IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers ROTARY RAISES FUNDS- Thousand Oaks residents Mike and Carol Berger, left, and Jack and Paulette Dwyer enjoy a taste of wine before the Rotary Club of Westlake Village "Spirit of the Season" fundraising dinner and auction. The event was Saturday night at North Ranch Country Club. Proceeds will go to Conejo Valley charities, such as the Conejo Free Clinic and Many Mansions. The Rotary Club of Westlake Village (noontime group) welcomed members and guests to the club's Spirit of the Season 2007 gala dinner and fundraiser Oct. 20 at North Ranch Country Club.

A wine tasting offered samples from Jaffe Estate Wines in St. Helena and Cantara Cellars and Staffard Premium Wines in Camarillo.

Brad Ormsby and Eric Wiltfang were the masters of ceremony.

The funds that were raised will benefit Interface Children and Family Services, Westminster Free Clinic, Conejo Free Clinic, Many Mansions and the Title I schools in the area.

Schools that receive Title I government funding are those in which approximately half the students are from low-income families.

Table sponsors at the dinner were Warner Pacific Insurance; County Commerce Bank; Face Focused Orthodontics; Dr. Patrick McDade, DDS; Rusnak Westlake; JOR Development Inc.; Dapper Spar; Carolyn Jones and Jerry Kovacs.

The club, which now has almost 80 members, meets every Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. at North Ranch Country Club on 4761 Valley Spring Drive in Thousand Oaks.

There will be no meeting Nov. 21, but the club will remain busy. On Nov. 7, Col. Jerry Knotts will talk about his 24 years experience in the Air Force and current electronic surveillance measures in Iraq. Rotarians will fill Thanksgiving baskets for families in need on Nov. 14, and Bruce Howard, the incoming Rotary District 5240 Foundation chair, will discuss current projects on Nov. 28.

For more information about Westlake Rotary, call (805)3785044 or visit www.rotarywlv.org.