Fall has officially arrived, which means plenty of fresh activities, events, and news!

Leaves aren’t the only things falling from trees nowadays, Apple Hill welcomes all visitors to come enjoy the annual festivities, food..and apples! Check out a complete list of ranches and routes to the area at applehill.com.

The El Dorado County Department of Human Services is seeking volunteers to assist in supervising visitations between children and parents who are currently receiving reunification services. Training will be provided! If interested, call Sylvia Matassa at 530-642-7134.

Sierra Wildlife Rescue has begun their fall/winter classes! This month the class will focus on “Zoonotic Diseases,” held October 12 from 7-9 p.m. Stop by next month’s class featuring a lesson on advanced medical procedures, to take place on November 9 from 7-9 p.m. All meetings will be at the SWR Wildlife Center in Placerville. For more information, contact Barbara Barker at 530-621-2650…Also, the Sierra Wildlife Rescue wants your help to preserve and protect the wild animals of El Dorado County, and are now offering a new fundraising program where people can adopt an animal species of their choice! For more information on the program, visit sierrawildliferescue.com.

Auditions for the musical Quilters are just around the corner on October 23 from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Imagination Theater. Be prepared to sing a short folk song and bring a resume with a headshot. Visit imagination-theater.org or email [email protected] for more information.

New store alert! Earlier this year, The Teaching Garden opened at 360 Main Street in Downtown Placerville. Stop by to check out educational resources for teachers, parents and students. For more details, call 530-626-8140.

The El Dorado County Family Caregiver Support Program is pleased to announce their Fall Caregiver Series: “Tapping into Wellness,” which will include emotional freedom techniques to help lower fears, balance emotions and keep caregivers and family members healthy. The workshop will take place at Embassy Suites in South Lake Tahoe on October 18, from 1-3 p.m. To register, call 800-510-2020…Many consumer goods are making the transformation to being eco-friendly, but it doesn’t stop at the Prius. Ecopartytime.com is making party items eco-friendly, too! Check out the Web site for a one-stop shop for party goods...a perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and much more!.

Volunteer AARP tax counselors are needed for the 2010 tax season to provide free personal income tax assistance to the elderly and low-income residents in El Dorado County. A minimum of 4 hours per week is suggested for volunteers. If you are interested in signing up, visit aarp.org/money/taxes, contact Susan Larsen at 530-621-4049 or email [email protected] for more information.

The El Dorado County Health Services Department wants your kids to be safe! They are now offering low cost immunizations for children entering kindergarten. Vaccination appointments may be scheduled by calling the Health Services Department in Placerville at 530-621-6100. Visit dhs.ca.gov for more information.

That’s all for now, but check back next month to see what’s up in our annual Thanksgiving feature issue!

Send your news to: [email protected].