Church Craft Fair
St. Mary’s Catholic Church will host its 13th annual Craft Fair at the Parish Center, 55 N. Oak Avenue on Nov. 10 and 11 with Saturday hours 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Get an early start on Christmas shopping. There will be 55+ booths with handmade items, jewelry, books, toys quilts, yard art, commercial vendors, baked goods, food booth. Photos with Santa $5 each. The event is sponsored by St. Mary’s Young Ladies Institute - proceeds will be used for High School scholarships and our Grand President’s program of the year.
Women’s Club Meets
The Oakdale Women’s Club guest speaker at the Tuesday, Nov. 6 program will be Melodie Everson, speaking about her travels to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang County, South Korea. The event’s luncheon/meeting is being held at noon at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club, 243 N Stearns Road, Oakdale. Members are also asked to bring canned goods for their Community Sharing program to help needy families of the community for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. For more information call Karen at (209) 848-2231 or visit the club’s Facebook page.
Connection Luncheon
Oakdale Women’s Connection will host its monthly luncheon Thursday, Nov. 8 from noon to 1:45 p.m. at Papapolloni Mediterranean Bistro, 1214 W. F St., Oakdale. A buffet lunch will be offered for $18. This meeting is the annual Stonecroft fundraiser. Shop items donated by Oakdale merchants, enjoy great friendship and delicious food, and hear an inspiring message. Helen Bozzo shares how after a liver transplant gave her a second chance at life, she learned how to find hope and freedom in this troubled world. Call Barbara, 209-847-5605, to make reservations. Walk-ins are welcome.
Veterans Day Festivities
Monday, Nov. 12 will feature a couple of special Veterans Day events in Oakdale. Join the VFW Post 2922 for a parade, ceremony and lunch. The parade will start at 9 a.m., on Lee Avenue, then will turn on to Pontiac and continue to Fish Park, where a ceremony is planned to honor area veterans. Lunch will be served following the ceremony, provided by VFW Auxiliary, Post 2922. Entries are being sought for the parade; get an entry form by emailing Vig2d@aol.com. All in the community are encouraged to get involved, either by joining the parade or coming out to honor those who have served.
Weight Loss Group
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.
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, Oct. 31. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.
Weekly Dances
Golden Agers weekly dances are open to those 50 and older from throughout the Central Valley at the Riverbank Community Center. Doors open Wednesdays at 9 a.m.; the center is at 3600 Santa Fe St., and 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.
Art Contest
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is conducting an art contest to select the design for the state’s 2018-2019 upland game bird stamp. The California Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest is open to all U.S. residents ages 18 and over. Entries will be accepted from Nov. 20 through Dec.7. For contest information and entry forms, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/upland-game-bird-stamp.