The Community Calendar includes listing of events in and around the region that might be of interest to local residents. To have information included in this weekly calendar of events, email mjackson@oakdaleleader.com.
The first meeting of the New Year for the Escalon Farmington Community Garden Club will highlight one of the most popular flowers in the world – delightfully diverse dahlias. UC Master Gardener Lee Miller will share the ins and outs of these reliable and showy bloomers. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 2 at the Escalon Library, 1540 Second St., Escalon with a start time of 1 p.m., and is open to all interested.
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Begin the New Year with a rockin’ good time at the Oakdale Library as the Mother Lode Mineral Society surrounds us with rocks, minerals, fossils, and more in a special presentation geared to families. This program will explore the “frozen past” with dinosaur and Ice Age materials in discussion and on display. This program begins at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 3. “Music First” presents A Child’s Introduction To Classical Music. Join in on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 3 p.m., for this unique Family Program of Music and Learning. Enjoy some of the greatest classical pieces and instruments in an interactive presentation that opens up the beauty and wonder of great music and its composers.
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Mark the calendar for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 from noon to 4 p.m. and come to the McHenry Visitor Center and Gift Store to enjoy a complimentary Cinnamon Spice tea tasting. The Gift Store is at 924 15th St., in downtown Modesto. The public is welcome.
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Golden Agers weekly dances are open to those 50 and older from throughout the Central Valley and are hosted at the Riverbank Community Center, 3600 Santa Fe 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 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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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 Jan. 8, 2020. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.
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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.
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Running the first through third Saturdays and Sundays of the month, sign up now for the Sandhill Crane Wetland Tours at Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, 7730 W. Woodbridge Road, Lodi. Online registration is available for those wishing to participate in guided tours, which run through February. A one-day Lands Pass must be purchased in advance (instructions are on the registration website). Tours fill quickly and registration may be done as much as six weeks in advance. To register or for more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/regions/3/crane-tour.
