Around Town (12/18/15)
Merced library volunteers
The Friends of the Merced County Library invites you to check out its bookstore just inside the main branch at 2100 O St. The library offers hardbacks, paperbacks, CDs, DVDs, VCR tapes, children’s books, audiobooks and lots of other things for sale, including Christmas cards at 10 cents each. All are donated. Prices range from 25 cents to $2. All proceeds go to the library to buy new materials. Volunteers are needed. Anyone who has time each month to man the bookstore is asked to please drop by and fill out an application. Donations of newer paperbacks are needed, also.
United Way Winter Coat Drive
United Way Of Merced County’s Winter Coat Drive runs until Jan. 30. The following items can be donated: coats, hats, gloves, boots, shoes, scarves and snow pants. Items can be dropped off at 658 W Main St. For more information, call 209-383-4242.
Republican Women Christmas meeting
The Merced County Republican Women’s meeting Monday will be special. The Classic Christmas Carolers will perform for the group. They will have old-fashioned caroler costumes and stroll around the tables performing. The meeting is set for 11:30 a.m. and lunch is served at noon at the Branding Iron. Items for Toys for Tots will be collected also.
CASA volunteer training class
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Merced County will begin a new volunteer advocate training class Jan. 20. An orientation is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 29. CASA is a nonprofit organization that trains volunteers to provide support and advocacy for the abused and neglected children in the Merced County Foster Care System. For more information, call 209-722-227.
Classes on mental illness
Family-to-Family Education weekly classes will be offered beginning Jan. 7 at 480 E. 13th St. from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Family-to-Family Education Program is a 12-week course for family members of individuals with severe brain disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Instruction and course materials are free to class participants. The course discusses the clinical treatment of these illnesses and teaches the knowledge and skills family members need to cope more effectively. For more information, call 209-381-6844, e-mail namimerced@aol.com or go to http://namimerced.org.
U12 travel baseball
Tryouts for U12 competitive travel baseball will be held Jan. 9 at Merced High School baseball park. The cutoff date for 13-year-olds is April 30. For a start time and more information, call Aaron Martinez at 209-756-1513 or Butch Hughes at 209-756-4751.
AARP tax return help
In partnership with the Internal Revenue Service, AARP of Merced County will be preparing tax returns for free again this year. Help is available Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 1 through April 14 at the Merced Senior Center, 755 W. 15th St. First come, first served; no appointments taken.
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This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 2:37 PM with the headline "Around Town (12/18/15)."