Community Briefs May 23

Memorial Day

The Whitefish VFW Post 276 is holding a Memorial Day parade at 3 p.m. through downtown. A wreath laying ceremony will take place at the Veterans Memorial Bridge at 3:15 p.m. and the parade continues to the Whitefish Cemetery with a ceremony. A barbecue follows at the VFW.

Bike Ride

A community mountain bike ride is Wednesday, May 23 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Beaver Lakes Trailhead on the Whitefish Trail. All levels are welcome. Choose between a beginner 3-5 mile ride with helpful pointers from Beyond the Boundaries coaches and an intermediate 9-11 mile ride. Glacier Cyclery & Nordic will be offering free rentals at the trailhead for the event. Call ahead to reserve your bike at 862-3880.

Hike

Join Whitefish Legacy Partners and the Kalispell Vet Center to celebrate our Veterans past and present for Memorial Day with an easy 2-3 mile hike exploring the Whitefish Trail and building community on Wednesday, May 30 form 6-8 p.m. Meet at the Swift Creek Trailhead. This event is free, open to the public, and suitable for all ages and abilities. From Whitefish, take Wisconsin Avenue north and continue on East Lakeshore Drive for 8.3 miles. For more information, visit www.whitefishlegacy.org or call 406-862-3880 or email info@whitefishlegacy.org.

Scramble

There is still an opportunity for golfers to participate in the Stumptown Scramble on May 28, Memorial Day. This annual fundraiser benefits Whitefish Schools and provides funding for classroom and curriculum needs. The tournament kicks off at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 28 at the Whitefish Lake Golf Course, and registration forms can be found at the pro shop or online at www.whitefisheducationfoundation.org. Adult golfers of all abilities are welcome and will be treated to prizes and complimentary food and drinks throughout the day. Don’t miss your chance to have fun on the course while helping Whitefish students.

FVCC

Flathead Valley Community College President Jane Karas will hold her annual Community Conversations across northwest Montana in June to share information about current issues and activities affecting the college and receive feedback from community members. The event in Whitefish is Wednesday, June 13 from noon-1 p.m. at Grouse Mountain Lodge. All members of the community are invited to attend. Reservations are required to ensure adequate seating and food. For more information or to make a reservation, go to www.fvcc.edu/community-conversations or call Monica Settles at 756-3801.

Gear Swap

The Flathead Adventure Gear Swap at the Flathead County Fairgrounds is Saturday, June 2 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. This is a unique opportunity for buyers and sellers alike. Sellers will pay a flat fee of just $20 for a booth space and keep all of their profits. Buyers will pay $3 at the door or $5 for a family of four which includes entry for a door prize. The Dragonflies will be holding a raffle on the day and have representatives available to talk about dragon boating in the Flathead.

Open Streets

Whitefish Open Streets is a community event that temporarily opens streets to people and closes them to cars. Whitefish Open Street’s first event will involve opening portions of Railway Street and Central to pedestrian and bike traffic only. This event will be happening in conjunction with the first Farmer’s Market of the season, Tuesday, May 29 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Local organizations will have educational and interactive activities related to walking, biking, health, and fitness for the community. Local businesses in the Open Streets area will also participate by expanding their business onto the sidewalks.

This event is being coordinated by Connect Whitefish, a community based, volunteer group of the Parks and Recreation Department, whose vision is to ensure active transportation and healthy lifestyles for the Whitefish community through biking and walking opportunities. Connect Whitefish engages in advocacy, education, awareness and promotion of biking and walking in Whitefish.

Picnic

On Friday, June 15 the Agency on Aging will host the 40th Annual Older Americans’ Picnic at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Expo Building. Folks aged 60 and over are invited to attend this free picnic. Doors open at 10 a.m. with lunch served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This year’s theme is “A Salute to Senior Centers.” Come enjoy great food, entertainment, information tables and door prizes. Sponsors include: Gold Level Sponsors — Bailey Insurance Services and Glacier Bank. Other sponsors include: Frontier Hospice, Loyal Care, Humana, United Way, A Plus Healthcare, and Montana Coffee Traders.

For more information, please call 758-5730. Or to participate as a sponsor, call 758-2471.

Glacier Challenge

Volunteers are needed for the Glacier Challenge and Whitefish Lake Run on June 30. Volunteers from local businesses, churches, fitness centers, sports teams, scout groups, or individuals/families are needed for a variety of jobs including course marshaling, aid stations and sweep. The Glacier Challenge is a fundraiser for the Flathead Youth Home in Kalispell. It has a 5K or 8-mile run, as well as the relay of the Glacier Challenge, which is running, kayaking, road biking, mountain biking, and canoeing. Individuals, partners or teams can compete in the relay.

For more detailed information about the volunteer needs, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/MT/Whitefish/TheGlacierChallenge. For more information on the race,

visit http://theglacierchallenge.com/.