The 11th annual Silicon Valley American Heart Walk, sponsored by the American Heart Association, will kick off at 8 a.m. on Sept. 21 at West Valley Community College, 14000 Fruitvale Ave. in Saratoga. This is the third year the 5K, noncompetitive walk has been held on the fairly flat West Valley campus, according to WVC public affairs spokesman Mark Zamzow. About 5,000 walkers participated last year, and even more are expected this year.

This will be the largest of eight Bay Area walks to fight against heart disease and strokes. Families, friends, company teams and even dogs on leashes are encouraged to participate. Participants will include survivors of heart diseases and strokes, as well as Subway diet representative Jared Fogle. All proceeds from the walk, including donations, will go toward American Heart Association research and community education.

For more information or to pre-register for the event, call 408.977.4950 or visit http://www.heartwalk.kintera.org/siliconvalleyca. Participants can also register on the morning of the walk. For the safety of the walkers, College Circle will be closed to all vehicular traffic from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. the day of the event. Entrances will remain open at Admissions Way and Athletics Way, and parking will be available in lots four and five.


Saratoga families will celebrate

As part of weeklong Celebrate Saratoga! events, families are invited to the Southwest YMCA Family Fun Night on Sept. 19 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The free event is open to families from Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Campbell who feel like getting to know new people in their communities. Kids can look forward to swimming, a bounce house, face painting, and a barbecue. The Southwest YMCA is located at 13500 Quito Road. For more information call 408.370.1877.


Teams needed for asthma walk

It's time to put on your best salesman smile and get ready to walk the walk. The American Lung Association is hosting a "Blow the Whistle on Asthma" walkathon Oct. 4. Sign up now to allow ample time to raise donations from friends, family, and co-workers. The 2.3-mile walk will begin at 10 a.m. at West Valley College. Funds raised from the walk will be used for asthma screening and education, clean-air campaigns, and other lung-disease-prevention programs. For more information visit http://www.asthmawalk.org or call 408.998.5864.


Villa Montalvo to host author series

Renowned authors are heading to Villa Montalvo in October as part of the Montalvo Literary Arts Series. From poet Adrienne Rich to newspaper columnist Adair Lara, guests will offer insights and opinions on the writing life. Dave Eggers will make an appearance on Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the Carriage House. His work includes the novel You Shall Know Our Velocity and his memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Tickets are $25 to $30, available from http://www.villamontalvo.org or http://www.ticketmaster.com.


Class teaches watercolor skills

Beginning and intermediate painters looking to learn watercolor skills are invited to join local artist Dan Tellep in a two-day watercolor workshop at Hakone Gardens. Class is $40 per day, and will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 26 and 27. For more information call 408.867.2634. Hakone Gardens is located at 21000 Big Basin Way, Saratoga.