Datebook lists upcoming events and items of interest for residents of Escalon, Farmington, Collegeville and the surrounding area.
Escalon Covenant Church will host its summer Vacation Bible School from Monday, July 25 through Friday, July 29 for ages 4 to 11. Summer Blast will run each day from 9 a.m. to noon and feature a variety of activities from Bible stories to singing, games and snacks. All in the community are invited to attend; for more information visit escaloncovenant.org.
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Join in the next Toddler/Preschool Storytime at the Escalon Library, offered on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Also, the next session of the Senior Gentle Exercise Class will be Thursday, July 21 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Tuesday, July 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the library. Class is open to all area senior citizens. 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.
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Final day for youth soccer sign-ups for the fall season in Escalon is Thursday, July 21. Divisions are based on the player’s age as of Nov. 1, 2016. Divisions and ages include Tots, 3- and 4-year-olds, cost is $30 for Escalon Unified School District residents, $40 for non-EUSD residents. Squirts division, 5 and 6, cost is $40/$45; Pee Wee, 7-8, $45/$50; Minors, 9-10, $45/$50 and Seniors-Majors division, 11 to 14, $50/$55. Sign up at the Escalon Recreation Department. Evaluations are set for Saturday, July 30.
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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, July 27. For more information, call (209) 614-8462.
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Coming up on Saturday Aug. 20, from 8 a.m. until noon, the Escalon Lions Club will be hosting a City Wide Shred Day, for residents to dispose of accumulated paper materials that need to be securely disposed of. This event is open to all Escalon residents residing in the Escalon School District boundaries. Those attending to utilize the shredding service are asked to bring at least one can of food per box or bag of paper materials for shredding, to be donated to a local food bank. Each residential household will be limited to three copy paper sized boxes, or five grocery bags of paper to be shred. This event will be at the Escalon Park and Ride lot, at Main and Viking streets in Escalon.
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Take advantage of some fun and educational activity each weekend during July through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Weekends are special at the Elkhorn Slough Ecological Reserve. Volunteer-led walks are scheduled every Saturday and Sunday, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Binoculars and bird books are available for the public to borrow at no cost. The visitor center and main overlook are fully accessible. The day use fee is $4.12 per person, ages 16 and older. Groups of five or more need to notify staff that they are coming and groups of 10 or more can request a separate tour. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/lands/places-to-visit/elkhorn-slough-er.
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Oakdale’s VFW Post is gearing up for the next of its monthly hamburger night fundraisers, with Wednesday, Aug. 3 the date for the next event. Hours are from 5:30 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m., at the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo Grounds clubhouse. Attendees can stay after eating to socialize. All donations at the dessert table at the monthly dinner go to purchase wreaths for Wreaths Across America. The local VFW and Auxiliary’s goal is to have a wreath on every grave at the Santa Nella Veterans cemetery.
