Our Valley Home Hawks celebrated their annual Jog-A-Thon last Thursday. The Easter Bunny was on hand to watch the kids run and walk. It was obvious that everyone had some fun. After the jogging, the candy jump was held and the prizes were awarded. Maddie Jones' name was drawn as the winner of the iPad Mini device. The best decorated T-shirt awards went to Brandy Seaton for the K-3 grades and Stephanie Lee for the 4-8 grades. Payton Sinclair won the Craziest Socks competition and Alisha Martinho won for Craziest Hair. Due to the earlier minimum day schedule this year, there wasn’t enough time for a post-run BBQ. Stay tuned for a family fun/movie night to be announced.
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School will resume again on April 8th. Selection of the Student of the Month is scheduled for April 10th and the monthly PTC meeting will be on April 11th at 3 p.m.
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While you are sitting and reading The Leader today, we will find our Red Hat Queen Margo and members of our Oakdale Fun Lovin’ Ladies in the midst of enjoying a tasty luncheon and meeting at the Papalloni Mediterranean Bistro in Oakdale.
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Valley Home 4-Hers gathered at Jenna, Cody and Cooper’s barn to give the Easter Bunny a helping hand with readying and dying Easter eggs on Friday night. Then, Saturday, the community came out for the annual Valley Home 4-H Easter Egg Hunt. The Hunt was scheduled for 10 a.m., and we found the 4-H members out early on the field busy distributing the eggs. This is always such a fun activity for all, and we were surprised and delighted to discover a new addition to our family, a great grandson Brendan Ward, from Modesto, had arrived unannounced early and was busy helping the 4-Hers group distribute the eggs around in the field. The Egg Hunt was a huge success thanks to the planning and hard work by our 4-Hers. We were unable to list all those who worked so hard to create the festive event following the Hunt, however, we will be able to list them in next week’s Valley Home News. The group did a fantastic job and deserve a big round of applause!
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We have received word that Friends of the Escalon Library are selling candy bars for $2.00 each as a fundraiser for the summer reading program and library materials. They are available in the library or contact Michelle McKenzie, President of the Escalon Friends. Also, Friends’ Annual Membership Drive is under way. Only $10 per year for an individual membership. The Friends is a Section 501(c)(3) charity whose funds support free library programs and new materials.
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It is with great sadness that we report the loss of one of our much loved former residents. Elizabeth (Liz) Rutherford Piscitello passed away in Modesto on March 28th after many months of failing health. She attended the University of California at Davis until it was shut down to become a military camp. With the outbreak of war, Liz worked in the East Bay Area until marrying her collage beau, Alfred Edward (Sam) Rutherford in 1944. The couple had three children, James, Robert and Deborah and lived in both Oakdale and Valley Home, during which time, Sam was an Agriculture teacher at Oakdale High School. Sam passed away in 1972 and Liz later married Carl Piscitello and sold the Valley Home ranch, moving to Modesto. Liz will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her which meant being her friend.
