Shaky Tree Coffee will be hosting Eric Taylor tonight. This sage musician is also a lyrical genius and master of the guitar. If you're not familiar with Taylor by name, you've probably heard his songs performed by people such as Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett. If you missed him the first time he was in Spencer, now is your chance. His show begins at 7:30 p.m. There is a cover charge.

Okoboji Women's Connection

Join the fun as Okoboji Women's Connection has a "Bargain Basement Babes" luncheon at the Inn at Okoboji at 12:30 p.m. today. Following a style show of found bargains, Ilene Dirks will tell how she selected life in her talk, "From Lonely Only to Life." Each woman will receive play money to spend on clothes for the style show and a bargain centerpiece will be given away at each table. All reservations will be honored. Cancellations must be in by Sunday evening, July 13 at (712) 338-4318.

* For reservations, call Kay at 262-8911 or Darlene at 262-2769.

Music in the Gallery

Arts on Grand will present Music in the Gallery at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 17. This week's featured musician will be composer and pianist Isaac Brockshus. Isaac is currently a student at the University of Northern Iowa, where he has studied piano with Sean Botkin and Gennady Zagor. A $5 donation is requested, with proceeds going to the artist.

Annual Cruise In Friday night

The Fifth Annual Cruise In will be held from 6-9 p.m., Friday, July 18, in the McDonald's parking lot at the Southpark Mall in Spencer. Plaques for the first 75 cars. Registration from 6-7:30 p.m., with awards given at 8:30 p.m. Trophies for the top three "peoples choice." Prizes also. Rain day has been set for Friday, July 25.

Clay County Toy Show

The Clay County Toy Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 19 and from 12-5 p.m. Sunday, July 20 at the Southpark Mall. Collectors and toy fans will enjoy the variety of collectibles, farm toys, toy trucks, NASCAR, Coke products and much more memorabilia on display to buy, sell or trade.

Iowa Lakes Genealogy Society to meet

The Iowa Lakes Genealogy Society will meet at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19 at the Higgins Museum for a sack lunch and then our meeting and a tour of the facilities. We will then go to the Gardner Cabin in Arnolds Park. To carpool from Spencer, be at the parking lot south of the library before noon.

Willie Nelson to play Arnolds Park

Willie Nelson and family will be performing on Saturday, July 19 at Preservation Plaza in the Park at Arnolds Park. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at www.arnoldspark.com, the Arnolds Park Amusement Park ticket booth and all Ticketmaster locations.

Spencer Family YMCA kids carnival

The Spencer Family YMCA will be hosting its annual carnival Friday, July 25 at the YMCA. It is open to all Spencer kids in kindergarten through sixth grades only. All playground parks will be closed that day and will meet at the YMCA. Also, any child in Kids Kamp or childcare at the YMCA will be able to attend. Kids can purchase tickets at the YMCA or through any park counselor.

* Questions may be directed to Sara Morrow at 262-3782 or smorrow@spencerymca.org.

YMCA schedules summer dance party

Students entering or exiting seventh or eighth grade in Spencer are invited to a YMCA Summer Dance Party, 8-10 p.m. Friday, July 25, at the Spencer Family YMCA tennis courts. Cost is $3 for members and $5 for non-members. Dress code will be enforced, meaning no clothing considered obscene, drug or alcohol related, or criminal or vulgar in nature will be allowed. Visible undergarments and midriff tops also will not be allowed. A live DJ will be on hand and refreshments will be for sale. The admission is a one-time entry. Once the middle school student leaves, they will not be allowed back in. In the case of severe weather, the event will be moved indoors at the YMCA.

Classroom Collection under way

The classroom collections project is under way at the Southpark Mall in South Spencer, and we need your help. Over 495 Spencer students in grades K through 6 will not start this school year with the basic supplies needed…unless you can help. There are two simple ways to get involved: first, stop out at the Southpark Mall and take a bag off the display. On the bag is a list of the supplies needed for the grade you choose. Fill the bag with the items listed, and return it to the Southpark Mall Office, JC Penney catalog counter or Claire's. Or, an even simpler way to help…just drop off your cash donations at the mall office, or mail a check to: Classroom Collections, Southpark Mall Office, 901 11th St. SW, Spencer, IA 51301. The number of needy students has increased again this year, and the price of supplies has gone up too… so your help is needed more than ever. Please give to the classroom collections project today. Project deadline is July 31 so all supplies can be distributed to the schools before classes start.

Farmer's Market held every

Wednesday and Saturday

The Spencer Area Farmer's Market will be held every Wednesday and Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Southpark Mall parking lot. Come see the homegrown, fresh produce for sale.

Memory Loss Support Group

Memory Loss Support Group will meet at 7 p.m. the last Monday of each month at Bethany Lutheran Church, 15 W. 14th St.

* For more information, call Dorothy and Blaine Hirt, (712) 332-7398.

Ride with American pride

Support all of America's military, past and present, by joining in a Saturday, July 26 road trip. From a 10: 30 a.m. start at the American Legion in LeMars, the ride will trek to the VFW in Cherokee and the American Legion in Storm Lake before finishing around 5 p.m. at East Leach Park in Spencer. Participants can ride motorcycles or drive cars. Presentations, as well as a chance to thank those who have served or are serving our country, will be held at each stop. This salute-to-our-troops ride will occur rain or shine.

* For more information, call Art or Janet Otto at (712) 490-5564 or Stephanie O'Brien at 260-0809.