Around Town (01/02/16)

Jan. 01--Behavioral Health board meeting

The next meeting of the Merced County Behavioral Health board will be Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Mental Health Department, 1137 B St. The meeting is open to the public.

Mental illness classes

Family-to-Family Education weekly classes will be offered beginning Thursday 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, email namimerced@aol.com or go to http://namimerced.org.

Grant, award opportunities at Courthouse Museum

The Merced County Historical Society is accepting nominations and applications for history awards and grants from $200 to $2,500. Application forms are available at the museum office or by calling 209-723-2401. Completed applications must be received by Friday and should be sent to: Merced County Courthouse Museum, 21st and N streets, Merced, CA 95340. All of the awards and grants will be presented at the Historical Society's annual meeting in February.

Badminton classes

Merced College Community Services will be offering badminton classes Jan. 5 through Feb. 4 from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The cost is $40 per participant. For more information, call 209-384-6224 or email communitysvc@mccd.edu.

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

Belly Dance Fitness

Merced College Community Services will be offering Belly Dance Fitness Levels I and II on Jan. 19 through Feb. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The cost is $60 per participant. For more information, call 209-384-6224 or email communitysvc@mccd.edu.

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, snow pants. Items can be dropped off at 658 W. Main St. For more information, call 209-383-4242.

Library volunteers

Friends of the Merced County Library invite 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. All are donated. Prices range from 25 cents to $2. All proceeds go to the library to buy new materials.

Free venue rentals

The Pacheco Village and Pacheco Court apartments in Los Banos offer free venue rentals. The rental includes a meeting space with a capacity of up to 60 and well-equipped club rooms with kitchens. It is available for local clubs, organizations, churches and nonprofit agencies to use for meetings and activities. For more information, call 209-826-8300 or go to the leasing office at 2241 Gilbert Gonzalez Jr. Drive.

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.

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