Art On Display

Oakdale artist Michael Patrick Brennan earned an Honorable Mention in the Portrait category of the Delicato Family Vineyards 31st annual Fine Art Show. The public is encouraged to visit the judged art that is on display throughout the Tasting Room at Delicato, off Highway 99 at exit 246. The tasting room is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. All art in this show will be available for sale. Beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, art enthusiasts and wine tasting visitors can visit with the artists, with the awards ceremony scheduled at 3 p.m. in the Tuscan Room. Visitors are encouraged to taste the latest wine releases and cast a vote for a favorite piece of art. The winning artist will receive the coveted Visitors’ Choice Award.

Animal Event

Professional Animal Wellness Services, 2139 Jackson Ave., Escalon will have a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free drawings, an obstacle course for dogs, photo booth, pet adoption opportunities and refreshments. All are invited to attend and bring your pet.

Relay Fundraiser

Nuts For Life, a team involved in the Oakdale-Riverbank-Escalon-Waterford Relay For Life, is hosting its tri-tip dinner for four, featuring curbside-to-go service. Pre-sale tickets only for the dinner, scheduled for Saturday, March 2 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Saron Lutheran Church, 1742 North St., Escalon. Cost is $45 and that gets you a whole BBQ tri-tip, four baked potatoes, a bag of salad, a loaf of French bread and two-liter bottle of soda. For more information, call 209-838-2892 or 209-838-2427.

Income Tax Help

Income tax preparation assistance will be available at the Oakdale Library, 151 S. First Ave., Oakdale, on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with volunteers, trained and certified by the IRS, providing the assistance. Call 209-847-4204 for an appointment. The free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, VITA, and Tax Counseling for the Elderly, CTE, programs continue through the last week in March. Taxpayers must bring ID and social security cards for each person who will be on their tax return and they should bring the prior year’s tax return, if available.

Cookie Sales Start

Local Girl Scouts are currently taking in-person and online cookie orders for their annual sales of the traditional springtime treat. On Friday, Feb. 22, the National Cookie Weekend and the first day of booth sales begin; local Troop 3101 will be at the Oakdale SaveMart on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to kick off their booth sales. The last day for sales will be Sunday, March 17. Girl Scouts Heart of Central California covers 18 counties including San Joaquin and Stanislaus. To find a cookie booth, enter your zip code in the Cookie Finder website, www.girlscoutshcc.org/findcookies or by downloading the Girl Scout Cookie Finder app for your IOS or Android mobile device.

AAUW Speaker

During her medical training, Dr. Lauren Brown-Berchtold, who grew up in Escalon, became passionate about women’s health and the care of pregnant women. She visited Indonesia several times, and spent a month performing cesarean deliveries in Uganda at the hospital with the highest number of deliveries in the world. She will talk to the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Oakdale-Riverbank-Escalon Branch members and their guests on Thursday, Feb. 21 about the health care experiences, differences, and lessons she learned from around the globe, particularly Indonesia and Uganda.

Oscars Program

Mark your calendars now for The State Theatre’s annual salute to Tinseltown. Mercedes Benz of Modesto presents the Annual Red Carpet Party on Sunday, Feb. 24. Doors open at 4 p.m. Don your best for a night of photos, food and festivity to toast the Academy and Oscar winners. A delicious gourmet dinner, at $25 per person, will be provided by Fuzio Universal Bistro. Invite your friends for a memorable evening of food, festivities and fun as part of the celebration. Enjoy a catered dinner and watch the happenings live from Hollywood’s Red Carpet. The State Theatre is at 1307 J St., Modesto.

College Open House

Modesto Junior College invites businesses, students and the community to participate in a Career Technical Education (CTE) Open House on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Agriculture Center for Education Pavilion on West Campus, 2201 Blue Gum Ave., Modesto. Held in celebration of National Career and Technical Education Month, the event is free and parking on West Campus is also free during the event’s hours on Feb. 26. Current and potential MJC students, local high school students, parents/guardians and community members can explore career building programs, experience hands-on activities, gain employability skills and network with industries throughout the region at the CTE Open House.

Tea Party Slated

The Columbia College Child Development Department and the Child Development Future Educators Club invite you to the third annual Tea Party Fundraiser. The festive family-friendly event will be held on Friday, March 15 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Maple Building. Students, former students, staff and faculty will serve up treats and a variety of teas to support students and student teachers in the child development field. Funds go toward fingerprinting for students applying for teaching permits, a scholarship through the Columbia College Foundation, and student activities. Visit the website http://columbiacollegeteaparty.weebly.com/ for more information and to purchase tickets. Event tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children.

Time To Dance

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.

Speechtrain Session

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, Feb. 27. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.

TOPS Meeting

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.