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.
Corned Beef Dinner
The Escalon Lions Club annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner is scheduled for Thursday, March 14 at the Escalon Community Center, 1055 Escalon Ave. Tickets are $30 apiece and you can eat in or take it to go. Doors open at 6 p.m., with dinner served about 7 p.m.; a traditional corned beef dinner with all the fixings and dessert are included. There will also be a number of items available in drawings.
Dancing Fun
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.
St. Patrick’s Celebration
A dinner party in observance of St. Patrick’s Day is scheduled for Friday, March 15 at the McHenry Mansion, 906 15th St., Modesto. Doors and bar open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner served at 6:30 p.m., featuring a menu of typical Irish fare including Corned Beef and Cabbage with all the trimmings. Cost is $50 per person and reservations are required. For tickets or more information, contact Janie at 209-522-1739.
AAUW Session
On Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m., Bianca Lopez, the co-founder and Project Director of Valley Improvement Projects, V.I.P., will speak to members, prospective members and guests of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Oakdale-Riverbank-Escalon Branch about the importance of achieving zero solid waste in Stanislaus County. According to the V.I.P website “in 2012 a group of Modesto community organizers came together under the name of Valley Improvement Projects, or V.I.P., with the mission of improving the quality of life of underrepresented and marginalized residents of California’s Central Valley by promoting social and environmental issues through youth outreach, education, technology, and art.” For more information about the meeting and its location, call Judy at (209) 480-0387.
Weight Loss Support
All interested are welcome to join TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) a weight loss support group that meets in Oakdale every Monday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.; meeting 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.
Astronomy Night
Coming up on Saturday, March 16 is the next Astronomy in the Park event, scheduled at Oak Grove Regional Park, I-5 and Eight-Mile Road, Stockton. The Pleiades, Mercury and Perseus Double Cluster will be viewed at 7:15 p.m. during the March event. The Stockton Astronomical Society, Oak Grove Docent Council and San Joaquin County Parks host the free events, which are staged weather permitting. There is a $6 cash parking fee at Oak Grove. Shows are scheduled throughout the year on Saturday evenings. The viewing is done through giant telescopes after sunset. On April 13, the 7:40 p.m. start time will feature Jupiter, M81 and M82 (Bodes Galaxies). For additional information, call 209-953-8814 or 209-953-8800.
Irish Music Mondays
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, located at 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. As the song says, “Come into the parlor, there’s a welcome there for you.”
Columbia Job Fair
Job seekers from throughout the region are encouraged to bring their resumé and dress for success on Friday, March 22 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held at Columbia College in the Oak Pavilion, 11600 Columbia College Drive, Sonora. In partnership with Mother Lode Job Training, Columbia College will welcome employers from varying fields including healthcare, law enforcement, education, forestry, and administrative support. Seasonal, part-time, and full-time positions are available. Parking will be available at no cost to attendees. Columbia College and Mother Lode Job Training are equal opportunity employers. For more information, contact Career Services at Columbia College 209-588-5273 or visit https://www.gocolumbia.edu/employment/career_events.php.
Widowed Persons Group
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.
Join The Jammers
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 continue 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.
Micke Grove Egg Hunt
The annual Micke Grove Easter Egg Hunt is scheduled for Saturday, March 23. Open to kids 12 and under, the hunt begins at 11 a.m. and this will be a pre-registration only event, as capacity is limited. The gates open on March 23 at 9:30 a.m. and the hunt starts at 11 a.m., with festivities running from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be kids crafts and games, face painting, bounce houses, food trucks and a visit from the Easter Bunny. The park will be closed to the general public that day from 8 a.m. to noon. Event registration is now open; the links are available on sjparks.com, Facebook and Instagram. There will be over 25,000 candy and toy-filled eggs available at the event; participants should bring their own Easter basket.
