News Briefs

Church donates to library, charity
The Rev. Seamus O’Brien of San Agustin Catholic Church presented a check for $3,500 to the Scotts Valley Chapter of the Friends of the Library and gave $2,000 to the San Agustin conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul on Feb. 11. The total is the net proceeds from the church’s annual Angels’ Auction fundraiser.
Sempervirens accredited
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission announced that the Sempervirens Fund has been awarded accredited status.
Sempervirens — which has protected more than 25,000 acres of redwood lands, planted 23,000 trees and built more than 60 miles of hiking trails since it was established in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1900 — is one of 130 of the 1,700 land trusts nationwide to be accredited. It is one of 15 in California to earn the status, which allows it to display a seal indicating it meets national standards for excellence and ensures that its conservation efforts are permanent.
For information: www.landtrustaccreditation.org.
Prom dress giveaway begins
The 2011 Great 2011 Prom Dress Giveaway is under way. People can give prom dresses that will be cleaned free of charge by Classic Cleaners and be given to girls at county high school who need dresses for their proms.
Dresses, shoes and jewelry can be dropped off at Classic Cleaners, Santa Cruz County Comerica Bank branches and Bailey Property locations.
Classic Cleaners will clean the dresses and distribute them in collaboration with local schools and agencies. The free prom dress shopping days will be announced soon.
Last year, more than 1,500 dresses were donated countywide.
For information: Classic Cleaners, 423-2630.