COMMUNITY NEWS.

Byline: Virginia Gonzalez Daily News Staff Writer

Four San Fernando Valley residents who give tours and conduct educational programs at the Los Angeles Zoo were recently honored for their year-round support.

Audrey Bowers of Burbank, Sandra Boyle and Stephanie Spehar of Glendale and Nancy Dubois of West Hills were among those honored at a May 22 docent awards luncheon that recognized individuals and students for various contributions.

Docents are responsible for staffing child and adult educational programs sponsored at the zoo throughout the year and also serve as zoo ambassadors who provide guided tours of the 113-acre facility.

The docent program began in 1964 for individuals who demonstrated long-term interest in the zoo that would share their knowledge with visitors, said zoo spokesperson Lupita Cerna.

Six hundred docents currently belong to the program.

Dubois was honored for 25 years of service and student volunteers Bowers, Boyle and Spehar were recognized for volunteering 100 hours at the zoo.

Other honorees included Jeanne Collier of Mount Washington for 30 years of volunteer work at the zoo and Kay Van Valkenburgh with 10,000 hours - the highest award for number of hours.

``I believe in the zoo's ideal of preservation through education besides enjoying what I do at the zoo,'' said award recipient Audrey Bowers.

``The program's goals are very admirable and I feel honored being a part of it.''

Ten months of music and lyric composition, singing and practice has yielded an inspiring 11-song contemporary Christian album for 54 students from Los Angeles Baptist High School in North Hills.

``Called to the Light'' is a collaborative effort that showcases freshmen through senior students' talent in song writing, cover artwork for the compact discs, vocal artistry, sales and distribution.

The album features traditional gospel, dance beat and contemporary medleys that include their reworded versions of ``I Can Love You Like That'' and ``Lean on Me'' under the leadership of teacher and music director Mark Vogel.

Compact disc and tape sales have raised about $1,400 since the album's May 2 release - which coincided with the National Day of Prayer. The students are hoping to earn back the approximate $30,000 cost of making the album, said Cathie Pinto, one of the project's supporters and parent of student soloist Mandie Pinto.

``Called to Light'' is available through the school's business office by calling [phone] or at God's Books Bookstore in Mission Hills at [phone] or Valley Book and Bible Store in Van Nuys at [phone].

Animal and Harley Davidson enthusiasts will go hog-wild on June 9 as they come together for a fund-raising motorcycle ride extravaganza to benefit Martine Colette's Wildlife Waystation on June 9.

The fourth annual ``Run for the Wild,'' is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Calamigos Ranch in Agoura Hills.

It will package live rock, blues and other cruisin-for-a-bruisin' music with a barbecue, bike show and wild and exotic animal presentations. Horseshoe throwing, sand volleyball and even a silent auction are among the festivities planned, according to event spokesperson Steve Levesque.

Celebrity hosts Dyan Cannon and Nina Blackwood will introduce other famous guests, including Guns n' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, vocalist Bret Michaels and drummer Rikki Rockett of Poison and others.

Bikers must register their Harleys and other motorcycles from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at 95.5 KLOS Radio's Los Angeles parking lot located at 3321 S. La Cieniga Boulevard or at Accessories Unlimited at 24508 Lyons Avenue in Newhall.

Admission costs $25 and includes a one-year membership to the Wildlife Waystation, barbecue (noon to 3 p.m.,) two refreshment tickets and all event activities.

All proceeds will benefit the non-profit Wildlife Waystation, a 160-acre facility in the Angeles National Forest dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, housing and placement of wild and exotic animals from throughout the world.

Calamigos Ranch is located at 327 S. Latigo Canyon Road in Agoura Hills.

Call the Wildlife Waystation at [phone] for event information or [phone] to make a tax deductible donation.

Kennedy High School band members are hoping to retire their 20-something year old band uniforms and purchase new ones.

Not yet tarred and feathered, the brown, gold and white wool uniforms come close with shrinkage, torn seams, holes and a variation of color fading, said music director Dave Taukus.

Car washes and a recent May Mixer sponsored by the Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce and the Kennedy High School Golden Couger Music Booster Club have raised $1,200, but still fall short of the $32,000 goal to purchase 80 new uniforms, said Sharon Kubota, the booster club's vice president.

Taukus and Kubota said that band members hope to buy brown wool uniforms with gold and white accents and reversible fronts which provide versatility in their visual presentation.

Community members and organizations that would like to help the Kennedy High School band members purchase new uniforms can reach Taukus at the Band Room at [phone].

MEMO: Do you have news in your neighborhood? If so, please send the information to Virginia Gonzalez, Daily News editorial department, P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, CA 91365-4200. FAX: [phone].

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO (1) Nancy Dubois was honored May 223 for serving 25 years as a zoo docent.

(2) Students ,from left, Audrey Bowers, Stephanie Spehar and Sandra Boyle have volunteered 100 hours each at the Los Angeles Zoo.

Phil McCarten/Daily News