Martinez Business Beat, May 23, 2018

Thursday Is Red Nose Charity Day At Walgreens

Don’t laugh at anyone wearing a red clown nose Thursday. Walgreens is selling the bright accessory to raise money for children who are living in difficult situations.

Red Nose Day is a fundraising campaign run by the nonprofit organization Comic Relief Inc., a registered charity, and it started in 2015 with the goal of ending child poverty in the United States and elsewhere.

Money helps needy communities in all 50 states and supports such charities as Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Children’s Health Fund, Covenant House, Feeding America, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, UnidosUS, Save the Children, the Global Fund and Charity: Water.

Walgreens is one of two retailers of the Red Nose, and pins, wristbands and writing pens also are being sold.

Martinez’s Walgreens is at 3655 Alhambra Ave. and is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the pharmacy open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A donation of a dollar can supply a nutritious meal to a child or school supplies for a student in a developing country; a $5 donation gives medical supplies for a doctor visit at a Children’s Health Fund mobile clinic; $10 provides a child a safe place during summer or textbooks for a class of students in a developing country.

Donations also may be made online at https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/rednoseday.jsp?ext=gooFY18_Red_Nose_BMM_Red_Nose_NB_+red_+nose_+day_+walgreens&sst=5bbb88cc-dc4d-4913-b98f-5acc2ce0d9ed.

Tickets Available For Wine Stroll

Tickets to the Downtown Martinez Summer Wine Stroll, 2:30 p.m. to 5;30 p.m. June 9, are available online.

Those buying tickets will take them at 1 p.m. to the Main Street Plaza next to Starbucks to redeem them for a tasting glass, wine glass charm, a map of participating businesses and a passport. Tasting will not start until 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20 plus service fees and tax, and are available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/downtown-martinez-summer-wine-stroll-2018-tickets-44042248551.

Second Sunday Open Air Market Opens In June

The Second Sunday Open Air Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the second Sunday of each month through October, will start next month.

Coinciding with the Sunday Farmers Market, the Open Air Market will offer vintage and antique collectibles, arts and crafts and other merchandise in the 800 block of Main Street or in the Main Street Plaza.

Potential vendors may download an application online from https://downtownmartinez.org/events.

Business News Welcome At The Martinez News-Gazette

The Martinez News-Gazette’s weekly Martinez Business Beat column is an opportunity for local businesses and companies to tell our readers about business-oriented news, such as moves, grand openings, awards, promotion of employees, staff changes and changes in goods and services.

Submissions will be edited for length and content. Please include who, what, when, where, why and how, preferably in the body of an email; and please provide contact information.

The deadline is 3 p.m. Friday for news items to appear in the following Wednesday edition. Please e-mail news releases and accompanying high-resolution photographs and logos to martinezgazettereporter@gmail.com and put “Attn: Business Beat” in the subject line along with the name of your business.

The Martinez News-Gazette also appreciates area companies’ advertising patronage. For advertising services, please call 925-228-6400.