Come peruse the craftsmanship or be inspired to begin a new hobby at the Santa Clara Valley Carvers and West Bay Woodturners 37th annual show.

The show, April 17­18 at Prospect High School, will display a variety of work from new and experienced woodcarvers. These hobbyists have created everything from love spoons and walking sticks to carousel horses and songbirds.

The show includes the sale of woodcarving tools, demonstrations, whittling contests, a raffle and door prizes. There will also be a silent auction during which donated carvings will go to the highest bidder and a country store selling small carvings and crafts.

Carvers will be competing for awards and some carvers will be selling their work. Show participants are members of the Santa Clara Valley Carvers, a 100-person club focused on preserving the art of woodcarving.

The show is open to the public, but a $2 donation is requested. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 17 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18 in the Prospect High School gymnasium, 18900 Prospect Road, Saratoga. For more information about the club, contact Jerry Gin at 408.737.8539.

Wear jeans or walk in heels to help a cause

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the Santa Clara Valley YWCA will be holding two events to help raise awareness.

The first is Denim Day on April 21. Those participating wear jeans to school or work and wear buttons that say, "Ask me why I'm wearing jeans?"

The idea came from an Italian court case in which a rape conviction was overturned because the judge thought the suspect could not have removed the victim's tight jeans without consent.

The second annual event, called Walk a Mile in My Shoes, will be held on April 29. Men from the community, including police officers, CEOs, district attorneys and politicians, will put on women's shoes and walk from Cesar Chavez Park to the YWCA on S. Third Street.

"It's a lighthearted approach to draw the spotlight on sexual assault," YWCA director Sandy Davis said. "It's an opportunity for men to be physically and socially uncomfortable and to create the experience of solidarity with women."

The Santa Clara Valley Rape Crisis Center provides a crisis line, support groups, counseling and visits to victims in the hospital or at the crime scene.

The Walk a Mile in My Shoes event will begin at 4:30 p.m. on April 29 at Cesar Chavez Park. For more information, call 408.295.4011 ext. 217.

PTA exceeds its goals, tops last year's efforts

Willow Glen Elementary School parents are on a roll.

Through the group's fundraising efforts at a Vin Santo dinner on March 21, the Vin Santo auction and Farmers Market silent auction, which the PTA held on the market's opening day, the group raised about $25,000.The amount exceeded last year's fundraising efforts.

Willow Glen Elementary PTA president Andrea Wheeler said the money will go toward a general fund for educational and enrichment programs. And, she is hoping enough money will be raised to hire a part-time music teacher next year.