Mission Valley Calendar

Harvest Dinner – 4-6 p.m. Oct. 15 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church; order in advance and pick up a meal that includes Swedish meatballs and homemade lefse and other goodies. Proceeds benefit the Polson Boys and Girls Club and Cheerful Heart. Call 406-883-5864 to place a take-out order.

Fall Conservation Speaker Series: Why Do Bears Eat Bugs? – 6 p.m. Oct. 16 at Ninepipes Lodge, south of Ronan; bear researcher Chris Servheen will discusses grizzly bears and their eating habits during this free talk, sponsored by the Lake County Conservation District.

German Dinner – 6 p.m. Oct. 18 at Mission Valley Elks Lodge in Polson; enjoy authentic schnitzel, spaetzel and red cabbage during the annual feast. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Elks.

Introductory Class on Plant Identification – 4-5:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at the North lake County Library in Polson; William Schlegel, an assistant botanist with the Lolo National Forest, offers tips. The class is geared to ages 13 and older and limited to 20 participants. Sign up at the front desk.

Book Signing: Leslie Budewitz – 1 p.m. Oct. 19 at the North Lake County Library; the Bigfork author will be in the library for a book signing and presentation on her latest non-fiction publication, “All God’s Sparrows.” This program is free and light refreshments will be served.

Bat Week – 2-5 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Bison Range Day Use Pavilion; learn more about these nocturnal insect-eaters with a presentation from 2-3 p.m. and bat-themed craft activities for kids from 3-5 p.m. Hot chocolate and candy are on the menu. Email emily.rohrlach@cskt.org for info.

Harvest/Holiday Bazaar – 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Mission Valley United Methodist Church, north of St. Ignatius atop Post Creek Hill; call 406-745-4527 to reserve a table.

Monster Mash Paint Bash – 3-6 p.m. Oct. 24 at Berkshire Hathaway in Polson; costumes are welcome at this Halloween and pumpkin-painting party. Pumpkins and trick-or-treat bags are free.

Upcycled and Recreated – through Nov. 1 at Sandpiper Art Gallery and Gifts in Polson; non-juried show features creations composed of objects lost, found and recycled. Visit sandpiperartgalleryandgifts.com.

David Spear: Walk the Walk – Then and Now” – through Dec. 31 in the Three Woodcocks Fire Arts Building at Salish Kootenai College; Two Eagle River photography instructor and world-class photographer David Spear shares his work. The exhibit follows last summer's show by his students from 2001-2024, titled "Talk the Talk – Then and Now." The gallery is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

Open Mic and Jam – 7 p.m. Fridays at the Western Montana Musicians Co-op, Ronan; also on tap is a weekly Community Jam at 7 p.m. Saturdays. The cooperative is located in the Red Poppy Building, 1 Eisenhower St. SW in Ronan. Learn more at www.mtmusic.org.

Farmers’ Markets – Ronan: 4-7 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 24 at the Ronan Visitor’s Center (www.facebook.com/RonanFarmersMarket); Polson: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays through Oct. 11 on 3rd Ave. W. (polsonfarmersmarket.com). Support local famers and crafters at these weekly markets.

Upcoming meetings

Kiwanis – First Thursday of the month, noon at Kwataqnuk Resort, and third Thursday of the month, 5:30 p.m. at Bunkers, Polson Bay Golf Course; Kiwanis is an international organization dedicated to improving the world one child, one community at a time. Meetings are open to the public.

Cheerful Heart Cancer Support Group – noon-1 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month in the chapel at St. Joseph Medical Center; anyone affected by cancer is invited to participate in this group led by Matthew Connally of the Ronan/Polson Nazarene Church. Learn more at www.cheerfulheart.org or email cheartinc@gmail.com.

Climate Café – 9-11 a.m. on the third Friday of every month at the Flathead Lakers office in Polson; partake in a thoughtful conversation about climate change.