Around Town (01/13/2016)
Merced MS Support Group
The Merced MS Support Group will meet at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church, 500 Buena Vista Ave., Merced. Registration is not required. For more information, contact Susan Gumm at 209-631-7279.
MLK Day march
The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day March begins at 11 a.m. Monday in front of the Amtrak station, 324 W. 24th St., Merced. Marchers will make their way to the Merced County Fairgrounds, 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, where the celebration continues until 2 p.m. For more, call Tamara Cobb at 209-722-7231.
Ceramic art
Merced College Art Gallery will present an exhibition of ceramic sculptures by Southern California artist Dawn Hart. The reception for “Lost in Repetition” is 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at the gallery, 3600 M St. The display is open Jan. 17 to Feb. 9. It’s open Monday to Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. and by appointment. Contact Susanne French, art gallery coordinator, at 209-384-6064 or french.s@mccd.edu.
Grow berries, asparagus, artichokes, rhubarb
Learn the basics of planting berries and other edibles from small containers or roots at 11 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Nursery, 1007 Tahoe St., Merced. Admission is free, but a reservation is appreciated by calling 209-384-0513.
Cioppino dinner
The Merced Breakfast Lions Club will host its 37th annual Cioppino dinner at 7 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Atwater APC Hall, 1420 Third St. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. Numerous raffle prizes available including Monterey Bay Aquarium Tickets and a big-screen television. Tickets are $50 and can be obtained from Mike Carpenter 209-384-0727 or the Merced Antique Mall, 320 W. Main St. All proceeds stay within the greater Merced community.
Dinner and dancing
Buhach Pentecost will be having its annual crab cioppino dinner on Feb. 4. No-host bar from 6 to 7 p.m. Dinner is at 7 followed by a dance from 8 p.m. to midnight at 2889 N. Buhach Road, Atwater. For tickets, contact Nuno Machado at 209-595-1375 or Frank Diniz at 209-261-9178.
Senior Companion Program
Merced County Human Services Agency is looking for volunteers in all Merced County communities to join the Senior Companion Program. Volunteers never transport or provide personal or household services. If you can spare as little at two hours a month, you can make a difference in the life of a Merced County senior citizen. Were you blessed with the gift of gab, enjoy playing cards, want to share a hobby or just like to kick back and watch some television? Contact Janet Appling-Kasper at 209-354-2525 or stop by Adult and Aging Services at 2115 W. Wardrobe Ave., Merced.
NAMI classes
NAMI Merced will be offering free classes for those suffering from mental illness or those with family members or loved ones with mental illness. Classes range from six to 12 weeks and are free of charge to learn about living with mental illness and coping skills. If you or a loved one need help, please call or enroll now to learn more and find a supportive network. For more information, call 209-789-6264 or visit www.namimerced.org.
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 January 12, 2017 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Around Town (01/13/2016)."