a.m. in Parking Lot K near the corner of Lindley and Plummer avenues. Those runners who obtain $50 in pledges will receive a free T-shirt. Besides runners, the center also needs volunteer entertainers--face painters, musicians, clowns, palm readers, psychics and balloon sculptors. For more information, call 908-5066.

Send items for this column to Organizations, Valley Edition, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311.