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Datebook 3/27/19
calendar datebook

Datebook lists upcoming events and items of interest for residents of Escalon, Farmington, Collegeville and the surrounding area.

 

Blood donations can be made at a couple of local upcoming blood drives. Eligible donors of all blood types, especially type O, are urged to make an appointment to give now. Simply download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make a blood donation appointment. In Oakdale, a drive is set for Tuesday, April 2 at Ball Metalpack, 300 W. Greger St., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and in Escalon, donors can give on Tuesday, April 9 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Christian Reformed Church, 2203 California St.

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The Relay For Life of Oakdale-Escalon-Riverbank-Waterford will host its Survivor Brunch on Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Oakdale Fire Station, 325 E. G St., Oakdale. Cancer survivors and their caregiver are invited to attend the brunch; come enjoy some great company, eat some tasty food and learn about the activities planned for Relay For Life on April 27 at Oakdale High School. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by March 29 to Mary Ann King at 209-303-90908 or email maryann64@sbcglobal.net.

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Oak Valley Art Society’s Annual Spring Art Show is on the schedule for April. Dates for this event are Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28, with Saturday hours noon to 5 p.m. and Sunday hours noon to 3 p.m. There will be a special reception and raffle on Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and the show will be staged at the Escalon Public Library, 1540 Second St. Contact Evelyn Cooper at 209-581-1288 or Carol Earle at 209-380-6288 for more information.

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Soroptimist International of Oakdale will host its annual Motor Madness fundraiser on Saturday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m., at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, 110 S. Second Ave., Oakdale. The event is open to residents from throughout the region. Guests will be entertained by local singer-songwriter Chris Farris who will emcee and perform during the event. The event includes hearty appetizers, wine, beer, soft drinks, and dessert. Tickets are $100 each and admits two adults (must be 21 years or older) to the event and constitutes one entry for the door prize drawings. For tickets, contact Debbie Carreira at 209-847-2980.

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Jesus’ Last Supper was actually a Jewish Passover. Ruth Rosen of Jews for Jesus will re-create the traditional Passover service and explain how it foreshadowed Jesus’ death and resurrection in a presentation called “Christ in the Passover” at Escalon Covenant Church, 1155 Escalon Ave., on Sunday, April 7 at 8:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Ruth Rosen will set a table with items traditionally used at the Passover meal and detail their spiritual significance. She will also explain the connection between the events of the first Passover in Egypt and the redemption that Jesus accomplished, as well as the deep bond between the ancient Passover feast and the Christian communion celebration today.

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Sign up now to take part in the Saturday, April 13 Love Escalon event. There are openings for a number of volunteers; projects will include civil servant appreciation, potted plant delivery, clean up at the Escalon Youth Center, school bus washing, Escalon Museum organizing, Escalon Library book clean up, and community yard work, among others. The Love Escalon work day will begin at 8 a.m. with a rally and welcoming meeting at the Escalon Youth Center, corner of Escalon and Yosemite, before teams head out for their projects. Projects can also still be submitted, go to the website, www.loveescalon.com to suggest a project or sign up to work in one of the designated areas.

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Send Silence Packing, an acclaimed exhibit that has traveled the country to end the silence that surrounds mental illness and suicide is scheduled for display at Modesto Junior College on Thursday, April 4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the East Campus Quad, 435 College Ave., Modesto. The public is invited to view the free exhibit at MJC and campus parking in student lots is free on East Campus during the exhibit hours. The emotionally powerful, all-day display includes personal stories from individuals who have lost a loved one to suicide, and is designed to raise awareness about the impact of suicide, connect individuals to mental health resources, and inspire action for suicide prevention. Passersby are invited to walk among the Send Silence Packing backpacks to see the photographs and read the stories attached to them. Many of the backpacks were donated by families who lost a student to suicide.

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The local REO Speechtrain Toastmasters Club gathers for regular meetings every Wednesday morning, 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m., at Perko’s Cafe, Patterson and Oakdale roads, Riverbank. This is a fun way to learn the self-confidence and skills needed for public speaking. All are invited to come and check out the group. The next meeting will be Wednesday, April 3. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.

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Golden Agers weekly dances are open to those 50 and older from throughout the Central Valley and are now hosted at St. Frances of Rome Church, 2827 Topeka St., Riverbank. First time guests are admitted free. The annual membership fee is $12 and each Wednesday members pay $5 and non-members can enjoy a few hours of music and dancing for $6. The Golden Agers meet from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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All are invited to the weekly meetings of TOPS, Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 1034 that gathers each Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, 1480 Poplar Ave., Oakdale. The group features help with weight loss in a supportive setting. Residents of Oakdale, Riverbank, Escalon and beyond are welcome to attend. Call Audrey Oliver at 209-765-7838 for information. You can also visit www.tops.org.