Community news
School concerts
Glacier Gateway Elementary School’s first and second grades will present a combined Christmas program in the Columbia Falls High School’s Little Theater on Thursday, Dec. 20, at 10:30 a.m. First-graders will sing songs from rock and roll to hip hop. Second-graders will perform music from country to Jamaican. The third, fourth and fifth grades will present a combined Christmas program in the Little Theater on Thursday, Dec. 20, at 1:30 p.m. featuring rock and roll, Latin, traditional and big band Christmas music.
Author speaks
Gail Jokerst, author of “The Hungry Bear Kitchen,” will hold a sampling and book signing at the Montana House in Apgar, Glacier National Park, on Saturday, Dec. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. Jokerst moved to the Flathead Valley from Boston 25 years ago and brought with her a lifelong passion for baking and writing. Since 1992, hundreds of her essays and articles have appeared in regional and national newspapers and magazines. Her cookbook features more than 100 recipes from Big Sky Country.
Master gardener
The Montana State University Extension Office will offer a Master Gardener Level 1 class at the First Baptist Church in Whitefish on Jan. 17 through March 14 on Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. Topics will include lawn care and maintenance, tree pruning, seed starting, container growing, vegetable gardening, soil fertility, lawn care, plant physiology and fruit production. Registration forms are available online at www.flathead.mt.gov/extension. For more information, call 753-5553.
Smith’s donations
Smith’s Food & Drug is inviting customers to donate $5, $10 or $15 to their grocery purchases through Dec. 29 as part of their “Bringing Hope to the Table for the Holidays” program. All contributions will be converted to Smith’s gift cards and given to local food banks for turkeys, hams and staple food items like peanut butter and tuna. Participating food banks Columbia Falls. Last year, Smith’s four Montana stores donated enough food to create 33,000 meals for the hungry, the great majority of whom are single women with children.
New Year’s
First Night Flathead will take place Monday, Jan. 31, at 12 venues in Kalispell with 30 performing artists playing jazz, rock, blues, country, folk and classical music from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Free family activities available at the Kalispell Center Mall from 1 to 4 p.m. include pony rides, jewelry making, face painting and a commencement parade. Admission buttons are $15 at the door and free for children 12 and under. For more information, visit online at www.firstnightflathead.org or call 253-2471.
Choir practice
The Columbia Falls Community Choir will begin practice on Sunday, Jan. 13, for the 2013 concert season. The concerts will take place on April 20 and 21. Practices will take place at the Columbia Falls Junior High School on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. Sign-in and music pick-up will take place Jan. 13 from 1:30 to 2 p.m. with practice following. For more information, call Ron Bond at 892-5174.
Chamber meets
The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly membership meeting in the North Valley Hospital Community Room, 235 Nucleus Avenue, on Jan. 8 from 11:45 a.m. 1 p.m. The topic of discussion will be winter recreation in Northwest Montana. Luncheon costs $10. Reservations are not necessary. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Carol Pike at 892-2072.
Bark baskets
The Columbia Falls Library Association will present a free introduction to birch bark basket making by Steve Winguard at the Teakettle Community Hall, 325 Nucleus Avenue, on Saturday, Jan. 12, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sign-ups will be available for future classes.
Board vacancy
The Flathead Conservation District has a vacancy for Flathead County residents on its board of supervisors. Normally an elected position, the four-year volunteer term would be by appointment and end Dec. 31, 2016. Board members carry out the Montana Natural Streambed and Land Preservation Act (310 stream permits). District boundaries include all of Flathead County with the exception of the 1945 boundaries of the cities of Kalispell and Columbia Falls. For more information, visit online at www.flatheadcd.org or call 752-4220. Letters of interest with background information can be sent to to Flathead Conservation District, 133 Interstate Lane, Kalispell MT 59901. Deadline is Jan. 10.