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 next Good Time Accordion Club meeting is set for Wednesday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at the Escalon Community Center, 1055 Escalon Avenue. The Good Time Accordion Club monthly music and social event is open to accordion fans and performers of all skill levels. Anyone with an accordion can sign up and play. On March 11 they will welcome a special guest from the bay area, Joe Domitrowich, Capricious Accordion. You can read about him at www.capricious-accordion. Also joining in is David Lang and a few friends from the Sacramento area who will be performing during the second half of the March program. Lang will also be introducing San Jose accordion repairman, Valdet Jakubivic. Admission is $5 at the door, light refreshments are provided. For more information you can contact Karl Wucherer at 209 556-3105.
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Join the Escalon Farmington Community Garden Club for one of their most important meetings of the year. Come to charming Farmington on Thursday, March 5, at 1 p.m., to learn which trees are best for your garden. The decision you make can have implications for decades/generations to come. Learn which variables to consider – from sunlight and wind direction, to the size of the tree crown to the depth of the tree roots. The meeting will be held at the Farmington Methodist Church meeting hall, 25626 Elm Street, Farmington. The meeting is open to people from around the region who are interested in gardening and small-scale farming. For more information, email escalonfarmingtongc@gmail.com, or call 209-844-6213.
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Donors are urged to make an appointment to give blood now using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Blood remains in short supply and donors of whole blood and platelets are needed. Locally, donors can schedule visits at Red Cross Donation Centers in Modesto, 1900 W. Orangeburg Ave.; in Stockton, 2888 W. March Lane; and in Sonora, 850 Sanguinetti Lane.
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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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Learn a new craft and enjoy sharing it with others, as Gerri and Debbie’s Stampin’ Up! Card Classes will be meeting several times during March and April. For location and more details, call Debbie at (209) 247-9989. In March, there will be a Stamp Camp with available dates of Friday, March 20 at 9 a.m. or 6:30 p.m.; or Saturday, March 21 at 9 a.m. or 3 p.m. Looking ahead to April, five classes are scheduled. They include Tuesday, April 14 and Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday, April 15 and Friday, April 17 at 9 a.m.; Saturday, April 18 at 10 a.m.
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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 March 11. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.
