Out and About is your guide to upcoming events in and around the Riverbank area.
Riverbank Cares, Westamerica Bank in Riverbank and O’Brien’s Market are joining forces again this holiday season to keep a tradition alive; Adopt a Grandparent. For 10 years the community has visited O’Brien’s Market or the Westamerica Bank branch in Crossroads Shopping Center and found very special “ornaments” on the Christmas tree. They each contain information for a senior resident of the Riverbank Care Facility; select the senior you want to adopt this holiday season, it is important to record your choice with the staff of the market or the bank. As you go about your holiday shopping, purchase the gifts and return them to the market or the bank, unwrapped, in a gift bag. Gifts should be returned no later than Wednesday, Dec. 12. It is important that the “ornament” be returned also since Santa has an official check off list. The gifts will be sorted and readied for delivery when the seniors will enjoy a holiday party.
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Mid-Cal Blue Star Moms are collecting through the middle of December to send items to service members for the holidays. The group is also accepting names for any active duty troops who will not be home for Christmas; those serving both stateside or overseas. The organization would especially appreciate donations of coffee, hot drink mixes, and non-perishable food items as well tax-deductible monetary donations to help with postage for mailing the packages and other expenses. Monetary donations can be made through the website, www.midcalbluestarmoms.org or mailed to their post office box, PO Box 1745, Oakdale, CA 95361. For more information about the effort, visit www.midcalbluestarmoms.org/care-packages. You can also call 209-336-3221 to learn more about when and where to drop off donated items.
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Peppa Pig Live, now one of the most successful family theater tours in North American history with more than 500,000 tickets sold to date, will continue its record-breaking run when it plays the Bob Hope Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 16. Just in time for the holiday season, “Peppa Pig’s Surprise” (www.peppapigliveus.com), the newest live stage show based on Entertainment One’s (eOne) top-rated series airing daily on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., will visit cities across the United States, including Stockton, Dallas, Houston and Chicago. Tickets will be sold at the Stockton Arena Box Office and online at Ticketmaster. Most tickets and VIP packages, which include meet-and-greets with the characters, are available.
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Save Mart and FoodMaxx stores are hosting the annual Holiday Give. Share. CARE! Drive, making it easier for shoppers to donate. At checkout, customers can tear off a coupon and hand it to the cashier. A coupon for $2 feeds one person breakfast; $3 feeds one person lunch; and $5 feeds one person dinner. The coupon shoppers choose will be added to their grocery bill, and the tax deductible contribution will be noted on their receipt. One hundred percent of all donations go to the local food bank assigned to each store. Locally, Save Mart stores in Oakdale and Riverbank are participating in the campaign. Donations at checkout are underway now and will end Friday, Dec. 28.
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Join the holiday effort and help local Realtor Kevin Benziger fill his ‘Super Kev’ Trailer with toys for the young fire victims in Butte County. Now through Dec. 21, the effort is aimed at collecting new, unwrapped toys to be delivered to the kids of Paradise. Those wishing to help can bring any new, unwrapped toy to Academy Mortgage at 102 Grove Ave., Oakdale or call Benziger for more information, 209-848-3673.
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Golden Agers weekly dances are open to those 50 and older from throughout the Central Valley and are now hosted at St. Frances of Rome church, 2827 Topeka 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 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. 12. For more information, call (209) 869-8200.
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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.
