Community calendar

Band concert

Polson High School bands will kick off their performance season with a winter concert on Thursday, Dec. 15. Come join them in the PHS auditorium at 7 p.m. for some spectacular holiday music, including “Sleigh Ride,” requested by popular demand. Admittance is free although donations are gratefully accepted.

Christmas concerts

The Ronan School District Music Department is having four Christmas concerts this year. All groups will be performing a wide variety of sacred and secular Christmas music. Admission is free and the public is cordially invited to attend any or all of the concerts. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, the high school bands and choirs will perform. Friday, Dec. 16, K.W.H. kindergarten will have a concert at the RPAC at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20 choirs from K.W.H. will present two concerts. Grades 1 and 2 will perform at 9:30 a.m. Third and fourth graders will perform at 2 p.m. in the RPAC. Wednesday, Dec. 21 Pablo Elementary School will have its Christmas program in the Pablo school gym at 9 a.m.

Share the spirit

Gifts purchased for Share the Spirit (STS) Holiday Assistance program need to be returned by Thursday, Dec. 15, to a tree location or taken to STS Santa Headquarters in the former DRS building on South Hills at the top of Polson Hill. Donations are needed to purchase gifts for kids whose tags are not taken from a STS tree. Donations can be mailed to Share the Spirit, P.O. Box 1341, Polson, MT 59860. Volunteers are needed and can call STS at 883-1046 to schedule a time to work. Santa’s headquarters are open from noon to 5:30 p.m. every day through Thursday, Dec. 22. STS has worked since 1998 in the county to assist struggling families with toys, clothes and gifts at Christmas. In 2010, over 1,200 children in 437 families received gifts. Call 883-1046 for more information.

Around the world

Come join the Polson business community for traditions, food and music from countries around the world showcased in your favorite downtown shops on Dec. 16. Festivities will be from 5-7 p.m. Register to win a holiday gift basket!

Theater production

Arlee Community Theater will have an informational meeting on Monday, Dec. 19 for its winter 2012 production of “Mrs. California.” The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the Brown Building. Cast and production/backstage crew needed for this comedy set in the 1950s with performances in mid-February. Beat the winter blahs by getting involved in this community venture! Questions or volunteers call Cindy Newberg 726.4230 or Bonnie Barger 726.3969 or cindynewberg@blackfoot.net.

Choral concert

The Polson public schools will present the annual 2011 Christmas Choral Concert on Monday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. in the PHS Auditorium. This choir concert features the middle school through high school students. The high school choirs will combine for the concert finale which is the traditional “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. All community choir members and PHS alumni who wish to sing with the mass choir need to attend the rehearsal at about 6:45 in the music room before the concert. Donations of non-perishable food items for the local food pantry can be substituted for admission so come and share in a great evening of holiday cheer!

Arlee CDC

The Arlee CDC will hold its December meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. in the Arlee High School Business Lab. The meeting is open to the public and we welcome you to attend. For more information contact Kelley at 726-5550.

Judges needed for Ronan speech, drama and debate

Ronan High School is hosting a Speech, Drama and Debate tournament on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. We will need a tremendous number of judges to fill approximately 350 judging slots. We are requesting your help for a single event, several events, or the full day. Any of your time would be greatly appreciated. Please call or email Melissa Knabe at 676-3390 x3523 (melissa.knabe@ronank12.edu) or Judy Doyle at x3526 (judy.doyle@ronank12.edu).

For those anxious about judging for the first time, a judges clinic will be held on Thursday, Jan. 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Ronan High School. Breakfast and lunch will be provided on the day of the tournament. Thank you in advance for your help and for your continued support of our students.

Judges needed for state speech, drama and debate

The Polson High School Speech and Drama team is hosting the Montana Class A Speech and Drama Meet on Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. Over 400 students from across Montana will compete at Polson High School, Polson Middle School, and Linderman Elementary School. There will be 2,000 speeches, debates and drama skits performed during the meet.

Please join your friends in the community by volunteering to judge. No special training or education is needed, but judge training sessions will be offered at the Polson High School library at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24 and Wednesday, Jan. 25. You can commit to judge just one round or as many rounds as you wish over the two-day event. You may specify the type of event you prefer to judge: speech, drama and/or debate. Rounds last approximately 1.5 hours and are scheduled. For more info or to volunteer, contact Pat Cross at 249 -1397 or judges@lumen-perfectus.com or Jon Petersen at 253-7801 or jpetersen@polson.k12.mt.us.