Out and About is your guide to upcoming events in and around the Riverbank area.
There’s still time to be a part of the Riverbank Parks and Recreation Department’s 2019 Halloween Haunted Hayride. Volunteers are actively being sought for this event to plan and operate Scare Sites at the late October festivities. Planning a scare site at the event can be a lot of fun for families, groups, or organizations, and also gives you the chance to win the first place prize of $500. Second Place will receive $100 and Third Place will get $50. For more information or questions call 209-863-7150 or email jpetit@riverbank.org.
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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 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
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The McHenry Mansion Foundation is offering a one of a kind tour of Victorian Funeral Customs just in time for Halloween. Open to the public, the event is scheduled at the McHenry Mansion at 906 15th St., Modesto on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 28 through 30. Tickets are $7 online, at the Visitors Center or at the door. Self-guided walk-through tours of the beautiful historic Victorian McHenry Mansion will start at 5:30 p.m. with last entrance at 7:30 p.m. The Mansion will be draped in black crepe ribbon rosettes and display historic curiosities from the Victorian period and their fascination with death. Ticketed members of the public are welcome to visit the house and experience 19th Century embalming practices, death masks, séances, spiritualism and phrenology. For tickets or additional information contact the McHenry Mansion Visitors Center at 209-549-0428 or go online to McHenryMansion.org.
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Gardening enthusiasts from around the region are invited to attend the Thursday, Oct. 3 meeting of the Escalon-Farmington Garden Club, set for 1 p.m. at the Escalon Library, 1540 Second St., Escalon. An Open-to-the-Public Pumpkin and Pumpkin-themed Bake Sale starts at 2 p.m., with pumpkins, pumpkin-themed baked goods, and fall fairy gardens available for sale at the entrance to the Escalon Library. Proceeds benefit the EFCGC scholarship program for Escalon High School students. For more information, email escalonfarmingtongc@gmail.com or call 209-844-6213.
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Gabriela Rios, Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) executive director, is the next presenter for MJC’s Positive People Speaker Series. The free, public presentation is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Mary Stuart Rogers Student Learning Center on West Campus, 2201 Blue Gum Ave., Modesto. Campus parking is available for $2. The speaker series, offered by the MJC Office of Campus Life and Student Learning, features local community members who have overcome challenges and obstacles to achieve their goals. For more information about the Positive People Speaker Series contact the Office of Campus Life and Student Learning at (209) 575-6700.
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Donors of all blood types are urgently needed to ensure a sufficient supply for patients. Type O and B blood donors are especially needed. Make an appointment to donate blood now by downloading the free 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. Donors in the local area can visit three different Blood Donation Centers operated by the Red Cross, open on a variety of days and times. In Modesto, the Blood Donation Center is at 1900 W. Orangeburg Ave.; in Sonora, the Blood Donation Center is at 850 Sanguinetti Road; and in Stockton, donors can visit the North Stockton Blood Donation Center, 2888 West March Lane.
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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, Oct. 2. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.
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Soroptimist International of Oakdale is accepting applications for its Soroptimist Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards for Women program. This program provides cash grants to women who are working to better their lives through additional schooling and skills training. Women are eligible to apply if they have the primary financial responsibility for themselves and their dependents including children, spouse, siblings, and/or parents, are attending an undergraduate degree program or a vocational skills training program, and have financial need. Women throughout the Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon areas are encouraged to apply for an award. Apply online at http://bit.ly/LYDApply or contact Jackie Hair, Chairperson, sioakdale@soroptimist.net, (209) 840-2134. The deadline to apply is Nov. 15.
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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.
