Sacred Heart Academy students to host canned food drive Sacred Heart Academy and parishioners of Sacred Heart Church of Ocean Beach will invite the community to participate in a canned food drive on Saturday, Nov. 13 at the Appletree Market. The event, which runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., takes place at the church, located at 4949 Santa Monica Ave. between Bacon and Cable streets. Proceeds will benefit Sacred Heart Church’s Loaves and Fishes program, offsetting the cost of feeding the local homeless every other Tuesday. With the holidays quickly approaching, church members are asking the community to help reach out and help the ongoing efforts of students of Sacred Heart Academy to touch the lives of those less fortunate. For more information, call (619) 222-7252, or visit www.s-h-a.org. Rock Church slates parenting conference on difficult kids Members of the Rock Church will host a special parenting conference for interested moms and dads who may be struggling with issues and difficult children. The conference will be held for three days at the Liberty Station church site in Point Loma, with another slated to take place in Carlsbad. The event will feature author John Rosemond, who penned “Parenting by the Book.” Rosemond will focus on topics like “Parenting the Strong-Willed Teenager” and “Parenting with Love and Leadership.”  Rosemond, a family psychologist with more than 35 years’ experience working with parents, will offer his knowledge and insights to parents at discounted prices. Parents throughout the community are invited to learn more about raising happy, well-adjusted children. Childcare is available in limited cases. Participants should confirm whether such services are available on given days. Conference dates and times are: • Tuesday, Nov. 16, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; • Wednesday, Nov. 17, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; • Friday, Nov. 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; • and Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The conference opens on Nov. 16 at the Rock Church North County, located at 2215 Calle Barcelona in Carlsbad. The remaining events take place at the Rock Church in Liberty Station, 2277 Rosecrans St. Conference prices for individuals and couples varies: the cost for individuals on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday is $15 ($20 per couple), and $25 individually on Saturday ($30 per couple). For more information about the event, a complete list of classes, prices, childcare service or to register, visit?http://www.therocksandiego.org/ministries/childrens/parentingconference/. For more information about the Rock Church, visit www.therock-sandiego.org. Beacon freelance writer wins three SDPC journalism awards Peninsula Beacon freelance writer Nicole Sours Larson brought home three awards from the 37th annual San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards, held at Balboa Park’s Hall of Champions on Oct. 19. One article, “Fatal collision mars holiday boat parade,” which ran in the Dec. 23, 2009 Beacon, won a first-place award in the non-daily newspapers breaking news category. A second story, “Hornblower Hybrid ushers in quiet technology at Embarcadero,” from the Dec. 17, 2009 Beacon, won second place in the science and technology category. Larson also earned second-place accolades for “Sea Lube: Fast and Efficient Oil Changes” in Sea Magazine about a Shelter Island-based business providing mobile oil changes for boats. “It’s always so exciting to have your work recognized by your peers,” said Larson, who said she enjoys writing about boats. During the banquet, Larson was also elected the San Diego Press Club’s first vice president.