Datebook lists upcoming events and items of interest for residents of Escalon, Farmington, Collegeville and the surrounding area.
Mark the calendar for Saturday, May 18 and plan to enjoy the second annual Escalon Historical Society Fundraiser Dinner, being staged at the Santini Barn in Escalon. No host cocktail hour at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and entertainment, featuring Joni Morris singing songs of legendry country western women, runs from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person; purchase them at the Escalon Museum during business hours or by contacting Evelyn Swass at 209-838-2298.
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Escalon High School Drama Club will present the satirical comedy “You Can’t Get There From Here” on stage at the EHS Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and in two shows on Saturday, April 13, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Admission is $7 for students and $10 for adults. The play, with a brief intermission between acts, runs about two hours. Tickets can be purchased at the school during the week of the play and they will also be available at the door.
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Andrea Fuller, a principal of FISHBIO located in Oakdale, will speak to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Oakdale, Riverbank, Escalon Branch about the state of salmon and steelhead in the Central Valley at their Thursday, April 11 meeting to be held at the Oakdale FISHBIO office, 1617 S. Yosemite Ave., beginning at 7 p.m. Prospective members and interested individuals are invited to attend. Call (209) 847-0271 for information.
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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. Go to the website, www.loveescalon.com to sign up to work in one of the designated areas.
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St. Patrick’s Altar Society is planning for its annual Pancake Breakfast, to be hosted at St. Patrick’s Church 19399 E. Highway 120, Ripon. Date is Sunday, April 14 – Palm Sunday – from 7 a.m. to noon. Cost is $7 for adults, $4 for children. Proceeds go directly to purchasing flowers for the altar and communion bread.
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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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McHenry Mansion Foundation Tea will feature a Celebration of Mothers on Saturday, May 11 at McHenry Mansion, 906 15th St., Modesto. The event is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and the cost is $30 per person. Reservations are required; contact Janie at 209-522-1739 no later than May 7 to make your reservation for this special Mother’s Day program.
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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 17. 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.
