Community Notes: Pick up Thanksgiving at Elks Lodge
Coordinators and volunteers are eagerly preparing the 21st annual Polson Community Thanksgiving Dinner, which offers a delicious, scratch-made dinner free of charge to any who would enjoy it.
All meals will be either curbside pickup or delivery from the Mission Valley Elks Lodge at 512 Main St. in Polson. Call 406-471-7076 to reserve a dinner. It is a dedicated phone number for texts or calls to leave a name, phone number, address and number of meals needed. Pick up and delivery will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving, Nov. 25, at the Elks Lodge.
Free meals at St. Ignatius Senior Center
A free Thanksgiving dinner will be offered in St. Ignatius at the Senior Center parking lot, 212 Main St. N., from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Nov. 25, or as long as the supply of meals lasts. The meals are free, and all are invited to enjoy one or take one to someone in need. This year’s menu includes Turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies, rolls, dessert and a drink.
Spend Turkey Day at Ronan Community Center
There will be a free community Thanksgiving feast with friends, fun and fellowship from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 25 at the Ronan Community Center, 300 Third Ave. NW. Call Rita Ulutoa at 406-871-1648 for more information.
Shopping, tree lighting in Polson
Downtown Polson businesses will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 27. It’s a day to support local service and retail businesses, restaurants, brewmasters and baristas and get some great deals. After shopping there will be a tree lighting at 5 p.m. at the Lake County Courthouse to cap off the evening.
Parade of Lights is Dec. 3
The 2021 Parade of Lights is set to begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3 on Main Street in Polson. Along with the parade, there will be concessions, hot chocolate, shopping until 7 p.m. and a visit from Santa. Friday, Nov. 26 is the deadline to register parade entries by calling 406-319-2229, or by email at polsonbusinesscommunity@gmail.com.
Quilt guild Christmas Party in Ronan
The Mission Mountain Quilt Guild will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 35663 Terrace Lake Road in Ronan for their regular meeting and Christmas party. Please bring wrapped treats to share and enjoy. Also, please bring nonperishable food items to be delivered to St Ignatius, Ronan and Polson food banks.
Ford dealers step up for kids
Ford Motor Co. Fund and Northwest Ford dealers are donating approximately $100,000 to be shared by Boys and Girls Clubs of Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho, Montana and Alaska to help feed hungry children during the holidays. The demand for nutritious meals always increases this time of year because many students lose access to school lunches.
Sixty-five clubs across the five-state region have received $1,100 grants from Ford Fund as part of the annual Ford Focus on Child Hunger campaign. In addition, participating Ford dealers, including those in Lake County, will match or exceed these grants to their own community’s Boys & Girls Club in the month of December. The money will help provide snacks and meals at the clubs through the holidays.
Free pet food available from ARC
The Arlee Rehabilitation Center has received almost 18,000 pounds of donated dog and cat food for distribution to the Flathead Reservation community courtesy of Petsmart and the Flathead Food Bank.
Those in financial need are invited to pick up free pet food at the Kicking Horse Job Corps facility, 33091 Mollman Pass Trail, Ronan, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on any of the following days: Nov. 24 and 29, or Dec. 1-2. Donations are available while supplies last.
ARC encourages voluntary donations to its nonprofit mission during pickup. The center serves the Flathead Indian Reservation by providing a sanctuary where animals heal people and people heal animals. For more information, visit the ARC Facebook page or call 406-207-9338.