Relaxing and recreating in the Ranchos

The Minden-Douglas Elks Lodge No. 2670 invites the public to participate in some fun events they have planned.

Their annual Hoop Shoot free throw contest will be held Monday at Meneley Elementary starting at 3:30 p.m. The no-fee contest is open for kids ages 8-13 and will be separated into three different age categories for girls and boys. Winners from each category will receive an Elks basketball. Finalists at the district, state and national levels attend competitions as guests of the Elks.

The Elks Lodge hosts taco night from 5-7 p.m. Jan. 22. Tacos are just $1.50 apiece. Sunday, Jan. 25, will kickoff their first monthly pancake breakfast of the year. From 8:30-11 a.m., guests can enjoy their choice of pancakes, eggs or omelet, sausage, juice and coffee. The cost is $5.50 for adults and $3 for children. No reservations are required.

The Elks will honor their chosen Citizen of the Year on Jan. 30. No-host cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m. followed by a tri-tip dinner at 7 p.m. The award ceremony will commence after dinner is served. Tickets are $20 apiece and must be purchased in advance.

The lodge is located at 1276 Pit Road in the Gardnerville Ranchos. For more information or to secure a reservation, call them at 265-4523.

Specials at Silver Strike Lanes

Have you been to Silver Strike Lanes in the Ranchos lately? My family and I stopped by a couple of times over the holidays and had a great experience. The helpful and friendly staff combined with the warm, clean, indoor facility made for an afternoon of family fun.

There are several specials that run each week. Every Saturday night you can get your groove on with Extreme Bowling, which gets underway at 7 p.m. Each game costs $3.75 per person. Mondays feature $2 per person per game bowling all day. On Wednesdays (excluding holidays) they offer $5 All-You-Can-Bowl for a two-hour period. Bring your appetite and score a cheeseburger and fries for another $5. Shoe rentals are an additional $2 for all specials.

A non-sanctioned league will start on Wednesday nights beginning Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. The four-person team league will run for 14 weeks. You can join with your own team or come in a little early on Jan. 14 to see if you can secure a spot with an open team.

Silver Strike Lanes is open seven days a week. They operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. They're open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and you can bowl from 10 a.m. until midnight on Saturdays.

They are located in the Tillman Center at 1281 Kimmerling Road in the Ranchos. For more information, call 265-5454.

n Amy Roby can be reached at ranchosroundup@hotmail.com