PABLO — Free tax help is offered through the VITA Program to low- to moderate-income (generally, $51,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. SKC student volunteers will offer tax help from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays in February (Feb. 1, 8, 15 and 22) at SKC’s Agnes Vanderburg Building. 

No appointments are necessary. 

For more information, contact Tina Begay at (406) 275-4851 or tina_begay@skc.edu. 

POLSON — It’s time for the annual Mardi Gras party to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County. Save Feb. 9 for the party. It starts at 5:30 p.m. at the KwaTaqNuk Resort with a no-host social hour and then a Cajun steak and shrimp dinner with both a silent and live auction. Then enjoy dancing until midnight to Gladys Friday Band.

Lou and Irene Marchello will be passing on their crowns to the 2013 king and queen that win the most votes during the evening raffle. Purchase tickets from the Boys and Girls Club in Ronan, located next to Dairy Queen or phone (406) 676-5437 or from La Nita Fitzpatrick of Mountain West Bank in Polson at (406) 883-4111 or (406) 253-3130.  A reserved table for 10 is $500. Individual tickets are $50. 

Be ready for a great Mardi Gras party on Feb. 9 and help “Open the door to great futures.”

CHARLO — The Ninepipe Arts Group invites everyone to its annual Valentine’s party on Saturday, Feb. 9. This fundraiser features creative and original art pieces to choose from during the silent and live auctions. 

Leon Community Hall will be decked out and KC and the Valley Cats will provide lively dance music. A selection of beer and wine will be available for purchase and gift baskets will be offered as raffle ticket picks. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $10 per person, which includes a choice from the dessert table. The funds raised by NAG support art and culture in the Mission Valley through a variety of activities, including: bringing Missoula Children’s Theatre to local schools, the Charlo Fine Arts Camp, Shakespeare in the Park and providing scholarships and funding for trips to special events. Call (406) 644-2311 for more information.

POLSON — Visitors to the Miracle of America Museum the week of Feb. 10 to 17 will receive a string of Mardi Gras beads. Also on display for seasonal viewing are antique valentines.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. 

The museum is located at 36094 Memory Ln. 

RONAN — The American Legion Post 138 of Ronan will meet Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at the VFW Hall in Ronan at 35981 Round Butte Rd. New members are welcome. For more information, call Jack Fay at (406) 676-3380.

POLSON — Polson Community Church’s Ash Wednesday service will be at 1 p.m. on Feb. 13. All are welcome. The church is located at 1814 First St. E.

RONAN — A blood drive for the American Red Cross will take place Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 1:30-5 p.m. in the cultural hall at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, corner of Franklin Street and 4th Ave., E., in Ronan. Identification is required to donate blood. To schedule an appointment or to get more information, contact Wendy at (406) 676-5646. 

PABLO — Members of the Flathead Basin Commission will hold a meeting on Feb. 13, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at the CSKT Tribal Council Chambers, Pablo.

The FBC was established in 1983 by the Montana Legislature to “monitor and protect” the water quality of the Flathead River drainage system. All FBC meetings are open to the public.

For more information, contact the FBC at (406) 240-3453.

POLSON — Midweek Lenten services and soup suppers begin at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 409 Fourth Ave., E. in Polson, on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13, and continue through March 20. Soup suppers will be served at 5:30 p.m., followed by the worship service at 6:30 p.m. The choir and high school youth group will meet after the service at 7:15 p.m. Marty Haugen’s “That You May Have Life” liturgy for Lent will be used, with the studies centered around the scriptures for each week. 

For more information, call (406) 883-5864 or visit the website: www.gslcpolsonmt.com.

RONAN — St. Paul Lutheran Church welcomes all to our Lenten worship series entitled “Broken: Seven ‘Christian’ Rules that Every Christian Should Break.” We begin at 6 p.m. with a soup supper followed by the Lenten service at 7 p.m. The services are held each Wednesday from Feb. 13-March 20. For more information, you can call the church at (406) 676-8280 and speak with Rev. Gordish or you may check out our webpage at ronanchurch.org. St. Paul Lutheran (Missouri Synod) is located at 35681 Terrace Lake Road. 

RONAN — On Feb. 13, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., the Ronan City Library is having a stew and fry bread fundraising luncheon. Donations of $5 are appreciated. Money to go to the operating costs to keep the library open. Come and join us for lunch.

POLSON — The Polson Rural Fire District trustee monthly meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. at the Fairgrounds Station.  

All residents of the Polson Rural Fire District and interested general public are encouraged to attend. For a full text of approved minutes and the agenda please go to www.polsonfire.org.

POST CREEK — Mission Valley UMC will be making their famous pasties Feb. 15-16. Deadline for taking orders will be Feb. 14 or earlier if the goal of 1,200 is reached before that date. Order your pasties soon, so you don’t get left out.

Call Mary at (406) 745-3584. Proceeds go to the United Methodist Women projects.

POLSON — The Mission Valley Christian Academy will provide singing valentines throughout the valley on Thursday, Feb. 14. You may pick up order forms at MVCA, the Polson High School office or the Linderman School office. Singing valentine deliveries will be made from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. that Thursday.

The MVCA students can serenade individuals or groups. When people order the valentine, they may choose any of the eight songs that are available. The titles of the songs are: “Cacophony,” “You are My Sunshine,” “Clementine,” “B-E-S-T,” “Caissons,” “Lolly,” “Skiminirink” and “Eyes.” A “no preference” song choice will also be available for those who aren’t sure which one to choose and the singers will then select an appropriate choice for the recipient.

Any MVCA delivery or phone call delivery will cost $3 while all other locations will cost $5 until noon on Monday, Feb. 11. After the Monday deadline, all delivery prices will be raised to $6 and $10, respectively.

Orders must have payment included before they can be received and they can be dropped off at MVCA, PHS, Linderman or mailed to MVCA at 38907 Highway 35 in Polson. 

This school fundraiser will help purchase music, equipment and other items for the MVCA music program. The choir class at MVCA is new this year so there are several areas of need to get the music program up and running. Any donations will be gladly received by the students or may be mailed to the school. If you have questions, please contact Chris Bumgarner at (406) 883-6858.

DIXON — Valentine’s Day, Thursday, Feb. 14, will be enjoyed at Dixon School with a Valentine’s Day dinner of roast beef and special favors for diners. Students will serve dinner as part of a fundraiser for the Ski Club. Dinner is served from 5-7 p.m. Please call the school at (406) 246-3566, for more information.

POLSON —The February meeting of the Masumola Club will be held on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, Feb. 14. A social hour will be held from 5:45-6:30 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m. and a program at 7 p.m.

The clubhouse is located on Masumola Road. Anyone in the community of Polson and the surrounding area is invited to attend. The only requirement for new guests is to bring your own utensils and a dish to pass, if you wish. For membership information, contact Irene Marchello at (406) 883-6184.

PABLO – The SKC AIBL chapter will be hosting a design contest for a logo to put on T-shirts that will be given away to talent show participants. Please submit drawings to the Vanderburg building at the SKC campus by Feb. 15 to be considered. The contest winner will receive a $50 cash prize and a free T-shirt. For more information contact Bryson at (406) 275-4853 between the hours 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

RONAN — Western Montana Water Users Association, LLC, invites all irrigators and other concerned parties in the Flathead Irrigation Project to a meeting with their attorney, Brian Shuck, on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 3 p.m., in the Ronan High School Auditorium. Information will be presented that is vital for irrigators to have in order for them to make an informed decision about the proposed CSKT Water Rights Compact.

POLSON — The annual Mission Valley Elks Crab Crack will be held Saturday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. Tickets will be available for members to buy for themselves. Tickets are available at the Elks after the first of the year until they are gone.

PABLO — On Saturday, Feb. 16, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the People’s Center in Pablo, the public is invited to a free bridal and prom dress fair. They are seeking gently used wedding, prom, and formal wear to consign for this one-day event. Proms are approaching and wedding season is on the horizon. Vendors will be on hand for services and accessories.  For more information, contact Whisper Means at (406) 370-6050 or Roxanne Hamann at (406) 531-7859.

ST. IGNATIUS — The free annual “Bingo for Books” event at Mission Elementary will be held Monday, Feb. 18, from 5:30-7 p.m. in the elementary cafeteria. Join in the family fun. Play bingo at no cost and win free books. You may purchase food from the Targeted Enrichment Activities students who will offer hot dogs, popcorn, drinks, and sweet treats for sale. Their profits will be donated to St. Jude’s Hospital and to other non-profit organizations. Everyone is welcome. An adult must accompany children under the age of 12. 

POST CREEK — On Monday, Feb. 18, Mission Valley United Methodist Church on Post Creek Hill will be hosting “Free to First Responders” appreciation coffee and treats at the church from 8 a.m.-noon. There is no cost for this. We would just like to honor all first responders (police, tribal police, MHP, EMT’s, sheriff officers; everyone involved in any type of “first Response”), who give of themselves to keep the rest of us safe.

Please stop by any time during that time frame for a cup of coffee and “goodies.”

RONAN — It is time to start thinking about Relay For Life. The event will take place July 12-13 at the Ronan High School Football Field.  The theme this year is “Making Hope Happen.” We are having a Virtual Kickoff this year, so get your teams signed up online at lakecountyrelay.org, between Feb. 18-25 and your team registration fee will be free. You can also check out our Facebook page: Relay For Life of Lake County Montana for meeting dates and news. 

There will also be a team experience event Feb. 23 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in Missoula. (Location yet to be announced.) This is a great opportunity to learn what Relay for Life is, get fund-raising ideas, and have fun. Gather your team and join us for prizes and fun. Contact Cammie at (406) 728-1004 ext. 203 or cammie.edgar@cancer.org, for more information.

PABLO — Salish Kootenai College will host a career and job fair Tuesday, Feb. 19, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Joe McDonald Health and Wellness Center. For more information, contact Lennie Webster at (406) 275-4826 or Ellie McLeod at (406) 275-4825.

POLSON — Polson spring league girls youth softball will be holding signups on Feb. 19 and 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Polson High School front lobby for girls ages 8 through 14. The league is also taking coaching applications for all age groups. The season will run from the middle of March to the end of May. 

A birth certificate for age verification will be required at signups. 

Please email polsonfastpitch@gmail.com for a coaching application or any questions.

PABLO — The Lake County Democrats cordially invite members and the public to the February meeting at Salish Kootenai College on Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the Michel Bldg., room 107. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by our meeting from 7-9 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there. For directions, please call Sheila Bell at (406) 883-1516.

POLSON — All Westerners are welcome to the dance on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the Elks. No spurs are needed and horses are optional. Grab your partners and join the fun from 7-10 p.m. Treats are appreciated and enjoyed. Ken’s Country Combo will be playing their brand of tunes and requests are accepted. See you there.

POLSON — Lenten Studies will be every Wednesday, Feb. 20, 27, and March 6, 13, and 20 at 1:00 p.m. at Polson Community Church located at 1814 First Street East.  All are welcome.

POLSON — The Mission Valley Mariner mandatory parent and player meeting is at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21, at the Polson High School cafeteria.

All baseball players interested in trying out for the Mission Valley Mariners, this is the meeting to attend.

If you are unable to attend, please contact board president Dan Rausch at (406) 270-4877.

POLSON — Applications for Polson High School’s 2013 spring driver education class can be picked up in the Polson High School guidance office on Feb. 21, 22, and 25, (Thursday, Friday and Monday), during school hours. Completed forms will be accepted on Feb. 25 and 26 only (Monday and Tuesday) from 8-8:30 a.m. in the high school health room near the gymnasium.   

This driver education session will begin on March 4, and end on approximately May 14. Criteria to get into the class is: in-district students first; year in school second; and age third. If you need more information, contact Harold Lair at (406) 249-7258 and leave a message.   

Class size will be limited and only those who are in the class will be notified. Accepted students must have a parent attend an informational meeting before the start of the first class session. Only students who can attend all classes should sign-up. Students involved in other activities should wait for the next class or check with their advisor as there is a strict attendance policy. There is a $30 deposit for the class with the balance of $100 due at the parent meeting. Students who do not get into the class will have their deposit returned.

POLSON — Support Polson Late Afternoon Social Hour is on Thursday, Feb. 21, from 5-7 p.m. at the Salish Bar Your host will be Area VI Agency on Aging, A Plus Health Care, The Salish Bar and Fiesta En Jalisco and will be held at the Salish Bar. Stop by and visit the Salish Bar remodel.

RONAN — The Little Big Band will sponsor a dance at the Terrace Lake Community Church gym on Feb. 22 from 6-10 p.m. There will be great music, people, and refreshments. Call James Pettit at (406) 676-8224 for more information.

BIG ARM — The Historic Big Arm School will host a community potluck on Friday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m., followed by a talk at 7 p.m. on gun safety. McGregor Rhodes, NRA certified firearms instructor and safety officer, will talk about the basics of firearm safety, review the laws about self-defense, discuss how to apply for a concealed weapon permit and answer gun related questions. Please bring a favorite dish to share.

For more information, call Alison at (406) 849-6628.

POLSON — Guest speaker at the Friday, Feb. 22, meeting of the Lake County Pachyderm Club will be Dan Roberson, the unit manager of the Swan River State Forest for the last 10 years. The title of his presentation is “The Swan River State Forest and Its Role in Trust Land Management and the Swan Valley.”

The Pachyderm Club meets in the Polson Rural Fire Department building on Regatta Road beginning at 11:30 a.m. for a social time. Brown bag lunches are encouraged. The business meeting starts at noon and adjourns at 1 p.m. Anyone interested in learning about relevant issues is cordially invited to attend.

POLSON — The Mission Valley Christian Academy’s annual dinner and auction fundraiser is Friday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. Both silent and live auctions will be held. Vista Linda of Somers will cater the dinner and tickets cost $25 each. For more information call MVCA at (406) 883-6858 by Feb. 15.