Big Brothers / Sisters to Hold Bingo Event

* Big Brothers / Big Sisters of Ventura County will hold bingo today from noon to 6 p.m. at 3503 Arundell Circle, Ventura. The doors will open at 10:30 a.m. There is a $250 payout for each game. Proceeds benefit the Big Brothers / Big Sisters program. Information: 485-6114, Ext. 626.

2 Groups Schedule Animal Adoptions

* Cats Cradle Rescue will hold cat and kitten adoptions today from noon to 5 p.m. at Petsmart, 2021 Oxnard Blvd., Oxnard. Cats Cradle’s mission is to place unwanted, abandoned pets into pre-screened homes. Information: 312-2024. The Humane League will hold dog and puppy adoptions today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its Pet Adoption Center, 3004 Telegraph Road, Ventura. Information: 652-1001.

Ventura Fire Stations to Hold Toy Drive

* The Ventura Fire Department is accepting new, unwrapped toys for the Spark of Love Toy Drive through Monday. Drop off a toy at any Ventura fire station. If you or someone you know would like to apply to receive toys this Christmas, apply to Project Understanding: 652-1326.

High School to Host a Night of Bingo

* Westlake High School is sponsoring bingo night Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. in the school cafeteria, 100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road. Each of the 25 games will pay out $250. The minimum cost to play is $8; the cost to play in every game is $21. Early-bird games start at 6:30 p.m. There will also be door prizes. Proceeds will benefit academic and co-curricular activities. Information: 241-4407.

More Food Needed for Annual Drive

* FOOD Share Annual Holiday Challenge’s last day is Thursday and more food is needed. The group still needs turkeys, stuffing mixes, packaged rice, soups and other canned goods to provide Christmas dinner to needy families. Thousands of pounds of food and more than 2,000 turkeys have been contributed this year but there are still 187 families remaining on the FOOD Share list. To donate or information: 983-7100.

Benefit Concert to Aid Foster Children

* Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza will host a benefit concert for With Love, Grandma Inc. at 9 p.m. Dec. 31 at 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. with two California bands, Third Degree and Three Bucks. With Love, Grandma Inc. is a grass-roots organization dedicated to helping foster children in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The concert is sponsored by Air Music, Cell Asylum and Epic Productions. Tickets at $75 are on sale through Ticketmaster or the Civic Arts Plaza box office: 449-2787.

Coalition Interviews for Volunteer Training

* The Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence is conducting interviews for its winter volunteer training session beginning Jan. 10. Volunteer opportunities include working at a battered women’s shelter, responding to calls with the domestic violence response team and sexual assault response team, and answering calls on a crisis hotline. To register or information: 654-8141.

Volunteers Sought for 2 Interface Programs

* Interface Children Family Services of Ventura County seeks volunteers for two of its programs. The “Taking Care of Little Me” program conducts safety classes for preschoolers and those in primary grades. Training begins Jan. 6. Registration: 485-6114, Ext. 539. The Court-Appointed Special Advocates program needs people to become an abused or neglected child’s voice in court, to investigate a child’s background and report on the child’s best interests. Training will begin in late January. Registration: 485-6114, Ext. 654.

Crisis Care Center Seeks Donations, Toys

* Casa Pacifica, Ventura County’s crisis care and residential treatment center for abused, neglected and at-risk youth, is seeking holiday toy donations, gift certificates or cash donations. Casa Pacifica has taken in more than 1,500 hurt and needy children since 1994. Send donations to Casa Pacifica, 1722 S. Lewis Road, Camarillo CA 93012 or call 445-7804.

Salvation Army Branches Seek Volunteers

* Salvation Army branches in Oxnard / Port Hueneme and Ventura need volunteers for their Christmas Kettle bell-ringer programs. Volunteers help raise funds for the Salvation Army’s community programs. Information: Ventura branch, 659-3598, or Oxnard / Port Hueneme branch, 493-9235.

Donations Sought for Wellness Community

* Wellness Community is appealing for donations to its Candle-of-Hope fund-raising campaign. A Scotch pine tree will be decorated with paper candles bearing the names of donors and their gifts. The Wellness Community will use proceeds of this program to expand its programs and free support groups for cancer patients and their families. To donate or information: 379-4777.

Community Chest, a weekly listing of charitable fund-raising events, is compiled by Alex Field. Please address items, with a publishable telephone number, to Community Chest, Los Angeles Times, 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001. Items can also be faxed to The Times at 653-7576 or 653-7548.