Brand it Blue Day

Saturday is Brand it Blue Day, a day of volunteerism sponsored by Express Employment Professionals of Gonzales. The company is hosting a nonperishable food drive through Friday at its office, 915 S. Nickens Ave., in Gonzales.

Volunteers will host a final collection day Saturday, then gather the donations for distribution to food pantries serving the River Parishes. Monetary donations from local businesses also will be accepted.

The summertime is an especially difficult season for children who depend on the meals they receive at school, Express owner Amy Velez said. The donations we receive will help provide meals for children and their families in our community.

Repticon Baton Rouge, a reptile and exotic animal show, returns to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. VIP entry is at 9 a.m. Saturday.

The event includes vendors offering reptile pets, supplies, feeders, cages and merchandise, live animal seminars and free prize raffles.

Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 5-12 and free for children younger than 5. Tickets, as well as special offers on two-day and VIP tickets, are available at repticon.com/louisiana/baton-rouge.

Ashleigh Fuller will lead Not a #Number for ages 13-17 in St. Elizabeth Hospitals Sister Linda conference room from 10:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Wednesday.

The curriculum uses information, critical thinking and skill development to teach youth how to protect themselves from human trafficking and exploitation.

The program is free, but registration is required; call (225) 621-2906.

A vegetable garden workshop with LSU Agricultural Center and Ascension Master Gardeners is slated for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center.

The workshop features discussions on vegetable varieties planted in the demonstration gardens, insect and disease issues and controls, announcement of the 2017 4-H Youth and Adult Garden Contest winners and a biggest tomato contest.

Those wishing to enter the biggest tomato contest should bring their biggest tomato to the workshop for a weigh-in, with a winner being announced during the workshop.

Call (225) 621-5799 by Friday so organizers can get a head count.

Hopeful Baptist Church, 39067 La. 22,in Darrow is planning its first men's conference, Building Spiritual Men, from 7:30 p.m. June 16 to 9:30 a.m. June 17.

Bishop Xavier D. Madison Sr. will lead the conference.

For registration, which is $20, call (225) 247-4661 or (225) 473-3300.

Contact Darlene Denstorff by phone, (225) 388-0215 or (225) 603-1996; or email, ascension@theadvocate.com or ddenstorff@theadvocate.com. Deadline: noon Monday.

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Around Ascension for June 8, 2017 - The Advocate