Community Briefs provides a listing of events and activities going on in and around the Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon areas. To have an event featured, e-mail the information to mjackson@oakdaleleader.com.
Relay Fundraiser
Get ready to enjoy Bingo Night, set for Saturday, March 15 at St. Paul’s Church, 1635 Chester Drive, at Lowell and Chester in Tracy. Cost is $20 per person and food will be provided. The entry fee covers 10 games and there will be 100 winners during the evening. Doors open at 5 p.m. and Bingo starts at 6 p.m. There will be multiple rounds of the classic game and all proceeds from Bingo Night benefit the Relay For Life of the Greater Central Valley.
Wrestling Program Dinner
Coming up on Saturday, March 8, it’s the 18th annual Escalon Wrestling program fundraising Rib and Oyster Dinner and Dance, being staged at the Escalon Community Center. Tickets are $65. The menu includes baby back ribs, BBQ oysters, bread, salad, baked potatoes, and a full bar. There will be silent auction items up for bid as well. Happy Hour runs from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; dinner is served from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; with an auction from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., followed by dancing from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. For tickets or more information, contact Derek Scott at 209-499-3941; email descott@escalonusd.org; or call Brianne Cerasi at 209-404-6217. You can also get tickets online by visiting Escalon Wrestling Club Dinner Dance at eventbrite.com
YLI Event
Mater Christi YLI #140 in Oakdale will be hosting its 52nd annual Corned Beef Dinner on Saturday, March 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the new St. Mary’s Parish Center, Oak and Olive, in Oakdale. Tickets are available at a cost of $15 for adults, $7 for children ages seven to 12 and those six and under are admitted free. Come enjoy this traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner; all are welcome to attend.
Astronomy In The Park
Enjoy upcoming Astronomy in the Park programs, being offered at Shumway Oak Grove Regional Park, at I-5 and Eight Mile Road, Stockton. Though admission to the events is free, there is a $6 cash parking fee. All programs are hosted, weather permitting. Those planning to attend are encouraged to get there early and enjoy astronomy activities in the Nature Center, then view planets through giant telescopes after sunset. Next up, on Saturday, March 8 at 6 p.m., view The Pleiades, Orion Nebula, Mars, Mercury and Venus. On Saturday, April 5, the program is set for 6:45 p.m., featuring Jupiter, Mars and the Orion Nebula. Two events are scheduled in May, on Saturday, May 3 at 8:20 p.m., view the Hercules Globular Cluster, Mars and Jupiter; on Saturday, May 31 at 8:20 p.m., view Mars and the Hercules Globular Cluster. Astronomy in the Park is presented by The Stockton Astronomical Society, Oak Grove Docent Council and San Joaquin County Parks.
Enjoy Corned Beef
This year will be the 59th annual fundraising St. Patrick’s Day dinner put on by the Escalon Lions Club. Date for the event is Thursday, March 20 and dinner will be served at the Escalon Community Center. Tickets are $40 each and are available at Caliber Collision, 2228 Main St., Escalon; D’Boni’s Pizza, 2249 Jackson Ave., Escalon; or from any Escalon Lions Club member. You can also contact Danell Quintana at 209-838-7783. Happy hour begins at 6 p.m. to kick off the evening, with the traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner served beginning at 7 p.m. Takeout orders will be available and there will also be raffle drawings and auction items up for bid during the evening.
Golden Agers
Enjoy local dancing and get some exercise each week. Members of the Golden Agers dance group meet at the Riverbank Community Center on Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with dancing, socializing, live music and fun for all. All adults 55-plus are welcome. Just drop in to check it out or become a member. Fees are $5 for members and $6 for non-members. Membership is $15. The Community Center is at 3600 Santa Fe St., Riverbank.
Crab Feed
The Escalon American Legion Post 263 is planning a Crab Feed, set for Saturday, March 15. Cost to attend the crab feed is $70 per person, with limited seating. Doors open at 5 p.m., and dinner will be served starting at 6 p.m. The menu includes crab, shrimp, pasta, dinner roll and salad. Contact Fallon Nunes for tickets, 209-484-3641. Regular meetings of the Escalon American Legion are held the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.; potential new members are encouraged to attend.
Jam Sessions
The ‘Jammers’ are a loosely knit group of local musicians who gather regularly to play and share music. Members of The Jammers set up and play at Medlen’s House of Beef in Oakdale, on the patio, the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. The fun begins around 3 p.m. and typically continues until about 6 p.m., a full afternoon of music. Acoustic musicians are welcome to come and play. Featured instruments usually include guitar, fiddle, banjo, ukulele, etc. The public is welcome to stop by, listen to the music and even sing along. No cost to attend.
Nature Walk
Enjoy a special family program on Sunday, March 16, as all ages are welcome to join in ‘Birding for Boomers’ and everyone else, offered at Shumway Oak Grove Regional Park, 4520 W. Eight Mile Road, Stockton. The Nature Center at the park is the gathering place for the event, which gets underway at 1 p.m. Come experience the birds and other wildlife that are out and about on birdwalk day. Learn tips for birdwatching; bring binoculars if you have them. This is a free event and no reservations are required. There is a $6 cash parking fee. Call 209-953-8814 for more information.
Fun Bunch
The Escalon Senior Fun Bunch Walkers invite everyone in the area to join them for their weekly walks. The group meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at a park in Escalon. They meet at the corner of Justin Drive and Mission Street at 10 a.m. Fun Bunch walkers are a lighthearted group whose members love to get together and walk with others, enjoy some conversation and exercise. You do not have to be a Fun Bunch member to attend; all are welcome to join the walking group during any or all of their scheduled walks during the week.
Weight Loss Group
Members of the local TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) weight loss support group meet in Oakdale every Monday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.; the meeting is at 7450 River Road, Suite 4, Oakdale. This group is open to the public and anyone interested in improving their life by losing weight. Visit the website: www.tops.org for more information and to see a list of other meeting locations.
Irish Music
The ‘lads and lasses’ of Brennan’s Parlor host a monthly Irish music jam (aka “Ceilidh”) in the back room of the H Bar B Saloon, 401 E. F St., Oakdale. Gatherings are on the third Monday of the month, and run from 6 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. They welcome anyone – players, singers, or listeners – with an appreciation for Celtic music to join the fun.
Widowed Persons Meet
Oakdale Widowed Persons Group invites you to join them the first Saturday of each month for breakfast at 9 a.m. and on the third Tuesday of each month for lunch at 1 p.m.; call for locations. All are welcome to join the group no matter how long ago you lost your spouse. For more information, contact Barbara at 209-322-2184.
