It has been five years since Jim Gifford, a longtime resident of the Elmwood neighborhood, was attacked and killed outside the now-closed 7/11, a short half-block walk from his home. In his honor, and grateful for the annual support of Rev. Lateef Johnson and his Believers Chapel City (located in Jim's old Elmwood Presbyterian), a group has gathered each year since 2014 to beautify the crossroads where Jim lived and where he spent so much of his retirement. All welcome. Needed: trimmers to bring down the tall weeds that dominate the streetscape along Valley and parts of the South Avenue commercial strip. Organizers will provide trash bags and litter tongs.

A Syracuse Area City-Wide Ministry Workshop in collaboration with the Rev. Phil Turner of Bethany Baptist Church will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the church, 149 Beattie St. This free community event will open with a continental breakfast followed by sessions on such topics as: Choir Decorum, Music in the Scriptures, Enhancing your Worship Services through music, vocal techniques, Use of Technology (Microphones, etc.), New Music and more. To sign up, contact the church at (315) 446-5080 or call or email Joan Hillsman at (315) 373-0805 or jhillsman@twcny.rr.com.

The Near Westside Initiative will host a preview celebration to mark the completion of a new community performance space in the former Case Building. The performance space, located on the first and second floors of the Case Building’s western wing, will feature a black-box performance space that will seat 150 people. Additional rehearsal and classroom space will provide community space for arts organizations both in the Near Westside and throughout Central New York to share and use for performances, rehearsals, classes and storage. The completion of the performance space marks the final major development project in the Case Building, which currently houses ProLiteracy in its eastern wing, as well as 12 residential apartment units and a commercial space on the third floor. The Near Westside Initiative will host a preview event to mark completion of the space beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10. The preview event will feature dance performances by local artists from the Near Westside and surrounding Central New York area. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.

Syracuse Citywide Summer Book Club presents Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer prize-winning book "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City." Read the book and join the conversation with special guest Sally Santangelo, executive director of CNY Fair Housing. Attend this event and enter a drawing for a free copy of "Evicted."

The Syracuse Black Expo will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at Syracuse Community Connections (formerly the Southwest Community Center). The expo is an opportunity to support small business and under-represented companies in the Syracuse area. Admission is $5. For information, call (315) 878-2763 or email syracuseblackexpo@gmail.com.

Join Walter in this fun gardening class in which you will decorate your own minipumpkins and grow Spider plant cuttings. All supplies will be provided. Register in the MakerSpace or online at www.onlib.org/events/calendar. For teens and adults. Will meet in MakerSpace, Level 1.

The Onondaga County Office for Aging will hold its Annual Public Hearing from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at Bethany Baptist Church.

Onondaga County seniors, senior service providers and the general public are invited to attend, to help plan the future of aging services in the county. The Onondaga Office for Aging will share information on its programs, services and offer a “Senior Scam Prevention” presentation given by Scott Kapral, vice president and senior investigator with BNY Mellon Corporate Security Global Investigations Group. Kapral has extensive practical experience both in conducting and supervising fraud and financial crimes investigations. The Office for Aging will also ask for input on its 2019 Service Plan.

The public is encouraged to attend. Call (315) 435-2362 ext. 4945 if special accommodations are required. The event will be real-time captioned. Light refreshments will be served.

Building Men Annual Breakfast will be held 8 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central, 258 E. Adams St. This fundraiser will share how the Building Men Program is moving to the next level and will feature speakers, program forecast and breakfast made by some Building Men students. Cost is $40. For more information, call (315) 440-4357 or visit buildingmenprogram.org

Dr. Matthew Desmond (MacArthur Genius Award recipient, Pulitzer Prize winner, founder of Evicted Lab and Professor of Sociology at Princeton University) will visit Syracuse as part of an initiative led by Legal Services of Central New York to raise awareness and foster dialogue around the critical issues of evictions and housing stability in our community. Desmond's book “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” was the first book selection by Mayor Ben Walsh's city-wide book club. The event is free and open to the public and will feature Desmond discussing his groundbreaking book highlighting the reality of eviction for families and communities. The multimedia event will be interactive and will include questions from the audience. Free and open to the public, but seating is first come, first served. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The Syracuse Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. and the Syracuse City School District’s Parent University will hold its Annual Golden Alert: Human Trafficking event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, at Syracuse Community Connections. The event will feature a panel of guests from the McMahon Ryan Advocacy Center, Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office and Assembly member Pamela Hunter, ready to answer questions regarding this serious topic and how it impacts Syracuse. This event is Free. Refreshments and child care will be provided.