The Ventura County chapter of SCORE, small business counselors, is experiencing increased demand this year as more residents are seeking counseling to start their own business.

SCORE provided free faceto-face and Internet counseling and low-cost workshops in Simi Valley and at Oxnard College. Counseling is provided to emerging businesses as well as established small businesses which have issues.

Individual counseling is held on select days in Westlake/Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark and Oxnard.

SCORE invited business owners and executives of all ages, active or retired, Englishand Spanishspeaking, to attend the annual membership breakfast 7 a.m. Mon., July 14 at Bakers Square, Oxnard. Free transportation is available from the Simi and Conejo valleys.

To make a counseling appointment or a reservation for the breakfast, call (805) 204-6022 or visit www.scoreventura.org.

SCORE is a volunteer organization sponsored by the Small Business Bureau.