Community news
Chamber luncheon
The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual Christmas luncheon at the Teakettle Community Room, 235 Nucleus Avenue, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students from the Columbia Falls High School music department will perform, and the Chamber will present First Buck Awards, Community Pride Awards, new Chamber board members and officers. Luncheon costs $10, and reservations are not necessary. For more information, call Carol at 892-2072.
Crafts sale
A craft and baked goods sale to benefit the North Valley Senior Center will take place at the center at 205 Nucleus Avenue during the Night of Lights celebration on Friday, Dec. 7, from noon to 8 p.m. For more information, call Roxy at 892-4087.
Video needed
The city of Columbia Falls needs good quality video footage of Heritage Days events for the promotional video the city is creating. For more information, contact city manager Susan Nicosia at 892-4384 or nicosias@cityofcolumbiafalls.com.
‘Timewave’ film showing
The movie “Timewave 2013: The future is now - Odyssey II” (co-sponsored by IONS) will be shown at Imagine Health, 305 First Avenue West, Columbia Falls, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. A$5 donation will be requested. For more information, call 892-4406 or visit online at www.imaginehealth.net.
Holiday music concert
The Columbians, Penny Chisholm and Sandee Bauer will perform in the Spirit of Christmas Concert in the Glacier High School auditorium on Monday, Dec. 10, starting at 6:30 p.m. Other performers include the Glacier High School Echoes, Natalie Law, Kendrick Lee and Christian Diaz. Admission is one $12 ticket and a food donation. All proceeds benefit Flathead CASA For Kids and the Flathead Valley food banks. Tickets are available at Glacier Bank, Laurie’s Deli and Freedom Bank in Columbia Falls. For more information, visit online at www.flatheadcasa.org.
Christmas concert
The Flathead Valley Community Band, under the direction of Bud Ridenour, will perform their free annual festive Christmas concert in the ballroom of the Red Lion Hotel in Kalispell on Wednesday Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. The holiday tradition should be fun for all ages.
Burning season over
The fall open burning season ends Nov. 30. No open burning is allowed in the Western Montana Burn Zone until March 1, 2013, unless specific permission is obtained from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The zone includes the following Flathead, Lincoln, Sanders, Lake and 13 other counties. For more information, visit online at www.burnclosures.mt.gov.
Veterans Christmas
A Christmas Wish Tree has been set up at Kalispell Center Mall to provide gifts for residents of the Montana Veterans Home through Wednesday, Dec. 19. A gift distribution party will be held at the Home on the morning of Friday, Dec. 21. The Wish Tree will be decorated with a tag for each member of the home with a request for needs or wants compiled by elves at the Home. The Wish Tree is sponsored by local veterans organizations coordinated by Chief Elf Sue Haverfield. For more information, call Sue at 892-3783 or Bonnie Stutsman at 892-3256.
Free dinners
The Columbia Falls Community Kitchen will offer free dinners in the basement of the St. Richard’s Catholic Church from Nov. 17 through Nov. 30. Everyone is welcome.
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.
Contra dancing
New Money will provide the jigs and reels with Morna Leonard calling for contra dancing at the Flathead Senior Center, 403 Second Avenue West, in Kalispell, on Saturday, Dec. 1, with lessons beginning at 7:30 p.m. and continuing until 10:30 p.m. Contra dancing is a family-friendly activity with no smoking or alcohol. Children ages 10 and up are welcome to dance. Entrance fees are $8 adults, $5 students and $18 families. For more information, call Sherry at 261-2029 or Joe at 752-7469.
Jazz concert
Cocoa Martini, a top Pacific Northwest jazz ensemble made of Kay Bailey, Kimberly Reason and Nadine Shant, will perform in the Columbia Falls High School Little Theater on Friday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m. with jazz, Latin and pop music. They will be accompanied by Bill Anschell on piano, Chuck Kistler on bass and Brian Kirk on drums. Tickets are $12 students, $15 seniors and $18 adults with festival seating available online at http://SandS.skytics.com.