Today’s the day to find out how to help the annual Brighter Christmas charity at one of two meetings for volunteers. The meetings will be at the American Legion Hall, 1960 N. Tracy Blvd., from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Volunteers may sort and pack food and toys, transport collection boxes, sign up or interview families, or work at the “jail” or the Angel Tree at West Valley Mall.

More than 300 volunteers will be needed for the expected 700-plus families in need.

Volunteers may be any age as long as they’re older than 12, but a parent must be present if the volunteer is not yet in high school.

For information: tracybrighterchristmas.com or 833-3309.

Clothes 2 Work

The Tracy nonprofit organization Clothes 2 Work will give away free sweaters (limit of two per person) to women who show up at 1821 Parkside Drive between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday.

Also, for a nominal charge, the group will have other items for women to wear to work.

For information: Jacque Zoccoli, 835-2244.

Extreme drivers’ training

The next On-Track Safe Teen Driving event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, rain or shine, at the Altamont Motorsports Park, 17001 Midway Road.

Teens accompanied by their parents will be permitted to drive their own cars on the pit and track areas. Drivers must be between 14 and 18 years old, and proof of age is required.

The event is free.

For information: Ken Ucci, 601-6523; Virginia Kacludis, 607-5800; or www.safeteendriver.org.

Next holiday: Veterans Day

Tracy’s traditional Veterans Day observance will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Tracy War Memorial on East Ninth Street.

The featured speaker will be John J. Serpa, a Tracy resident who served with the U.S. Marine Corps on Okinawa during World War II. Representatives of the five armed services will place a wreath in front of the monument that includes the names of Tracy residents who died in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq.

Following the ceremony, refreshments will be served at the American Legion Hall on Tracy Boulevard.

For information: John Treantos, 832-8330.

Kids chess tourney

Freiler Elementary School will host a kids chess tournament Nov. 14 at the school, 2421 W. Lowell Ave.

Players (kids of all ages) must bring their own chess sets and will be grouped with others of similar ages and experience levels.

Registration is from 4 to 6 p.m., and play starts at 6:15 p.m. Cost is $10, and everyone will get a trophy.

For information: Tom Langland, 830-0368 or tom@tracychess.org.

How to catch a rattlesnake

Don Moyer, resident rattlesnake catcher, will give a program on California rattlers at the Mountain House Branch Library at 5 p.m. Nov 12. Moyer, who says he catches snakes for the excitement, will talk about snake basics, capture techniques, skinning, taxidermy and snake bite treatment.

The event is free. For information: don.moyer@gmail.com.

A Night of Talent

The students of Poet Christian Elementary School will perform songs and skits, play music and display their art at a fundraiser at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, 715 Central Ave.

The event is sponsored by the Tracy Educational Excellence Foundation, and tickets are $8.

For information: Steve Abercrombie, 470-2892.

A ‘thank you’ for heroes

Golden Corral restaurant will offer any person who has served in the U.S. military a free buffet dinner from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17. This is the eighth annual “thank you” dinner hosted at Golden Corral’s 485 restaurants across the country.

In Tracy, the restaurant is at 2850 W. Grant Line Road.For information: 834-1420.

• "Briefs" announces news about events, organizations and people in the Tracy and Mountain House areas. Items will be considered on the basis of space availability, public interest and timeliness. Questions may be directed to the newsroom at 830-4280. Press releases may be mailed to the Tracy Press, P.O. Box 419, Tracy 95378-0419.