Community Briefs for Oct. 30

Driver Course

The Northwest Montana AARP Smart Drive Course will be held on Nov. 5 at North Valley Hospital from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To reserve a spot in the class, call 863-3627.

WTC benefit

Wasabi Sushi Bar and Ginger Grill will be hosting the Whitefish Theatre Company for Community Night on Monday, Nov. 4. A portion of all sales will be donated to benefit WTC’s theatre, music and dance programming and the work we do with youth, seniors, and our community. Proceeds from take-out orders and gift cards will also benefit WTC. Wasabi opens at 5 p.m. and it is highly recommended to make reservations at 863-9283.

Learn to Code

“Learn to Code” a program facilitated by Patrick Brodie will be presented at the Whitefish Community Library on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. and is free to all ages. Brodie is looking to foster a community and on-going conversation centered around technology, creativity and innovation in the Flathead Valley. Brodie is a software engineer and team leader with seven years experience including at NASA, Orbital Insight and Nautilus Labs. No prior experience with coding is required and he suggests bringing your laptop. Learn at your own pace by following a set curriculum with in person tutoring or bring your coding project and ideas to get assistance planning and bring it to life.

Band benefit

Great Northern Brewing Company will be holding a Pints with a Purpose event on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. to support the Whitefish Band Boosters. The nonprofit aids the Whitefish high and middle school band programs. The WHS band is raising funds to travel to Disneyland next spring to perform and attend a clinic. During the event, $1 from every pint sold is donated to the band, there will be a silent pie auction from 5-6:30 p.m. and raffles and name that tune game at 6:30 p.m.

Presents for children

The family of Carter Scott are hosting a Christmas event in his honor and are looking for donations and seeking those who are in-need of presents for their children. Carter Scott passed away Feb. 19, 2019 at the age of 5. The Christmas from Carter event will be at Dream Dancers Dance Studio, 150 Kelly Rd, Kalispell, on Dec. 13 from 6-8 p.m. and Dec. 14 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Organizers plan to have toys and books available for children ages 0-17. Parents in need can come pick out a toy and a book for each kid in their family. There will also be a wrapping station available. The family is looking for gift and book donations, which are due Dec. 12th and cash donations are due on Nov. 26. If you or someone you know is in need of a Christmas present please message 253-7197 to let organizers know how many children will need presents and their age. Cash donations can be sent to 150 Kelly Rd Kalispell, MT 58901 Donations can be brought to the studio Mondays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. or Tuesday or Thursday from 3:30-8 p.m.

Trick or Treat Street

Montana Children’s is proud to support the annual Trick or Treat Street in Whitefish. Starting at 3 p.m. on Halloween in downtown, visit Montana Children’s nurses and staff in front of the O’Shaughnessy Center for free glowstick necklaces, safety tips and opportunities to win a prize and then go trick-or-treating with downtown merchants. Montana Children’s, Kalispell Regional Healthcare’s pediatric facility, was created to provide access to high-quality pediatric specialty care close to home.

Author talk

The Whitefish Community Library on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. will host speaker Cecily McNeil who will present a slide show and talk about Father DeSmet, who in 1841 founded St. Mary’s Mission in Montana and in 1854 helped establish the St. Ignatious Mission. The talk will take place in the community room and seating is limited.

Audubon talk

Charles van Rees, a naturalist and conservation biologist at the Flathead Lake Biological Station, will be the guest speaker at the Flathead Audubon meeting Monday, Nov. 11 from 7-9 p.m. in the Gateway West Community Meeting Room in Kalispell.

‘Alae ‘Ula, or the Hawaiian Gallinule, is an endangered subspecies of water bird endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago. According to Native Hawaiian legend, ‘Alae ‘Ula were sacred birds whose night-time calls were omens of death, and who provoked the wrath of the volcano goddess Pelee when they revealed the secret of fire to humankind. These strange, pugnacious little birds were nearly driven to extinction in the 1960’s due to reclamation of their wetland habitats and the introduction of invasive predators. They disappeared from all of the archipelago except for the islands of Kaua‘i and O‘ahu, the home of Waikiki beach, where they have made a slow and tenuous, partial recovery.

van Rees shares the conservation story of ‘Alae ‘Ula and his findings from over five years as a PhD candidate conducting field research on O‘ahu. van Rees recently arrived in the Flathead Valley to work as a postdoctoral research scientist studying aquatic invasive species at the Flathead Lake Biological Station.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Flathead Audubon website at www.flatheadaudubon.org.

Trick or Treat Trail

The City of Whitefish is hosting the second annual Trick or Treat Trail at Bakke Nature Reserve on Thursday, Oct. 31 from 2-4 p.m. Little ones can show off their costumes as they meander around the trail, collecting treats at stations along the way. Kids who complete the fun fitness activities along the trail will be entered to win a Stider bike courtesy of the Rotary Club of Whitefish.

The James R. Bakke Nature Reserve was deeded to the city by James Bakke to provide open space for the benefit of the citizens of the Whitefish community. The reserve includes an interpretive trail, parking and picnic tables. Dogs are welcome, but must be on leash. The reserve is located at 611 W. 7th Street in Whitefish.

Youth Tour

Flathead Electric Cooperative is accepting applications for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Two local students will be selected to receive an all-expense-paid trip to join more than 1,500 high-school students from around the country to tour the nation’s capital next June. Participants will learn about the history of this country, the role electric cooperatives played in that history, and will meet with their congressional delegation.

Participants often describe the trip as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” After attending last year’s Youth Tour, one student expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to meet with and “pick the brains of” members of congress who represent him.

He also said he was able to meet many other curious young adults from around the country and made connections that will last a very long time.

To apply, students must currently be high school sophomores or juniors from schools in the Flathead Electric Cooperative’s service territory, and their parent or guardian must be served by the Co-op. Applications must be submitted online by November 15. For more information or to apply, visit www.flatheadelectric.com/youthtour.

Scholarship

Soroptomists of Whitefish is taking applications for the Soroptomists Live Your Dream Award, which is a cash award of up to $1,000 for women who qualify.

The Live Your Dream Awards are given to women who are the primary financial support of their families, and who seek to improve their lives by gaining additional skills, training, or education, and do not have the financial resources.

The cash award is meant to offset any costs associated with the training, including tuition, books, supplies, child care, or transportation costs. Applicants must have financial need and be enrolled in or accepted to a vocational skills or undergraduate degree program. Local and regional recipients of these awards are eligible to be considered for the National Live your Dream award sponsored by Soroptomists International of the Americas, a volunteer organization for women committed to improving the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.

Apply for the Live Your Dream Award online at bit.ly/LYDA-apply or contact Soroptomists International of Whitefish at nancykaumeyer6@gmail.com.

Bazaar

Epworth United Methodist Church in Kalispell is hosting its annual United Methodist Women’s Holiday Bazaar, Bake Sale and Luncheon on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. There will be a variety of craft from local artisans, including handmade quilted items, hats, gloves, jewelry, hand carved items and so much more. Coffee and sweet rolls are available from 9-10:30 a.m. followed by a soup luncheon from 11-1 p.m. Come early to purchase your hand rolled lefse, made with real butter and cream. All proceeds go to support the UMW missions for the year. For information, call the church office at 257-6849.

Democrats dinner

“Building Community” is the theme for the Flathead County Democrats annual Harvest Dinner, Nov. 2 at Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell. Social time begins at 4:30 p.m. and dinner is served at 6:15 p.m.

Featured speaker is Jorge Quintana, Vice Chair, Hispanic Caucus, and Montana Democratic National Committeeman since 2009. Many Democratic candidates for state and local office will also be attending.

Easy registration on the Flathead County Democrats’ website: www.flatheaddemocrats.com Tickets are $65 per person. Sell-out anticipated, so get your tickets soon. For more information or to reserve an entire table, call Terri Smith, 406-730-2741