Sons in Retirement honors Vietnam-era vets at ceremony
The Sons in Retirement (SIR) Branch 145 in Acampo recently honored 42 Vietnam/Vietnam-era veterans who are SIR members at the Moose Lodge in Acampo.
The program was coordinated by SIR Area Governor Rick Kindle, who is a partner with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration.
Presenting label pins to the honorees was Rear Admiral USCG Michael R. Seward, also Commander of VFW District 13. He was assisted by Major USAF Richard Paulson from Turlock.
Eighty-five SIR members were in attendance and the local organizer was Little SIR Phil Schrock. Also honored and recognized were all WWII and Korea War veterans. Many Vietnam veterans were not treated well upon their return from service and the purpose of this event was to thank and honor these veterans.
Those honored included: Andy Bailey, Ben Bendbrook, Charles Bennet, Rama Bolar, William Brager, Ken Cardwell, Frank Danials, William Elsholz, Clay Follett, Fran Forkas, Alphonsus Furr, Robert Gorbet, Jim Grimes, Paul Heaney, Ray Honey, Bill Hrovat, Kennet Kramlich, Larry Lambert, Howard Larimer, Ted Leventini, Ernie Lucero, Mike Lynn, George Medeiros, Thomas Mueller, Don Norman, John Nunes Chad Palmer, Ronald Russell, Bill Rutherford, John Schwartz, Bill Shankles and Silas Suits.
Tokay Branch 145 meets for lunch on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Moose Lodge, 3824 E. Woodbridge Road, Acampo. BIG SIR is Robert Gorbet.
People interested in joining SIR can find more information at the 145 website at
Those interested in more information on the Vietnam/ Vietnam-era commemoration can visit
Cell Block 7 performs tonight
Enjoy a dinner, full bar and live music from Cell Block 7 tonight at American Legion Hall. The Lodi jazz band will have the place swinging from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Guests can enjoy a spaghetti dinner with salad, bread and dessert for $15. For $5, guests can munch on a hot dog and chips, or upgrade to a burger for $8.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. The Lodi American Legion is at 320 N. Washington St., Lodi.
Day-2-Day Diabetes Support Group
The Day-2-Day Diabetes Support Group is holding its next meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Lodi Public Library. The meeting will be a round robin discussion featuring Maureen Rosales, business development manager for South Bay Health insurance Services.
The group discusses both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as pre-diabetes. The group’s goal is to educate people with diabetes or prediabetes so they can better cope with the condition and live well. Family members, caregivers and friends are also welcome.
There is no membership fee or cost to attend. All meetings are open to the public. The Lodi Public Library is at 201 W. Locust St., Lodi. For more information, call Duane Simpfenderfer Sr. at 209 369-1599.
Newcomers Club meeting
The Lodi Newcomers Club’s July Coffee will he held on Thursday, 9:30 a.m., at Coco’s Bakery, located at 2347 W. Kettleman Lane. The hostess will be Marilyn McGee and no reservations are needed.
Gardening with worms workshop
Delta Tree Farms will host a free public workshop, “Vermiculture: The Natural Way To A Lush Home Garden” on Saturday. The workshop will look at how gardeners can take advantage of worms for a healthier garden.
The workshop will be presented by John Leonard of Delta Tree Farms, and will include refreshments and a raffle for a complete worm box. The class will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the nursery, 12900 N. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi. For more information, call 209369-6797.
Seventh annual Sip and Snack at the Mac
The Galt Area Historical Society hosts their yearly wine, food and beer tasting event on July 29 at McFarland Living History Ranch, 8899 Orr Road, Galt.
Tasting lasts from 6 to 9 p.m., with live music and dancing from 7 to 10 p.m. There will be ongoing hay rides around the ranch, as well as tours of the McFarland home.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door, and can be purchased at Barsetti Vineyards’ tasting room at 400 4th St., Galt. Tickets are also available online at
via PayPal, by calling 209-745-1477 or by emailing
All proceeds support the McFarland Living History Ranch.
Computer classes at the Lodi Public Library
The Lodi Public Library will hold the following computer classes:
• Computer Basics: 9 a.m. July 24, 25 and 31. Computer, internet and email basics for beginners.
• Microsoft Word: 9 a.m. July 19, 20, 26 and 27. learn how to create and edit various types of Word documents.
All classes are free, but require advance registration. They will be held in the library’s Computer Learning Center, 201 W. Locust St., Lodi. For more information or to register0, call 209-333-5554 or email
Lodi-area student earn academic nods
Several students from the Lodi and Galt area have earned academic honors during the spring semester. Azusa Pacific University: • Carmen Campos of Lodi. • Andrew Estrella of Lodi. • Linda Ponce-Schwabauer of Lodi.
Students on the dean’s list must earn a grade-point average 3.5 or higher. Aurora University: • Dylan Scatz of Lodi. Schatz is majoring in accounting/business administration.
Students on the dean’s list must earn a GPA of 3.6 or higher.
Galt student earns master’s degree
Benjamin Paul Santos of Galt has earned a Master of Science in health and human performance from Fort Hays State University in Kentucky.