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Community Briefs 7-25-18
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Back To School Party

Modesto Gospel Mission is hosting a Back to School Block Party on Saturday, July 28 and donations of new shoes are being sought. Help prepare kids for a successful school year; donate shoes at the Modesto Gospel Mission Youth Center, 1400 Yosemite Blvd., Modesto. The block party runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and local kids in need will receive new shoes, haircuts, lunch, take part in crafts and games and more. For volunteer opportunities, visit www.allforgood.org and enter Modesto Gospel Mission under location.

 

Blood Donors Needed

An emergency blood shortage is prompting the American Red Cross to issue an urgent call for eligible donors of all blood types – especially type O – to give now and help save lives. On Saturday, July 28, local donors can give at the Oak Valley Hospital District, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Royal and Charter Oak Rooms, 1425 W. H St., Oakdale. Also, open multiple days and hours during the week, the Modesto Blood Donation Center is at 1900 W. Orangeburg Ave., Modesto and the North Stockton Blood Donation Center is at 2888 W. March Lane, Stockton. To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

 

Final Summer Show

Lucky Lucky Hudson will be the final performance offered at Hutton’s Hamlet in Oakdale for their summer youth theatre series. Show times are Friday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Through a clever plot twist, up-and-coming teenage writer Steve Jenkins gets pulled into his own story. Lucky Hudson, his crime-busting hero, places him right into the comic underworld of nightclubs and back alleys with a nonstop parody of crooks and racketeers: Big Al, Little Al, and Medium Al, Ma Cribbs, Mad Dog Myrtle, Two-Gun Tommy, Petty-Larceny Jane, and many more. The show is a perfect blend of song, story, and action.

 

Donate For Children

Save Mart Supermarkets is hosting its annual fundraising campaign in support of Valley Children’s Hospital. Every year this money goes to fund vital research and lifesaving treatment initiatives for the children in our communities. From now through July 31, Save Mart shoppers will have the opportunity to donate $2, $3, and $5 through coupons available at checkout stands. Once scanned, the donation will be added to their grocery bill. All proceeds will benefit the Valley Children’s Hospital services. Forty-four Save Mart stores throughout the San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Tulare, Fresno, Kings and Tuolumne counties are participating in this year’s campaign, including Save Mart stores in Oakdale and Riverbank.

 

Toastmasters Meet

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, Aug. 1. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.

 

Seeking Museum Docents

The Great Valley Museum on the West Campus of Modesto Junior College is offering training for new docents to share information about the habitats, animals, and plants of the Central Valley with museum visitors. Docents are trained to lead guided tours for school and adult groups. A background in science is not required, just enthusiasm for working with people. For more information or to register, call (209) 575-6196 or go to GVM’s “Volunteering” page found at www.mjc.edu/gvm.

 

TOPS Session

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.