The Manteca Mural Society is hosting its very first Student Mural Contest where a student or group of students who attend or live within Manteca Unified School District boundaries has/have an opportunity to paint a mural on a building located in Manteca. Contestants must submit a mural design to the Manteca Mural Society by Dec. 1.

The winning design will be awarded $250; second place will receive $100; and third place will earn $50. The high school of the winning student or group of students will be awarded $500 in art supplies. All winners will have the opportunity to work with a contracted artist to paint the mural.

For an application or further details, visit www.sjcoe.org. For more information, contact Gayl Wilson at 483-8187.

The Manteca Military Families’ mission is to provide support to one another and support loved ones serving their country.

They meet once a month, on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the American Legion McFall Grisham Post #249, 220 E. Yosemite Ave., Manteca. The next meeting is Oct. 20.

Membership is open to family members of active duty military personnel from the Manteca/Ripon/Lathrop area serving in the states and around the world. They also welcome family members of National Guard and Reserve troops currently deployed overseas.

Please call Cathy Martinez at 825-0561 for more information.

RIPON - The Ripon Chamber of Commerce and Ripon Soroptimist International present the 48th Annual Almond Blossom Festival Queen Contest.

The applications will be available on Monday, Nov. 16, at 9 a.m. at the following locations:
•Ripon Chamber Office, 929 West Main Street.  
•Ripon High School Office, 304 N. Acacia Ave.
•Ripon Christian High School Office, 435 N. Maple Ave.

They are accepting all applications. The applications must be turned in to the Ripon Chamber office by Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009, before 4 p.m. You must be at least a junior and 16 years of age by Dec. 3, 2009 and not over the age of 19.

 For more information, please contact Dorothy Booth at the Chamber office, (209) 599-7519.

The City of Lathrop is accepting entry applications for the Dec. 12 Festival of Lights Holiday Parade.

The 2009 theme is “Lighting the Way with Hope.”

The Mayor’s Parade Committee is being chaired by Tony Martin while Ron and Susan Dell’Osso will serve as the grand marshals.

Entry fee is $20. The deadline for all entries is Monday, Nov. 30.

The parade will start at 5 p.m. at J and Fifth streets, traveling south on Fifth to Mingo Lane.

Applications are available at the City of Lathrop website (www.ci.lathrop.ca.us), Lathrop City Hall, Lathrop Community Center and the Lathrop Senior Center.

For more information, call (209) 941-7370.

MOMS Club
Manteca N.
meets Nov. 20

The MOMS Club of Manteca North will be holding their once a month business meeting at Northgate Church on Friday, Nov. 20, at 10 a.m. on Northgate Drive.

All mothers and their children are welcome to attend. The speaker will be a medical professional from Manteca Pediatrics to discuss various health issues involving children. Refreshments will also be provided.

The MOMS Club of Manteca North is a local chapter of an international support group for at home mothers and their children. With so many mothers working outside the home today it can be extremely hard for stay-at-home mothers to meet each other. The moms club allows at-home mothers to get together in a supportive atmosphere.

What makes this group unique aside from the fact it is the only international organization specifically for at-home mothers, they host a wide range of activities as well. For example they have monthly meetings with interesting speakers, park and play-days, playgroups, special outings for mothers and their children, holiday activities, moms night out and service projects benefiting the community, just to name a few.

For additional information please email Sarah Hartley at mantecamomsclub@yahoo.com or write to  Moms Club of Manteca N., P.O Box 384, Manteca, Ca 95336.   

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ladies Auxiliary would like your help.

They will be sending our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan a Christmas card and a candy cane. Please consider putting a smile on the face of one of our courageous men and women serving our country. All you have to do is make a Christmas card and address the card to a soldier. The Ladies Auxiliary will pick up your cards and mail them to our heroic troops.

Deadline is Tuesday, Dec. 1. To help with this important project call Sherie Layson at 922-9533.