Tootsie Roll fundraiser

The Tracy Knights of Columbus will have its 19th annual Tootsie Roll fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday at various businesses around Tracy.

The Knights are looking for volunteers to work two-hour shifts handing out candy and collecting money that will be donated to help mentally retarded children and adults.

For information: Frank Dimenco, 836-4353 or 513-5180.

Poet Christian’s tri-tip dinner

Poet Christian will serve a hot and ready-to-eat drive-through tri-tip dinner from 5 to 7 tonight in the Smart & Final parking lot on West 11th Street.

The event will raise money to send kids to science camp.

Cost is $30 for a meal that will feed six people. It comes with slices of barbecued tri-tip, pasta salad, baked beans, dinner rolls and sodas.

To order: John Day BBQ, 833-0810.

Holiday packages for soldiers

Military Moms of Tracy will pack holiday care packages for Tracy military personnel serving all over the world and wants to make sure it has the correct address for soldiers who will receive packages. The deadline to submit a soldier’s name and address is Oct. 31.

For information: Marilyn Chorley, 835-5559.

Blues from the bayou

Zydeco, a Cajun-influenced blues band, will play at 8 p.m. Saturday at Heinbockels Inn, 11714 Finck Road.

Admission is free.

For information: 835-4518.

Elks dinner

The Tracy Elks Lodge will host a family night at the lodge with a turkey dinner with all the fixings at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at 6400 E. 11th St.

The Elks will serve turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, potatoes and gravy, salad and desert.

Cost is $7 per person.

For information: 835-4413.

Make a Difference Day

Tracy’s Department of Parks and Community Services is looking for volunteers to help feed the hungry and do other acts to help families stay together on its sixth annual Make a Difference Day on Oct. 28.

The event starts with a 9 a.m. continental breakfast at the Lolly Hansen Senior Center, 375 E. Ninth St.

At 10 a.m., volunteers will gather at a few stores in town to buy items that will be sorted and then donated to the McHenry House Family Shelter, Tracy Interfaith Ministries, and the Boys

&

Girls Clubs of Tracy.

For information: 831-4200.

Chamber mixer

The Tracy Chamber Ambassador Group will host a Networking Mixer for the business community from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Holiday Inn Express, 3751 N. Tracy Blvd.

The event will have food, networking and door prizes, and organizers say attendees should bring plenty of business cards.

For information: Sofia Valenzuela, 835-2131.

Youth symphony concert

Amanda Aikawa, concertmaster of the Central Valley Youth Symphony, announces that the Central Valley Youth Symphony will kick off its 2006-07 season with a free concert in Tracy on Oct. 28.

This will be the symphony’s only concert in Tracy; the rest will be in Lodi and Stockton. Tracy’s concert will begin at 3 p.m. at Williams Middle School, 1600 Tennis Lane, and is funded by the Tracy Performing Arts Foundation.

The Central Valley Youth Symphony was established in 1965 to provide young musicians the opportunity to join an orchestra and play with other musicians of comparable skills and interests. It has 70 student musicians between 8 and 22 years old.

\• Submit items for the “Briefs” column to City Editor Eric Firpo — via mail (145 W. 10th St.), e-mail (tpnews@tracypress.com) or fax (830-0655) — at least five days before desired publication. For information, call 830-4280.