COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Children’s activities

• April is National Financial Literacy Month and Genisys Credit Union is partnering with local libraries during Money Smart Week, April 10- 17. The credit union is working with libraries in White Lake, Highland Township, and Springfield Township to support their “Money Smart Story Time,” where participating children receive a free book, “Give It!” by Cinders McLeod, genisyscu.org.

Community events

• Stop Asian Hate Rally is 2p.m., April 11 at Troy City Hall 500 W Big Beaver Road, Troy. Contact Rebeka Islam, 248-346-6123.

• Indivisible Huron Valley monthly meeting is 7-8:30 p.m. April 14, via Zoom, (second Wednesday of the month) featuring guest speaker Ethan Petzold, SE MI Regional Coordinator of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, speaking on the topic of Climate Change, indivisiblehv.com.

• The Oakland University Center for Autism is offering a free virtual Autism Awareness series to observe Autism Awareness Month. Insights From a Late Autism Diagnosis is 6-7p.m. April 15and Collaborations and Innovations: Recent Research from the OU Center for Autism is noon-1 p.m. April 22.

COVID-19 testing and vaccine information

• State of Michigan COVID-19 hotline for testing or vaccines is 1-888-535-6136, (8a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.), for information, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus or email COVID19@michigan.gov.

• To receive the Oakland County COVID-19 Vaccination Newsletter, register your email address at www.oaklandcountyvaccine. com or text OAKGOV COVID to 468311. To make a vaccine appointment, visit OaklandCountyVaccine.com. If no internet, for vaccine appointments, call 1-800-848-5533, (8 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-noon,

Sat.). For the homebound in Oakland County, call 810-331-0902 to make an appointment with Ready Nursing Solutions.

• Also, for vaccine appointments, check with health providers, hospitals, and local pharmacies including Meijer at clinic.meijer. com; Rite Aid at riteaid.com/ covid-vaccine-apt; Kroger at kroger.com/rx/covid-eligibility; CVS at cvs.com/immunizations/ covid-19-vaccine; Walgreens at walgreens.com/topic/findcare/ coronavirus.jsp.

Earth Day/ Environmental activities

• Rain Gardens & Rain Barrels instructional is 6:30p.m. April

13, online via Zoom, hosted by Clinton River Watershed Council for community to protect local streams and rivers, crwc.org/ events.

• The Clinton River Watershed Council Weekly Clean Up is 10 a.m. Wednesdays April-November. Locations will be posted online in advance, open to all ages and skill levels, www.crwc. org/events.

• Adopt-A-Stream training with bug ID is 9a.m. April 17, outdoors at 1115W. Avon Road, Rochester Hills, hosted by Clinton River Watershed Council, register at crwc.org/events.

• Skywarn weather spotter training webinars are: 10 a.m.-noon April 17; 7-9p.m. April 26; 7-9 p.m. May 6; and 7-9p.m. May

25. Register at weather.gov/dtx/ spotter2.

• The City of Farmington Hills will host an Earth Week-Days of Action celebration with free, family virtual and in-person activities, April 17-21 at Heritage Park at 24915 Farmington Road, Farmington Hills. April 17is Public Volunteer Day. Remove invasive plants and help maintain the trails, Register at recreg.fhgov. com or facebook.com/fhspecialservices, 248-477-1135.

• “The Orchard Mason Bee-Your Native Pollinator” is 7p.m. April 21, presented by Jim Ullrich of Knox Cellars Mason Bees, sponsored by the Sierra Club Crossroads Group, online, www. sierraclub.org/michigan/crossroads.

• Spring Star Party is 8-10 p.m. April 23at Wint Nature Center in Independence Oaks County Park, 9501 Sashabaw Road, Clarkston. Join the Oakland Astronomy Club for a family-friendly night under the stars. See some great views and learn fun facts about the night sky. Bring a camp chair or blanket to sit on. Adv. register with $4 per person payment at 248-858-0916 weekdays. Masks are required.

• The Seven Ponds Astronomy Club next virtual meeting is 7 p.m. April 24, featuring Blake Nancarrow of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, at spncastronomy.wixsite.com/7ponds-astro-club or through the club’s Facebook page.

• Earth Day-Restore the Earth is 3-4 p.m. April 24 at Red Oaks Nature Center, 30300Hales St., Madison Heights, $5/person. Register with payment at 248858-0916 weekdays.

Fundraisers

• Friendship Circle, a nonprofit that supports individuals with special needs is reopening its Soul Cafe on April 12. It is at 5586 Drake Road, West Bloomfield Township, friendshipcircle. org/soul/cafe.

• The Zonta Club of Milford is hosting its 9th Annual Gala event, 6:30 p.m. April 13, partnering with Milford’s Clothing Cove. This year, the auction will be on Zoom and on Facebook live. Raffle tickets are $20 each, zontaclubofmilford.org. Zonta is a service organization to advance the status of women.

• The Village of Rochester

Hills will be hosting a drive-by donation event and Mothers’ Day Lavender Body Bundle gift sale, 4-7 p.m. April 16 to benefit Dutton Farm. Donations requested include outdoor gardening tools: four-wheeled wheelbarrows (new or used), flats of flowers, wood mulch or wood chips, Home Depot, Lowes, or Foglers gift cards (any increments) and gardening gloves for men and women. Also donations of paper towels, toilet paper, nitrile gloves, dish soap and sunscreen spray are being collected. Donors receive a sweet treat courtesy of Nothing Bundt Cakes in Rochester Hills, while supplies last, theVORH.com/Events.

• Rochester University’s 50th partnership virtual dinner is 5:30 p.m. April 17, featuring

Ben and Erin Napier, hosts of HGTV’s “Home Town” and hosted by Detroit TV and radio personality Chuck Gaidica, tickets are $150 with discounts for students and alumni, rochesterU.edu/PD.

• Beacon UU Congregation is holding it’s 3rd “Necessities Drive”, (collecting donations of nonperishable food, toiletries, diapers, etc.), 1-3 p.m. April 17, (rain date is 1-3 p.m. April 18) in the BeaconUUC parking lot, 4230 Livernois Troy, 248-3189542.

• Fleece & Thank You, a nonprofit. is hosting Make A Blanket Week: Walled Lake/ Novi presented by Kroger, April 17-April 24. The goal is to make 500 fleece, new-sew blankets for children in Michigan hospitals, give.fleeceandthankyou. org.

• Common Ground is hosting its annual Legacy of Hope Breakfast Fundraiser, 9 a.m. April 20, online, featuring discussion by experts on the growing need for mental health crisis services and the plans for expansion of Common Ground’s services. Register at bit.ly/3bZ1PJR, commongroundhelps.org, 248-456-8150. For crisis help and resources, call or text the 24-hour Resource and Crisis Helpline at 800-231-1127. • OLHSA Walk for Warmth is 9 a.m.-noon, May 1, Canterbury Village, 2359Joslyn Ct., Lake Orion, olhsa.org/walkforwarmth.

Health/Fitness events

• “Lace up for Spring”, a self-guided walking program is through April 28. Participants have 21days to walk 21 kilometers (half marathon) to receive a pair of WB Parks shoe laces. Register at bit.ly/3sHAl1h, information at wbparks.org.

Libraries

• Baldwin Public Library announces that any student attending school in Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms or the City of Bloomfield Hills qualify to receive a library card at the Baldwin Public Library with access to library digital resources including research databases, newspapers, Mango Language learning, BrainFuse Tutoring, Tumblebooks, and Scholastic Teachables. Students and parent or guardian can apply for a card at baldwinlib.org/get-library-card/ and collect the card from the library at 300 W. Merrill St., Birmingham.

• Lyon Township Public Library presents Virtual Books & Brews Book Club discussion, 7 p.m. April 13, online via Zoom, register at lyon.assabetinteractive. com/calendar, 248-437-8800, free.

• Oxford Public Library is hosting the Paxton/Spangler Band, 7 p.m. April 14, Oxford, limited in-person, virtual, miopl.org, 248-628-3034.

Museums

• Modern Interpretation of Native Americans is 7-8:30p.m. April

15, via Zoom, free, donations welcome, bit.ly/39YjLme.

• The Rochester Hills Museum presents Museum Grounds/Museum Exhibits/1840Van Hoosen Farmhouse Tour, 1-2p.m. April

16, April 17, May 14, May 15 at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, 1005Van Hoosen Road, Rochester Hills, $5/adults, $3/seniors and students. Adv. registration at rochesterhills.org/ musprograms.

Nonprofit grants

• Farmington and Farmington Hills Foundation for Youth & Families is accepting Spring 2021Grant Cycle applications. Programs and organizations that are serving youth and families in the Farmington and Farmington Hills area may be eligible. Applications must be submitted via email by April 15, lizhood@ffhfoundation.org, 248-426-1190. In addition applications from critical need programs and organizations in the area continue to be accepted for the COVID-19 emergency grant program, www. ffhfoundation.org.

Parks

• Oakland County Parks and Recreation’s five golf courses are opening: Glen Oaks, Lyon Oaks, Red Oaks, White Lake Oaks, Springfield Oaks golf courses are open. Online tee times can be reserved at OaklandCountyParks. com, by clicking on the golf tab, 248-858-0906.

• Evergreen Hills Golf Course, at the Donald F. Fracassi Municipal Campus, 26000Evergreen Road, Southfield is open. Golfers can book tee times online from their computer or mobile devices via GolfNow, cityofsouthfield.com/ departments/parks-recreation/ golf, and then pay at the pro shops. Also City of Southfield citywide picnic shelter reservations are open to Southfield residents, cityofsouthfield.com.

• Huron-Clinton Metroparks, www.metroparks.com. Park entrance fees apply.

• Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas are open, www. michigan.gov/dnr. Park entrance fees apply.

Shredding/Hazardous waste disposal events

• Resource, Recovery and Recycling Authority of Southwest Oakland County,RRRASOC is hosting Household Hazardous Waste drop-off events: 9 a.m.2 p.m. April 17 at RRRASOC

MRF - Truck Entrance, 20875 Mapleridge Ave. Southfield; and 9 a.m.-2 p.m., May 1 at Oakland Community College - Orchard Ridge Campus Lot 8, 27055 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills, 248-208-2270, www. rrrasoc.org.

• Free document shredding for Oakland County residents is

5-7 p.m. April 21 at the Oakland County Farmers Market. No commercial or business use. The trucks will be in the parking lot; there is no need for residents to leave their cars. limited documents to three or four boxes of paper only. oaklandCountyParks.com.

Student essay contests

• EVERFI virtual Financial Literacy Bee scholarship essay contest is open to students ages 13-18 is through April

15. The program features digital lessons, followed by a capstone essay contest, in which students will be asked to share a short-term or long-term savings goal and outline their plan to achieve that goal. Three nationwide winners of the EVERFI Financial Literacy Bee will share in a total of $20,000 in college scholarships, with a $10,000 prize for first place, $6,000 for second and $4,000 for the third-place winner. The bee is sponsored in Michigan by Cornerstone Community Financial, ccfcu.everfi-next.net/ welcome/national-financialbee-2021.

Volunteer opportunities

• Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan seeks volunteers for National Rebuilding Day, April 24, to repair 10homes in Farmington Hills, Southfield, and Huron Valley areas, revitalizing Heritage Park in Farmington Hills, register at sforce.co/2OvOHmq. The organization will also be distributing 100safe and healthy home kits to Farmington Hills residents free, on a first-come first-serve basis. The safe and healthy home kit is a 5-gallon bucket containing a smoke detector, fire extinguisher, CO detector, first aid kit, damprid, window insulation kit, pest prevention, masks and brochures, rtsemi.org.

• April is National Volunteer Month and the American Red Cross is celebrating blood, platelet and plasma donors and urging healthy individuals to join them in giving. Those who go to give by April 30will automatically be entered for a chance to win one of five $1,000e-gift cards. For information, visit rcblood. org/Gift. Schedule a donation appointment by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1800-733-2767).

Women’s activities

• “Women to Work”, a free fourweek virtual course starts April 20, 10a.m. to noon, Tuesdays and Thursdays, via Zoom. The course presented by JVS Human Services, offers critical skills to women who have been out of the workforce. Contact Judy Richmond at 248-233-4232 or email jrichmond@jvshumanservices.org.

Submit community events to The Oakland Press online at www.bit. ly/1iUM73e.