Datebook lists upcoming events and items of interest for residents of Escalon, Farmington, Collegeville and the surrounding area.
The Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library is offering ‘Free Tax Help’ at your local library with VITA, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, volunteers. By appointment only, the VITA service is available at the Escalon Branch Library, 1540 Second St., with the final session coming up today, Wednesday, March 30 from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. This is designed primarily for the elderly, disabled and limited English speakers. For information or to make an appointment, call VITA at 209-444-4120. Seven libraries in the county system, including Escalon, are offering the free tax help this year.
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A free Wednesday night dinner is set for tonight, March 30 at Trinity Church in Escalon. The church at 1900 California hosts community dinners on the last two Wednesdays of the month, designed to help local families make ends meet. Offered as part of the church’s ‘Love Escalon’ initiative, the meal is open to all and serving starts at 6 p.m. Also, the church opens its adjacent Clothes Closet at 6:30 p.m. the night of the dinners for those that need clothing. The menu varies from week to week; organizers encourage everyone in the community to attend.
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The Stanislaus County League of Women Voters and the League of California Cities will be hosting a Candidate Forum where you can meet the candidates for the upcoming election in California Assembly District 12. It is free and open to the public. The district, which covers portions of Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties including Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon, is currently represented by Kristin Olsen, who is terming out of the seat. The forum is set for Wednesday, March 30 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Stanislaus County Library, 1500 I St., Modesto.
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The next session of the Senior Gentle Exercise Class will be Thursday, March 31 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Tuesday, April 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Escalon Library. Class is open to all area senior citizens on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also on Tuesdays, the drop in knitting group is open to all with an interest in the craft; bring your own materials and enjoy knitting and socialization from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The library is at 1540 Second St.
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The Successful Women of Central Valley (SWCV), a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, will host a benefit film viewing of “Half the Sky” at the State Theatre in Modesto on Thursday, March 31. Proceeds will benefit three local women’s groups: the Haven Women’s Center of Stanislaus, Without Permission, and Successful Women of Central Valley. All three organizations have shared goals of supporting, educating, benefiting and improving the lives of women and young ladies in the Central Valley. The State Theatre is 1307 J St., Modesto and for tickets to this special event, visit: www.SWCV.org.
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Entertainer Rob Ely will present “The Rockin’ 50’s” at Soroptimist International of Oakdale’s annual Motor Madness fundraiser on Saturday, April 2 at 6:30 p.m., at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, 110 S. Second Ave., Oakdale. Tickets are still available and the $100 price for two adult admissions, 21 and older, includes hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks, and dessert. The ticket also constitutes one entry for the door prize drawings. Grand Door Prize is a new motorcycle from Mitchell’s Modesto Harley Davidson (up to $14,000 value) or $10,000 cash. Only 400 tickets will be sold for this fun event. For tickets, contact Suzette Titus, 848-3523, or Debbie Carreira, 847-2980.
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The Oakdale Women’s Club meeting for April will be at the Oakdale Country Club at noon on Tuesday, April 5. Call Elaine Hogg at 209-322-3338 to get your reservation in to her. The April program is Neighborhood Watch by Mike Hancock. All women of the area are invited even if they are not a member; they can come as a guest.
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The Modesto Junior College Visiting Author Series presents a Reading by Gary Soto on Tuesday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. in Forum 110 on East Campus, 435 College Ave., Modesto. The event is free and open to the public. Campus parking is $2 without a permit. Soto, who was raised in Fresno, is the author of 32 books including 11 poetry collections. He was a 1995 finalist for both the Los Angeles Times Book Award and the National Book Award. The Visiting Author Series is sponsored by the Associated Students of Modesto Junior College and the MJC Literature and Language Arts Division. For more information on this event contact Jim Beggs, professor of English, at (209) 575-6164 or beggsj@mjc.edu.
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Riverbank welcomes the REO Speechtrain Toastmasters Club 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 6. For more information, call (209) 614-8462.
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The Modesto Garden Club is now accepting applications for six $1500 scholarships from eligible high school seniors and college students. Completed applications packets are due by April 6. Interested students may email gardenscholarship@gmail.com for application information and forms.
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Sign up now for the Escalon Historical Society Bus Trip to Black Oak Casino on Saturday, April 9. The per-person cost will be $25 and that includes $10 of free play, $5 of match play, and a food discount. Call Cathy at 838-1777 or the museum at 838-8070 to add your name(s) to the sign-up list. The bus will leave from the Escalon Shopping Center at 9 a.m. and return at 3:30 p.m.
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This spring the Columbia College Foundation will host the 40th Annual Columbia Wine Tasting – a benefit event from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 to support the Columbia College Hospitality Management Program. This is the first year the Columbia Wine Tasting will be featured on a Saturday. Reservations can be purchased online for $55 per person in advance or $60 per person at the event as available. Attendees receive a complimentary souvenir wine glass and wine tastings from participating wineries and food vendors. For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.columbiawinetasting.com or call (209) 588-5089.
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The 2016 Bluegrass Series continues at West Side Theatre in Newman with its fourth show of the series, Red Dog Ash and Windy Hill, set for Saturday, April 9.
Shows are staged at West Side Theatre, 1331 Main St., Newman. Call 209-862-4490, or visit info@westsidetheatre.org or www.westsidetheatre.org for more information. Doors for the April 9 performance open at 6:30 p.m. with showtime at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $12 General Admission, $15 Reserved Section.
