Community calendar

Softball coaches

Ronan/Pablo Youth Softball Association is looking for volunteers to coach its 10-U and 12-U age groups and volunteers to work in the concessions. Please contact Ambree at 883-5952 if you would like to help out.

Masumola meets

The February 2012 meeting of the Masumola Club will be held on Thursday, Feb. 9 A social hour will be held from 5:45-6:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 and a program at 7. The clubhouse is located on Masumola Road. Turn onto Rocky Point Rd. off Hwy. 93 and Masumola is a right turn after the 3 mile marker. The clubhouse is .25 mile down the road. Anyone in the community of Polson and the surrounding area is invited to attend this meeting as a guest or join the club and enjoy friendship, meetings and interesting programs. The only requirement for new guests is to bring your own utensils and a dish to pass, if you wish. For membership information, contact Irene Marchello at 406-883-6184.

Pachyderm club meets

Mitch Young, Lake County Attorney, will be the guest speaker at the meeting of the Lake County Pachyderm Club, Friday, Feb. 10, at the Rural Fire Department Hall on Airport Road, Polson. Young will overview how allegations of criminal violations against peace officers are handled and will answer questions about the current situation in the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. The Pachyderm meeting begins with a social time at 11:30 a.m.; brown bag lunches are encouraged. The business meeting begins at noon and concludes at 1 p.m.

President’s lecture

Professor Virgil Brave Rock will speak about “Three Indian Cultures Within Indian Culture” at the SKC President’s Lecture Series on Friday, Feb. 10 from 12-1 p.m. at the Arlee/Charlo Theatre on the SKC campus in Pablo. The lecture is a look at the progression of the Native American people from the cultural, bi-cultural and non cultural perspective and their characteristics.

Free tax help

The VITA Program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income (generally, $49,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns at the SKC Agnes Vanderburg Building Fridays, Feb. 10, 17, 24 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., no appointments necessary. For more information and what to bring, contact Tina Begay, site coordinator, at 406-275-4851 or through email to tina_begay@skc.edu.

Potato bake

Ronan Show Choir will have its annual Potato Bake fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 12 from 4-6:30 p.m at the Ronan Event Center. There will be a show choir performance at 5 p.m. and a silent auction all evening.

Potluck dinner

The monthly community potluck will be Sunday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. at the Valley View Clubhouse, 40762 Valley View Road. Bring your favorite potluck dish to share and enjoy the good company. Valley View Women’s Club monthly meeting is Thursday, Feb. 9, call if you would like to join. Our spring rummage sale will be May 5. We need donations of non clothing items, please, as we are raising money for rain gutters for the clubhouse. Call Kelly Bailey at 883-2910. Thank you!

LCRW meets

District Court Judge Kim Christopher will be the guest speaker at the meeting of the Lake County Republican Women on Monday, Feb. 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the Rural Fire Hall on Airport Road west of the bridge in Polson. All those interested in learning more about voter impact on the Montana Supreme Court and the important issue of how Montana Supreme Court justices are elected are encouraged to attend. Reserve a brown bag lunch with coffee, tea, or water by contacting Kathryn Johnson at kljohnson_22@yahoo.com or 883-9367 by Friday, Feb. 10.

Checkmate!

The first local Community Chess Night is Monday, Feb. 13 from 4-7 p.m. at the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. Free hot dogs, chips and beverages will be available. All ages and all level of players are invited for a fun night of chess. Ages 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult or guardian. Game boards will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own if you wish. For more information or questions, please contact Annette Schiele at 406-552-0944.

Flathead Basin meets

Members of the Flathead Basin Commission (FBC) will hold a meeting on Feb. 15 from 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. at the DNRC office, 655 Timberwolf Parkway, Kalispell. For more information, contact the FBC at 240-3453.

Community dance

Valentines Day dance at the Elks will be on Feb. 15 from 7-10 p.m. Bring your sweetheart, or just come alone, you might even meet a new friend at the dance. Bring cookies if you wish and enjoy the band, Ken’s Country Combo. They play classic pop and country. See you there.

Winter lecture

Dr. Jakki Mohr will share compelling information about biomimicry, a design method that emulates nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies when seeking solutions to human problems in her talk, “Unleashing the Promise of Biomimicry for Sustainable Innovation” on Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Big Sky Art Bistro. The presentation is part of the World Class Winter Lecture Series. The event is free and open to the public, with a reception to follow the lecture.

Bird search

Audubon’s annual Great Backyard Bird Count takes place across the country Feb. 17-20. Join naturalist Kathy Ross of Flathead Audubon on Feb. 17, the first morning of the count, to identify and count birds in the Swan River/Echo Lake area. Participants will search for waterfowl in the winter landscape of the Swan River. Meet at 9 a.m. at the north end of the Swan River School parking lot to carpool. Birders will return at noon. Participants should bring binoculars and/or spotting scopes and warm clothing. Contact Kathy Ross at 837-3837 to join the free field trip or for further information.

Christian play

Live drama enthusiasts don’t want to miss the Mission Valley Christian Academy’s performances of “Echo Pool” on Feb. 16, 17, 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. and Saturday matinees on Feb. 18 and 25 at 2 p.m. The performances will be held at MVCA, 38907 Hwy. 35, Polson.

HRC panel

“Comparing Historical Civil Rights Protests to the Occupy Movement of Today” is the title of a panel presentation sponsored by the Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition Inc. on Feb. 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Room 107 of the Michel Building on the SKC campus. This event is open to the public and questions may be asked after the panel presentation. Teachers and students are encouraged to attend and take notes. For more information call Cathy at 745-4259.

Job fair

Salish Kootenai College Career Services, Student Support Services, Indigenous Math and Science Institute and Lake County Job Service are hosting a Career/Job Fair, Tuesday, Feb. 21. The event will take place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Joe McDonald Health and Wellness Center (SKC gym). Representatives from local, state and national organizations will offer full and part-time employment, summer employment, as well as internships and career opportunities. Workshops will be held in conjunction with the event at the Arlee/Charlo Theater from 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. For more information contact: Terri Cordier 406-275-4824, Chris Strom 406-275-4753 or Todd Erickson 406-883-7885.

Adopt-a-book

North Lake County Public Library is offering its annual Adopt-a-Book program, an opportunity to “adopt” a children’s book and present it to the library’s collection. The wide variety of colorful new books waiting for adoption is now on display at the library. For more information, call the library at 883-8225 or stop by the circulation desk at #2 First Avenue East, Polson.

St. Luke cookbook

St. Luke Community Healthcare Foundation is producing a cookbook to salute the 100 years of Ronan and the 59 wonderful years of the St. Luke Healthcare Community.

If you have a recipe (up to 4), photo of St. Luke or a quote about the hospital or our community (up to 2) you may submit them by email to gwilhelm@stlukehealthnet.org or send your item to Gayle Wilhelm, Foundation Director, St. Luke Community Healthcare Foundation 107 6th Ave. SW Ronan, MT 59864. Deadline for recipe submission is April 1, 2012.

Learn Salish

Learn the Salish Language on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-2 p.m. at The People’s Center in Pablo. Classes are free and open to everyone, call 675-0160 for more info.

Scholarship fundraiser

The 26th Annual Art and Crafts Fair and Flea Market, sponsored by the Ronan Woman’s Club, will be held Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ronan Community Center. This annual fundraiser enables the club to offer scholarships to local high school students, send students to Girl’s State and the Hugh O’Brien leadership camp and help with the Main Street beautification project. If you have something you would like to donate for the auction, please call Patti at 406-676-4925.