Around Town (10/08/16)
Skate park benefit
The Beachwood-Franklin Committee 4 Improvement’s SK8 4 the Youth skate park fundraiser and harvest festival is from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at El Capitan Park, 2040 Lobo Ave. Games and activities for children, live music, $10 tri-tip plates, a mini-skate contest and raffle prizes are planned. For more information or meal tickets, call 209-205-8717 or email mrodri1797@att.net.
BBQ Chicken Dinner
The annual Wesley Foundation BBQ Chicken Dinner fundraiser will be from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the back parking lot of United Methodist Church of Merced, 899 Yosemite Parkway. Dinner is $12 and consists of half of a chicken, beans, roll, salad and cookie. Proceeds support a variety of campus ministry goals. For more information, leave a message for Dee Near at 209-723-9007 or Rachel Trumm at 209-261-0101.
MS support group
An MS support group will meet at 11 a.m. Saturday. All meetings take place at First Baptist Church, 500 Buena Vista Ave. Everyone with MS is encouraged to attend. Registration not required.
Tule Elk Day
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge will host Tule Elk Day on Saturday. The celebration of the unique animal that survived extinction will feature presentations, tours, exhibits and displays at the refuge, 7376 S. Wolfsen Road, Los Banos. Visitors can observe and learn about the elk herd inside their habitat via tours using refuge vans. Advance sign-ups for tours, which will be at 8 and 11 a.m., are recommended by calling 209-826-3508. Speakers include wildlife photographer Doug Ridgway and Cristen Langner from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Elks jamboree
The Los Banos Elks are hosting 10 other lodges in a jamboree celebration Saturday to help raise funds for Elks programs such as scholarships, basketball free-throw contests and veterans services. Activities include a chili cook-off, cupcake contests and games. The organization is also setting up a lemonade stand with proceeds benefiting “Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer.” Lemonade is $1 per cup, donations accepted. For more information, call 209-404-9502.
Baseball talk
Richard Santillan will discuss his research into the history of Mexican Americans in baseball and softball from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday at Club Mercedes Hall, 569 W. Ninth St. Santillan will be accepting contributed photos relevant to Mexican American baseball or softball history. Copies of Santillan’s book will be available for purchase. For more information, call 209-761-4258.
Odd Fellows breakfast
The Odd Fellows of LaFayette Historical Lodge 65 will serve breakfast Sunday from 8 to 11 a.m. at the IOOF Hall, 30018 Yosemite Blvd., La Grange. The menu is biscuits and gravy, sausage, ham and cheese omelets, and French toast. Cost for adults is $6; for ages 7 to 12, it’s $3; and 6 and younger eat free. For more information, call Chris at 209-853-2128 or renwah@sonnet.com.
Kids pumpkin party
Sign up your little ghosts or goblins for Merced’s annual Tiny Tots Pumpkin Party, a time for kids 3 to 6 to decorate a pumpkin and partake in other Halloween fun. Costumes and parents are welcome. The party starts at 5:15 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Sam Pipes Room at Merced Civic Center, 678 W. 18th St. Cost is $5 a child. Preregistration required. Register at the city of Merced’s Parks and Recreation Department in the Civic Center. For more information, call 209-388-8912.
If you would like to have an event announced in Around Town, send information to aroundtown@mercedsunstar.com at least 10 days before the event. Items run according to space available.
This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Around Town (10/08/16)."