Arts And Flowers
Oakdale Garden Club and Friends of Oakdale Heritage will present a joint event, Arts & Flowers at the Oakdale Museum and History Center, 212 W. F St., Oakdale on Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors to the outdoor event will have an opportunity to take part in a Single Stem Flower Competition, held from 10 a.m. to noon. All who wish to submit entries must bring them between 10 to 10:30 a.m., with judging and awards held at noon. A sale of a variety of plants, as well as the unique horseshoe art by Gary Cooksey, is included in the event. And for questions on gardening, several Club members will be on hand ready with advice. Beautiful watercolor renderings by the late local artist, Naomi Sandl will be on display inside the Museum. And for hungry visitors, food from Jarro Viejo’s Taco Truck will be on site from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information visit the Oakdale Garden Club’s Facebook page and email at oakdaleheritage@yahoo.com.
Walk Benefits Animals
The Great Valley Museum Foundation at Modesto Junior College invites the community to “Walk for the Animals” on Saturday, May 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the MJC West Campus, 2201 Blue Gum Ave., Modesto. The fundraising walk supports the care of the live animals in the Great Valley Museum. The 2.25 mile walk is open to all ages and will be held on the closed loop road on MJC’s West Campus. Check in begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Science Community Center, with the walk beginning promptly at 8 a.m. The average time for completion is 30 to 45 minutes. The museum’s live animals will be stationed throughout the walk to cheer on the walkers. Registration is available at the museum or online at: www.mjc.edu/gvm.
Library Fun
Enjoy the new monthly edition of Family Story Time at the Oakdale Library. Come for a special Saturday Story Time experience on May 12, at 10 a.m. Books, music, finger plays and more. This is a wonderful opportunity for families who miss out on the regular weekday Story Time to share the full experience together. Pre-schoolers will also enjoy a fun, lively program about recycling and keeping our earth green at their storytime, May 15 at 11 a.m. The Summer Reading Program begins May 22, and will continue all through June and July. Come by the library and join in the fun activities, prize drawings, entertaining programs, and read what you enjoy as you celebrate the theme of “Reading Takes you Everywhere!” There are prizes for every age level.
TOPS Group Gathers
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.
Join Local Toastmasters
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, May 9. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.
Weekly Dance Offered
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.
