Events

Mercer Island Historical Society: The society will meet at 1 p.m. on May 18 at the Community Center to discuss the history and development of the Ballard locks. The meeting is open to all.

Big Read Events: Author Kirby Larson to speak, 8:25 a.m., May 14, Islander Middle School. Open Book Club: 7:30 p.m., May 14, Island Books. Big Read book is “The Call of the Wild.”

“Big Love”: 7:30 p.m., May 14-16, Mercer Island High School Performing Arts Center. Recommended for mature audiences. $5/advance, $10/students, $15/adults, at door. http://misd.k12.wa.us/mihsdrama.

“Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse”: May 14-24, Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 S.E. 40th St. Friday/Saturday: 7 p.m. Saturday/Sunday matinees: 2 p.m. Tickets: $8. (206) 232-4145, ext. 109. www.youththeatre.org.

Eighth Annual Soiree a Thonon: 8-11 p.m., May 15, Community Center at Mercer View. “Yes We Can” is the theme of an evening of desserts, wine, music, dancing and a silent auction. Sponsor: Mercer Island Sister City Association. Fundraiser for MISCA’s scholarship program. $35/members; $40/nonmembers. Tickets: 232-0701, www.brownpapertickets.com.

Luther Burbank Park Volunteer Restoration: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., May 16. Invasive plant removal in Upper Luther Burbank with Mountains to Sound Greenway. Half-day options available. (206) 812-0122, mtsgreenway.org.

Relay For Life: May 16-17, Mercer Island High School Stadium, 9100 S.E. 42nd St. Participants raise money to fund cancer research and support, then gather at MIHS. Student-led, community event to fund cancer research and remember those who battle cancer on a daily basis. American Cancer Society. Will Voit: (206) 920-6305, willvoit@comcast.net.

Seattle Mariners Mercer Island Night: May 18. Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels. Sponsor: Mercer Island Baseball Booster Club. Bring your team, class, club, family, friends. Specially discounted tickets: $15/each, with group blocks available. www.mariners.com/mihs (password: Mercer). Wendy Rosen: 232-0468.

3rd Thursday Art Walk: “BBQ Blues and Brews,” 5:30-8 p.m., May 21.

Classes

The League of Women Voters: meeting, 9:15 a.m., May 14, Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, Fireside Room. The group will discuss health care reform. Martha Jordan: (425) 883-9143.

The Strivers: meeting, 1:30 p.m., May 19, Community Center at Mercer View, Room 104. Book signing with Dr. Marjorie H. Bennett and reading from her new book, “Windy Stories: Storytelling Traditions From the Salmon River Idaho.” Open to the public.

“Balance, Posture and Fall Prevention Workshop”: 1-2:30 p.m., May 26, Covenant Shores Retirement Community, Fellowship Hall, 9150 Fortuna Drive. In celebration of second annual American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) Homecoming Week. Presenters: Director of Wellness Jim Brockmeyer, of Covenant Shores, and Dr. Stefan Black, WellnessOne of Eastgate chiropractor. RSVP by May 22. Nancy Woo: (206) 268-3011. www.covenantretirement.com.

CPR: Infant/Child and Adult CPR Class: 7-9 p.m., May 26; $15. Main Fire Station, 3030 78th Ave. S.E. Reservations: Jolene Judd, 275-7607.

“Buy A Home? Yes, You Can!”: 6-7:30 p.m., Mondays, through June 29, Mercer Island Windermere, 2737 77th Ave. S.E. Discussion, Q&A with a volunteer panel of experts. Free. Diane Rae Jones: (206) 406-5232. www.windermeremercerisland.com, www.WeHelpYouBuyAHome.com.

Topics in Practical Halacha: 7-8 p.m., Mondays, Northwest Yeshiva High School, 5017 90th Ave. S.E. Teacher: Rabbi Yechezkel Kornfeld of Congregation Shevet Achim. Free.

Baby Strollercise: 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Community Center at Mercer View, 8236 S.E. 24th St. Prenatal Yoga: 5:45 p.m., first/third Thursdays, Mercerwood Shoreclub. (206) 979-3008.

PUSH Exercise Class: 11:15 a.m., Fridays, through June, Community Center at Mercer View Dance Room. A mix of strength, sports drills, intervals, balance, flexibility, play. Instructor: Elizabeth Andrews. $20/drop-in. (206) 922-3218.

Groups

Island Children’s Choir Auditions: 5-6:30 p.m., May 14, Mercer Island Covenant Church, 3200 78th Ave. S.E. For 2009-10 season. Boys and girls in third, fourth and fifth grade are invited. No appointment necessary. Marsha Woerner: 232-8007, islandsound@comcast.net.

Mercer Island Arts Council: New show featuring the NW Watercolor Society on display, through May 15. New Indoor Gallery show: May 18-June 26; Seattle Co-Arts. Artists’ reception: 3-5 p.m., May 31; open to the public. Community Center at Mercer View, 8236 S.E. 24th St.

Mercer Island Youth Soccer Club: Select Tryouts for Boys and Girls U-12 to U-15, 4:30-9 p.m., May 19-20, Preston Fields, Preston Fall City Rd. S.E. and S.E. 87th Pl., Preston. Select Tryouts for GU-16: 5-6:30 p.m., May 16-17, Islander Middle School Turf Field. www.miysc.org.

Toddlers of Mercer Island (TOMI by MIPA): 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesdays, VFW Hall, 1836 72nd Ave. S.E. Ages 0-6. $3/child, MIPA members; $5/nonmembers. www.mipreschoolassociation.org.

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS): 9:30-11:30 a.m., first/third Friday, MI Covenant Church. For mothers with children ages birth-K. Childcare provided. www.micc.org.

Senior Men’s Tennis Doubles: seeking players, 6:45-8:15 a.m., Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Location: Homestead Field during spring. Al Skinner: 232-3450.

Mercer Island Job Finder’s Club: workshop, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Tuesdays, through June 16, Community Center at Mercer View. Facilitator: Terry Pile (Career Advisors). Sponsor: Mercer Island Youth & Family Services. Free. Registration required: (206) 275-7869, cheryl.manriquez@mercergov.org.

Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce Gallery: Elementary Art Display, through June 17, 7613 S.E. 27th St. Featuring 100 paintings from West Mercer second-graders. 232-3404.

Women Painters of Washington: “Summer Dreaming” gallery exhibition, through July 31. 701 Fifth Ave., Suite 310. (206) 624-0543, www.womenpainters.com.

Library

4400 88th Ave. S.E.

236-3537

www.kcls.org/mercerisland

Registration required.

Big Read

Big Read Matinee: “Balto” (G), 1 p.m., May 16. For adults, teens and families. The story of a dog who survived the blizzards of Alaska to bring medicine to the children of Nome.

Adults

Computer Classes: 9 a.m. E-mail Level I: May 14. E-mail Level II: May 21. E-mail Level III: May 28.

Three Spanish Operatic Greats: Montserrat Caballe, 7 p.m., May 18. Speaker: Norm Hollingshead.

Talk Time: 7 p.m., Wednesdays, through May 27. Improve speaking and listening skills in English conversation group.

Children/Families

“Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse”: 7 p.m., May 19. Presented by Youth Theatre Northwest. Ages 3-5 and families. Sneak preview.

French Story Times: 10 a.m., Saturdays, through May 30. Join Patricia Balaise-Caves for stories, songs, activities in French.

Terrific Two’s Story Time: 10 a.m., Tuesdays. Stories, music, rhymes. Ages 2-3 with caregiver.

Preschool Story Time: 11 a.m., Tuesdays. Stories, music, puppets, Early Literacy alphabet activities. Ages 3-5.

Teens

Teen Zone: 1:45 p.m., May 18. Hang out, do homework, play video games.

Teen Advisory Board: 7 p.m., May 19. Voice opinions on teen materials, services and programs; earn one volunteer credit hour.

Pizza & Pages: “Call of the Wild,” 3:30 p.m., May 27. Discuss the Big Read book selection. Participants do not need to have finished the book. Pizza, soda.

Parks & Recreation

Community Center at Mercer View (CCMV)

8236 S.E. 24th St.

275-7609

www.myparksandrecreation.com

Registration for summer camps and beginner adult sailing is open. See the spring/summer Recreation Guide for full descriptions or www.myparksandrecreation.com.

Counselor in Training Program: 6-7:15 p.m., Wednesdays, May 13-June 10. Learn all aspects of working with children in a day camp setting. Each C.I.T. will become First Aid and CPR certified. Experience hands-on training by shadowing at a camp for one week this summer. Ages 13-16. $132.

Digital Photography: 6-9 p.m., May 20. $42.

Thai Cooking Class: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., May 27. $72.

Babysitting Class: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., May 30. Ages 11-15. $48.

Beginner Adult Sailing: 5:30-8 p.m., June 2-4, 9-11, Luther Burbank Park marina. Learn the basics of sailing and how to safely handle a boat on your own. Two people per boat. $277.

Youth After-School Adventure Program: 2:30-4:30 p.m., Mondays, through June 8, Craft Room. Hands-on, after-school programs with a Nature Vision Naturalist. Explore a nature topic; story, snack. Limited to 10-20 participants. Ages 4-9. $77.

Dance Team: 3:30-5 p.m., Wednesdays, through June 17, Dance Room. Learn dance or improve your technique. Basics of “spirit squad” style dance: Jazz, hip-hop, pom dance styles. Open to all levels from beginning to advanced. Ages 11-16. $152 (10 weeks).

Men’s Softball Teams: The city of Mercer Island is looking for a few teams to round out its yearly softball league. Games will be played between mid-May and the end of August. Teams will play weekly on Wednesdays at 6 or 7:30 p.m. $677/team. 275-7863.

Seniors

Widow and Widowers Grief & Loss Support Group: 1-2:30 p.m., May 14. For senior adult men and women who have lost a spouse or partner in death. Free. Reservations: Betsy Zuber, (206) 275-7752.

Senior Lunch at Covenant Shores: noon, Tuesday, Thursday. Reservations: call 275-7895, press 2, leave a message. $5.

Grocery Shopping Transportation: Wednesday morning. Call 236-3456, leave a message by 4 p.m., the day before. $1.

JCC

3801 E. Mercer Way

232-7115, ext. 269

www.sjcc.org

Registration required.

Panel Discussion on Ethics: with Lisa Kranseler, 7 p.m., May 13. A panel of Jewish business owners to discuss current ethics in society.info@wsjhs.org.

Woodland Park Zoo presentation: “Owls, Who are They?” 12 p.m., May 14. Topic: physical adaptations of owls (and raptor group) for nocturnal hunting and identification of local owl species, with Q&A.

Opera Sings the Soul: Seattle Opera 2009-2010 Season Preview, 4 p.m., May 17. Speaker: Seattle Opera Education Associate Seneca Garber. Free.

Music class: “From Russia with Love,” 1-2:30 p.m., Wednesdays, May 20-June 3. Explore works by Glinka, Borodin, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich and others. Instructor: Steven Lowe. $35/members, $45/nonmembers.

Drop-In Mah Jongg: 12:30-3:30 p.m., Wednesdays and Fridays, Polack Lounge. Free/SJCC members, $2/nonmembers.

Drop-In Bridge: 12:30-3 p.m., Fridays. All levels welcome, prior bridge playing experience necessary. Bring a brown bag lunch. Free/SJCC members, $2/nonmembers.