Weekend Spotlight: Giving Back While Having Fun

Why not mix a good deed with weekend fun? With these events, you can shop, enjoy a night out or enjoy a yoga class – all while giving back.

After the weekend is through, give back and get a free coney 1-7 p.m. Monday at the Berkley VFW blood drive.

Or, mark Fat Tuesday with some Mardi Gras fun in Royal Oak and enjoy a citywide pub crawl. The best part is, all sales benefit Royal Oak Community Farm.

Here are some weekend events that mix charity with pleasure:

Educator Appeciation Weekend

The Berkley Book Corner honors educators by offering them a chance to stock classrooms or enhance their personal libraries 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and noon-5 p.m. Saturday. All teachers and school administrators with valid ID will receive 20 percent off their entire purchase of in-stock books. The Berkley Book Corner is an independent bookstore with more than 10,000 books in stock.

Blood Drive at Leon & Lulu

Did you know that one pint of your blood can save up to three lives? From 1-7 p.m. Thursday, you can shop, save a life and have a cookie all in one visit at Leon & Lulu. When you shop, 10 percent of the sales will be donated to the American Red Cross. Schedule an appointment online or call 248-288-3600.

St. Patrick's Day Parade Fundraiser

Come enjoy a spaghetti dinner with salad and bread, as well as Irish entertainment from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday. Homemade baked goods will be available for purchase at the event, which takes place at the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Adults eat for $10; Children younger than 10 eat for $5. Proceeds from the evening help fund the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Hope for Jessica: Afternoon

Certified yoga instructor Monica Breen will lead a class 4-5 p.m. Sunday at Serendipity Yoga in Ferndale with all proceeds going directly to the transplant fund for Jessica Johnson.

The class will be a mixed level hatha yoga class-open to all levels. Cash donations will be accepted at the class with the suggestion donation is at least $10 per person, including those who regularly attend classes at Serendipity.

Johnson, 33, was born with cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic disease has left Jessica with only 30 percent to 40 percent of her normal lung capacity, and she will continue to lose lung capacity until she gets a transplant. For more information on Jessica and why her friends and family are working to raise $60,000 for transplant-related costs, please visit cotaforjessicaj.com

For more weekend events, visit our Events guide here. If you'd like to post your own event, watch this video tutorial.