The Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge announces the 7th annual Photography Competition in partnership with Pro Photo Supply. Photos must be taken within the boundaries of the refuge and there are some nice prizes involved. The deadline for submission is August 11, 2013. For more information, or to upload a photo, click here. Support the refuge on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ridgefieldfriends.

Rebound  invites the community to join their team for the third annual Arthritis Walk, this Saturday, May 4, at Marine Park in Vancouver. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. Participants can choose either the one or three mile route. Arthritis Walk is a celebration of year-round movement to build awareness for the debilitating disease. Funds raised will be used to drive arthritis research, education and life improvement programs, and to help continue the Arthritis Foundation’s search to find a cure to the nation’s leading cause of disability. There is no cost to participate, but donations are encouraged. For more information and to register, click here.

Local businesses are invited to come to two free sessions that will demystify social media. Sponsored by Vancouver’s Downtown Association and the Uptown Village Association, these seminars are designed to highlight two separate topics. They will be held at the Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St. in downtown Vancouver.

Session 1: “25 Facebook Marketing Tactics for Local Businesses to Amplify their Message” will be held  Thursday, May 9; Session 2: “Staking Your Claim on Search Engines: Make Social Media Platforms Work For You” will be held  Thursday, June 13. Both run from 8 to 9 a.m. Noland Hoshino, co-founder of Bcause Media and Michael Perozzo, founder of ZZoom Media will be instructing. Participants are welcome to bring their laptops to class.

Interested parties should RSVP to admin@vdausa.org and indicate if they are attending both classes or one of their choice. Signups can also be made through the VDA website www.vdausa.org. Donations for the Downtown Flower Basket Program will be accepted at the door. Please direct questions to Lee Rafferty at 360-258-1129 or director@vdausa.org.

The next Networking 4 Newbies Workshop will be held this Friday, May 3, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., in the DIY Marketing Center, 1101 Broadway, downtown Vancouver. Attendees can find out why most networking doesn’t work, and the secrets to making networking your most effective marketing strategy. Even experienced networkers will learn how to get better results from networking, and networking “newbies” will discover the three most powerful strategies of master networkers. The workshop is facilitated by Veronika Noize and is designed for small business owners and job seekers who want to enjoy the benefits of connection through networking. The event is $10 for the public; free for GVCC members. For more information and to register, click here.