Out and About is your guide to upcoming events in and around the Riverbank area.
Riverbank Branch Library is hosting a couple of holiday project workshops at the library, with two more set before Christmas. The first will be about making ‘Yarn Birds’ out of balls of yarn on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 3:30 p.m. The ‘Yarn Ornament’ project will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 12, also at 3:30 p.m., all aimed at the holiday season.
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The final show in Sierra Repertory Theatre’s 2017 Season is a contemporary musical about cynicism, belief, and the real meaning of Christmas. ‘Another Night Before Christmas’ plays at the East Sonora Theatre, Friday, Dec. 1 through Saturday, Dec. 23. Shows are on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.; Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Admission ranges from $20 for children 17 and under to $37 for general admission, with adult and senior prices varying depending on day and time of performance. For more information, call SRT’s Box Office at (209) 532-3120, or visit www.sierrarep.org.
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Christmas in Grandpa’s Barn is on the schedule in December, offered through Lorina’s Edible Garden. All the activities will take place at the Barn, 17693 Enterprise Road, Escalon. Join in for two weekends of holiday-themed vendors and festivities, Friday through Sunday, Dec. 1 through 3 and again Dec. 8 through 10. Friday and Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday hours are noon to 4 p.m. The Christmas in Grandpa’s Barn features multiple vendors with a variety of products perfect for holiday gift giving, along with soaps, lotions, spa products, succulents and more from Lorina’s Edible Garden. There will also be food for purchase and s’mores kits to make the sweet treat over the fire pit on site.
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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 Wednesday, Dec. 6. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.
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Blood supplies often suffer due to busy schedules around the holidays but donors can give at an upcoming Community Blood Drive in Escalon, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 12. The drive will run from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Christian Reformed Church, 2203 California St., Escalon. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Also, Blood Donation Centers in Modesto and Stockton are open on a regular basis for donations. Modesto Blood Donation Center is at 1900 W. Orangeburg Ave., Modesto; while the North Stockton Blood Donation Center is at 2888 West March Lane, Stockton.
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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.
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A local non-profit organization is looking for volunteers who want to help with taxes this year. The Central Valley Community Resources in Riverbank is organizing the program locally, with Darlene Barber-Martinez as the contact person. Reach her at CVCR at 896-3055, ext. 700. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs are looking for volunteers who are interested in sharing their skills, talent and knowledge. Volunteers prepare tax returns with thousands of other Americans giving back to their communities, according to Barber-Martinez. She said they need volunteers to serve as Site Coordinators and Tax Preparers. They also need Greeters/Screeners and Interpreters.
