Community briefs for Feb. 13

Ski race

The Glacier Nordic Club is holding its annual classic ski race on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Glacier Nordic Center at the Whitefish Lake Golf Course. There will be 1K, 4K and 12K distances starting at 9 am. This is a fun ski/race and costumes and citizen skiers are encouraged as well as competitive skiers. Entry fees are free for the 1k, the 4k is $10 and the 12k is $15. The event supports the Glacier Nordic Ski Team which has over 225 youth in its programs. For more information or to register visit glaciernordiclcub.com or call 862-9498.

Decorations

The Whitefish winter decorations will be taken down for the season on Sunday, Feb. 24. Volunteers should meet at 9 a.m. at the intersection of Third Street and Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish. Volunteers should dress appropriately for the weather and bring gloves. New volunteers are always welcome to help with this long-time community project. Contact Chris Schustrom at 406-260-1198 with questions.

Dementia care class

Kerry Nagel of Attend, LLC will be holding classes on dementia care in the home. The class provides facts, concepts and tools to help family caregivers navigate caring for those with dementia. Classes are Wednesday, Feb. 13 and Wednesday, March 20 from 6-8:30 p.m. To register, contact the Whitefish School District Adult Education Program at https://whitefish-adult-ed.coursestorm.com/ or call Nagel at 612-231-5271.

Winter tracking

Winter is a great time to observe and learn to identify wildlife tracks in the snow. Join Whitefish Legacy Partners for a free family-friendly education hike on the Whitefish Trail to learn to distinguish between a variety of common wildlife tracks on Saturday, Feb. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at Lion Mountain Trailhead at 10 a.m. This event is free and open to the public. The hike will be 2-3 miles and is suitable for all levels. The Lion Mountain Trails are typically well packed, though yaktrax can be helpful. Dress for the weather.

For more information, visit www.whitefishlegacy.org or call 406-862-3880 or email info@whitefishlegacy.org.

Book club

The Whitefish Community Library Group’s monthly meeting will be on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in the community room. This month’s book is “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” by Michael Chabone. This is a detective story set in an alternative history version of the present day. At once a gripping whodunit, a love story, and an exploration of the mysteries of exile and redemption.” Newcomers are always welcome. For more information, call Whitefish Community Library at 862-9914.

Speaker Series

The annual Wilderness Speaker Series is at the Flathead Valley Community’s College’s Art and Technology Building, in room 139. Lectures are through April, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. There is no charge.

Here’s the lineup:

March 6: Wilderness Fisheries Management: Speakers: Jim Vashro, retired Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks fisheries manager, Leo Rosenthal, FWP fisheries biologist, and Matt Boyer FWP science program supervisor, will describe efforts to preserve fisheries integrity in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

April 3: Speaker Susan Purvis — an explorer, educator, and Go Find author will talk about how a backpack trip in the Bob Marshall Wilderness changed her life and launched her career. All presentations are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Meg Killen at stewardship@bmwf.org or 387-3822.

Art contest

VFW Auxiliary Post 276, 20 Baker Ave, Whitefish, welcomes all students in grades 9-12 (including home-schooled), who meet the qualifications to participate in its yearly art competition. Download the entry form at https://vfwauxiliary.org/scholarships/young-american-creative-patriotic-art-contest/ Your entry must be received by March 31 at the nearest participating Auxiliary. Whitefish contact is Cindy Fredericks at 862-4949.