Holiday Wish List for the House of Ruth -- The Hopkins Women's Network urges the community to make a difference in the lives of battered women and children this Christmas season. Each year the Women's Network obtains a Holiday Wish List for the season from the House of Ruth. Items this year include clothing for women and children, general shelter needs, toys and holiday needs. Departments are encouraged to establish a drop box for donating unused items. A member of the Hopkins Women's Network will pick up those items and deliver them to the House of Ruth.

To request a detailed wish list and/or to register a drop box in individual departments, e-mail Christine Spangler at [email protected]. For more information about the Women's Network, contact [email protected]. For more information about the House of Ruth, call 410-889-0840.

Adopt-a-Family/Agency Program -- Participate in the Adopt-a-Family/Agency Program by providing gifts, clothing and food to a family or agency in need.

The program operates in conjunction with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services and various nonprofit health and human welfare agencies in Central Maryland. For information, call Eden Blum at 410-516-0345, e-mail [email protected] or log on to the Web site at: www.jhu.edu/~hrl/fsrp/adopt_fam.html.

Hazard Communication Training -- The Office of Health, Safety and Environment offers training programs to educate Hopkins personnel about maintaining safe work environments. Two programs are offered on a routine basis on the Homewood campus.

Hazard communication training helps employees find information associated with any material in their workplace. The training is required by federal and state law for all employees on a onetime basis. Employees hired in 1998, 1999 and 2000 received the training if they attended new employee orientation. All other employees should attend one of the hazard communication training sessions, scheduled to take place on the second Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m. in the Arellano Theater in Levering Union.

JHU employees who handle or are exposed to materials containing blood or body fluids as part of their normally assigned duties must attend a bloodborne pathogen training session once a year. This training is also mandated by federal and state law and Johns Hopkins University policy. The training is offered on the second Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in Arellano Theater in Levering Union.

The next scheduled date for the hazard communication and bloodborne pathogen safety training programs is Wed., Dec. 13.

For more information, call the Office of Health, Safety and Environment at 410-516-8798.

Weight Watchers at Work -- The Department of Occupational Health Services, in conjunction with the Office of Benefits Administration, is offering a Weight Watchers at Work class on Wednesdays at noon or 1 p.m., beginning Dec. 5. Cost for the 10-week session is $80. For more information, call 410-516-0450.