Read the latest Calendar items including the FFA tub races and Farm Day, a San Benito County Business Council workshop, and a Women’s Club gathering at San Juan Oaks.
FFA Farm Day
Hollister Future Farmers of America would like to announce the inaugural Community Farm Day.
The farm day will take place 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Martin Rajkovich Agriculture Building behind Andy Hardin Football Stadium.
Kids and adults will be able to learn about Agriculture Education and learn all about FFA and what we do. There will also be fun carnival games and prizes.
SBHS Tub Races
Hollister Future Farmers of America is calling all San Benito High School Alumni and community members to participate in the traditional FFA Tub Races on March 5 during lunch. According to the announcement from the FFA: Lunch will be from 11:50 a.m. until 12:20 p.m. Bring a tub and yourself! If you have any questions please feel free to contact Myndi Krafft (831) 637-5831 ext. 342 or Kelly Bianchi at ext. 340.
‘Act Local’ business workshop
The San Benito County Business Council is presenting an “ACT LOCAL” Business Workshop called Doing Business with Federal and Local Governments and Public Agencies featuring Jeff Cuskey of the Monterey Bay Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Attendees will learn about government contracting and business opportunities. The workshop will be held 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. upstairs in the Hollister Veterans Memorial Building, 649 San Benito St. The free, public event will be hosted by the San Benito Business Council in collaboration with the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau and the Hollister Downtown Association. ‘ACT LOCAL’ is an initiative of the San Benito County Business Council encouraging county agencies, businesses and residents to do business, invest, donate and volunteer locally. For further information and to register for the workshop see SBCBusinessCouncil.com or contact Business Council Executive Director Kristina Chavez Wyatt at (831) 524-0408 or Kr******@SB****************.com.
Women’s Club Flamingo Hunt
Join the Women’s Club and Friends on a scavenger hunt 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. March 11. It is $20 and includes lunch at the fabulous San Juan Oaks with limited seating. RSVP by March 9 to Jeanne Liem at (831) 801-2020 or Anne Brooks at (831) 245-7198. Afterward there’s a lunch and speaking event. The price is $17, but first-time visitors are free. Lunch will be followed by our speaker, Susan Hamilton, life and health coach, who will speak on “Wheat Belly”, with the business meeting to follow. The club is celebrating 100 years of community service. Reservations should be called to Glenda at (831) 265-7027 by March 10.
Gavilan’s ‘Bach to Blues’
This fundraising concert is a showcase for regional talent, featuring Gavilan College faculty, students and performers from the community. This year’s line-up includes pianist Maria Amirkhanian, flamenco guitarist Alberto Marques, blues guitarist John Garcia, Gavilan College voice instructor Nate Pruitt, Dahveed Behroozi, and the winner of the Marian Filice Youth Piano Competition. It is set for 7:30 p.m. March 14 at the Gavilan College Theater, 5055 Santa Teresa Boulevard in Gilroy. Tickets are on sale at the Gavilan College Bookstore, Porcella’s Music, BookSmart in Morgan Hill and the Gavilan College sites in Morgan Hill and Hollister. General Admission is $15; seniors/students are $10. All proceeds will benefit the Gavilan College Music Program. For more information, call Maria Amirkhanian at (408) 848-4796.
Last dinner theater show
The San Benito Stage Company will host the French farce “Don’t Dress for Dinner” at Paine’s Restaurant & Bar at 421 East Street, Hollister. The event starts at 7 p.m. Feb. 27. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Tickets for a table of eight cost $260 in advance and come with a complimentary bottle of wine. To purchase tickets, call the San Benito Stage Company (831) 636-0122; Postal Graphics (831) 636-3787 or Paine’s Restaurant (831) 637-3882.
Pinnacles Partnership fundraiser
Pinnacles Partnership is hosting its annual fundraiser and will partner with Motnerey Peninsula Foundation for a Charity Match program. Pinnacles Partnership will get 100 percent of proceeds plus a 20 percent match from Motnerey Peninsula Foundation. Donations can be made through Feb. 27 by following the Charity Match link, pinnaclespartnership.org/donate. Donate with a check by making them payable to Monterey Peninsula Foundation. Mail them to P.O. Box 2080, Hollister, CA, 95024.
Arts Council ‘activate downtown’
The San Benito Arts Council is offering free, informative, interactive and collaborative workshops led by nonprofit consultant, Nancy Ragey. The upcoming workshops are designed to benefit your organizational capacity and encourage collaboration within our arts and culture community.
The following is information on those events:
Building a Sustainable Organization is set for 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Feb. 27. Building and Sustaining a Successful Fundraising Program is 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. March 27. Each session will include a breakout session to discuss “Art Nights,” a monthly showcase of art & culture during the Downtown Farmers’ Market. All workshops are held at ARTspace, 240 Fifth Street in downtown Hollister. Coffee & pastries will be provided.
Downtown Spring Cleanup
The Hollister Downtown Association is hosting a downtown cleanup from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. April 18. Meet at Fourth and San Benito streets. Bring your brooms, dustpans, gloves, clippers and shovels. Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs, Church Groups, Service Clubs, students needing service hours and community minded adults are encouraged to come and help.
San Benito County Science Fair
The San Benito County Science Fair will have an open house from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday March 24 at the Veterans Memorial Building at 649 San Benito Street in Hollister. The awards ceremony will be from 7:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Art tour
The San Benito County Arts Council is accepting applications for its 2015 Open Studios Art Tour through Friday Feb. 13. The weekend tour will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 25 and 26. The event draws hundreds of local and out-of-town visitors and allows artists to sell work and show how they made it. For more information about Open Studios, contact the Arts Council at (831) 636-2787 or email in**@sa***********.org.
4-H pancake breakfast
4-Hers will be hosting a pancake breakfast to benefit the San Benito County 4-H clubs from 7 a.m. to noon Sunday April 19 at Bolado Park on 9000 Airline Highway in Tres Pinos. For a $5 donation, attendees will enjoy pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, fruit, potatoes, juice and coffee.
Verutti Park fundraiser
Another fundraiser is set to benefit Lauren E. Verutti Park as part of the San Juan Rotary Club’s effort. The fundraiser is set for 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. March 7 at Hacienda de Leal for a “Pizza for a Purpose” benefit. The price is $15 per person, while pre-event tickets can be purchased at Bear’s or Hacienda de Leal. To make a donation, make checks payable to Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista and send them to the organization at P.O. Box 823 in San Juan Bautista, 95045. Make sure to write “Support Verutti Park” in the note of the check. For more on the fundraising, call Sonora Vasquez at (831) 540-5321.
‘Draw like Leonarado’
The San Benito County Arts Council is announcing new chances for locals to try their hand at charcoal, pencil and pastel. The council will host a “Draw like Leonardo” class where students will sketch in the style of the great master Leonardo da Vinci. Students age 16 or older will meet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays from February through May at ArtSpace, the council’s new home at 240 Fifth St. The council will host a “Portrait Painting” course where students age 13 or older will get a chance to try oil painting. Class will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays from February through May. There will also be a “Paul’s Paint Party” from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 20, where participants will meet once to share appetizers and wine while they create a painting with a floral theme. For more information, go to the council’s website: sanbenitoarts.org. To buy tickets for the paint party, call the council at (831) 636-2787 or email in**@sa***********.com.
Casino trip
The Hollister Senior Center is hosting a fundraiser trip to Tachi Palace Casino on March 7. Departure is at 7:30 a.m. from the community center, 300 West St. The price is $30 per person. Each person gets $5 in free play. Anyone over 21 is welcome. This is a fun trip with a raffle and bingo, and a drawing for two free passes for this trip if there’s a full bus. Advanced registration is required. For more information, call Pauline at (831) 637-9275 weekdays or Dolly at (831) 637-1980.
California Indian Market
The 31st annual California Indian Market & World Peace Dance Festival is set for May 2 and May 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the San Juan Bautista School Soccer Lot, The Alameda and Highway 156. It will include Native American arts, crafts, dance, drums, foods, music. It will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo with Aztec dance groups. There is an educational benefit with a $1 donation. It is free to children under 12. Organizers will be honoring military veterans and Cinco De Mayo. It is sponsored by the Gilroy Children’s Center and San Juan Bautista Rotary Club. For more information, go to www.peacevision.net or call (831) 623-4771.
Champagne Tea event
The Champagne Tea and Treasures Silent Auction and Drawing is set for San Juan Oaks Golf Club on March 20 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Oak Room. It is $30 per person and presented by Friends of the San Benito County Free Library and Women’s Club of Hollister. For Tickets call (831) 205-1373 or email gc*********@gm***.com.
Open Studios Tour deadline
The weekend tour is hosted by the San Benito County Arts Council April 25 and April 26 and gives residents in Hollister, San Juan Bautista and Aromas a chance to open their studios, share their work and sell art. This year’s event will be preceded by a preview exhibition, which gives attendees a sneak peak of work from the featured studios. It is scheduled from April 3 to May 28 at ARTspace, the council’s new home on 240 Fifth St. There will be a reception with light refreshments and music from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 10. Artists wishing to participate in the tour must turn in applications by 5 p.m. Feb. 13. They can download a hard copy of the application from the council’s website, sanbenitoarts.org. For more information, reach out to the arts council by emailing in**@sa***********.org or calling (831) 636-2787.
Free tax preparation
The AARP Tax-Aide program offers free personal tax preparation assistance to low- to middle-income residents with special attention to those over age 60. Tax counselors are available by appontment at the Hollister Community Center, 300 West St., on Tuesday afternoons and all day Wednesdays between Feb. 8 and April 8. Starting this year, taxpayers must show that everyone on their tax returns has minimum, essential health coverage. Bring appropriate documents. To make an appointment,
call Irma at (831) 630-0642.
Oriana Chorale prepares for spring concert
Oriana Chorale is “calling all singers” for the 2015 Spring Concerts on May 15 and May 17, according to an announcement from the organization.
According to the announcement:
Oriana Chorale is starting off the new year with a new director. Rachael Romina is a multi-talented vocal coach and music instructor who will be taking Oriana to the next performance level. If you have been looking for somewhere to use or develop your vocal talent Oriana Chorale can be a place for you. Come to a rehearsal try us out and then be a part of this exciting season. If you have sung with us in the past please come back, we’ve missed you. You will enjoy performing again in these events that kick-off the holidays in San Benito County. All voices are needed, altos, tenors and basses are especially welcome. No auditions are required.
Rehearsals are set for 7:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at United Methodist Church, 521 Monterey St., Hollister
Concerts will be at St. Benedict Church on May 15 and the First Presbyterian Church on May 17. For more information, call (831) 637-8188.
Japanese Temple Garden discussion
The Hollister Japanese Temple Garden at 920 Riverside Road in Hollister is hosting “Dharma Talks-2015 with Rev. Cathy Toldi” from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. March 2, March 16, April 6 and April 20. Everyone is invited to these meetings. For more information, please call Don at (831) 637-6361.
