Community Briefs provides a listing of events and activities going on in and around the Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon areas. To have an event featured, e-mail the information to mjackson@oakdaleleader.com.
Dancing Fun
Enjoy local dancing and get some exercise each week. Members of the Golden Agers dance group meet at the Riverbank Community Center on Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with dancing, socializing, live music and fun for all. All adults 55-plus are welcome. Just drop in to check it out or become a member. Fees are $5 for members and $6 for non-members. Membership is $15. The Community Center is at 3600 Santa Fe St., Riverbank.
Museum Program
The Modesto Children’s Museum, MoChiMu, is bringing back its popular After Dark series with a brand-new theme: Superheroes & Science. This exclusive 18+ event is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 29 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and will feature an evening where grown-ups get to play, discover, and unleash their inner superheroes. As a special thank you to local educators, teachers will receive 50 percent off admission with promo code TEACHER50, valid now through the day of the event. Non-alcoholic drinks and light bites will be available from Save Mart. Tickets are on sale now at www.modestochildrensmuseum.org/afterdark.
Volunteer At Park
The next opportunity for helping out at the Nature Center in Shumway Oak Grove Regional Park, Stockton, will be at the Native Plant Trail and Village Work Day. Scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 16; hours are 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and Oak Grove Regional Park is at 4520 W. Eight-Mile Road, Stockton. Adults must be present with minors. No pets, please. Help keep the trail weeded and trimmed and work to prepare the Pollinator Garden for fall planting. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP under “Events” on the Nature Center’s Facebook page or email oakgrovenaturecenter@gmail.com
Senior Steppers
The Escalon Senior Fun Bunch walkers, known as the Senior Steppers, invite everyone in the area to join them for their weekly walks. The group meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at a park in Escalon. They meet at the corner of Justin Drive and Mission Street at 9 a.m. This is a lighthearted group whose members love to get together and walk with others, enjoy some conversation and exercise. All are welcome to join the walking group during any or all of their scheduled walks during the week.
TOPS Meeting
Members of the local TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) weight loss support group meet in Oakdale every Monday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.; the meeting is at 7450 River Road, Suite 4, Oakdale. This group is open to the public and anyone interested in improving their life by losing weight. Visit the website: www.tops.org for more information and to see a list of other meeting locations.
Irish Music
The ‘lads and lasses’ of Brennan’s Parlor host a monthly Irish music jam (aka “Ceilidh”) in the back room of the H Bar B Saloon, 401 E. F St., Oakdale. Gatherings are on the third Monday of the month, and run from 6 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. They welcome anyone – players, singers, or listeners – with an appreciation for Celtic music to join the fun.
Enjoy Astronomy
Coming up later this month, it’s Astronomy in the Park night, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 30 at Shumway Oak Grove Regional Park, I-5 at Eight Mile Road in Stockton. Come early to enjoy astronomy activities in the Nature Center, then view planets through the giant telescopes after sunset. There is a $6 cash parking fee at the park, though the program is open to all ages, free of charge. The Aug. 30 program starts at 7:30 p.m. and features Star Cluster in Hercules and Saturn. The scheduled Sept. 27 program features Saturn, Star Cluster in Hercules, Moon and starts at 7 p.m.; the Oct. 25 event begins at 6:15 p.m., featuring Jupiter, Star Cluster in Hercules, Saturn. For more information, call 209-953-8800.
Haggin Display
It’s the final few days to view Enigma: Bronze Sculptures by Oceana Rain Stuart, on exhibit at the Haggin Museum in Stockton. Stuart’s work explores the complexities of humanity and the resilience of the human spirit through the medium of bronze sculpture. The exhibit runs through Aug. 17. Haggin Museum is a nonprofit art and history museum at 1201 N. Pershing Ave., Stockton, and is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays through Fridays from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 209-940-6300 or visit www.hagginmuseum.org.
Widowed Persons
Open to those throughout the area, the Oakdale Widowed Persons Group invites you to join them the first Saturday of each month for breakfast at 9 a.m. and on the third Tuesday of each month for lunch at 1 p.m.; call for locations. All are welcome to join the group no matter how long ago you lost your spouse. For more information, contact Barbara at 209-322-2184.
Jammers Gather
The ‘Jammers’ are a loosely knit group of local musicians who gather regularly to play and share music. Members of The Jammers set up and play at Medlen’s House of Beef in Oakdale, on the patio, the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. The fun begins around 3 p.m. and typically continues until about 6 p.m., a full afternoon of music. Acoustic musicians are welcome to come and play. Featured instruments usually include guitar, fiddle, banjo, ukulele, etc. The public is welcome to stop by, listen to the music and even sing along. No cost to attend.
Native Plants
The program “California Native Plants – What Are They Good For?” is offered the third Sunday of the month at 11 a.m., at Oak Grove Regional Park, I-5 and Eight-Mile Road in Stockton, with the next program scheduled for Aug. 17. Meet at the Nature Center to see what’s in bloom in the native plant gardens and learn how to start your own native plant garden, no matter the space available. Severe heat cancels the event, check the Nature Center’s Facebook page for updates. Free event, but there is a $6 cash parking fee.
