POLSON — St. Joseph Medical Center is holding “Stepping On,” a falls-prevention program. This class meets for two hours a week for seven weeks starting April 15. It aims to reduce the more than one-third of adults 65 or older who fall every year. By joining our “Stepping On” workshop, you will learn tips on strength and balance exercises, identification of safe footwear, medications' contribution to fall-risk, eliminating fall hazards in your home, and so much more. This course has been shown to reduce fall risk by up to 30 percent. Join and learn with people your own age how to step outside your home with confidence. To register or to get more information, call Stephanie at (406) 883-8453.

PABLO — The Community Bird Day Festival, “Why Birds Matter: The Benefit of Birds to Humans and Nature,” is planned for Thursday, May 22, from 5-8 p.m. in the Joe McDonald Health and Athletic Center at Salish Kootenai College. All community members are welcome. Come celebrate birds in science, culture and art. Enjoy bird-themed information stations, vendors and crafts, including live birds on display. Various bird-themed short films will be shown in the Johnny Arlee/Victor Charlo Theater. Refreshments will be provided. Visit www.cskt.org/birdday.htm, for more information.

POLSON — A free community dinner will be served on Thursday, May 22, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Fellowship Baptist Church, 2 Seventh Ave. E., Polson. The menu will include casseroles, salads, and desserts. All are welcome.

POLSON — Partners in Suicide Prevention and Intervention will hold an educational meeting on Thursday, May 22, from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., on the third floor of the Tribal Health Building (conference room), 5 Fourth Ave. E. The topic of this meeting will be: the problem with methamphetamines and other drugs, a growing concern in our community. Wade Nash, Chief of the Polson Police Department, will share invaluable insight, information and data on these issues. Lunch will be catered. This and all education and trainings through Partners in Suicide Prevention and Intervention are open and free to the public.

POLSON — Dennis Jones, owner of a franchise of Interquest Detection Canines, the largest and oldest such company in the U.S., will be the guest speaker at the Friday, May 23, meeting of the Lake County Pachyderm Club held at the Polson Rural Fire Department building on Regatta Road. The meeting begins at noon and adjourns at 1 p.m. All interested in learning about his experiences are welcome to attend.

POLSON — Linderman Elementary’s “Pirate Pledges 4 Playground Walk-a-thon” is Friday, May 23, from 1-3 p.m. Bring the whole family to the walking path and help us raise funds for new playground equipment.

HOT SPRINGS — On Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24, at the Symes Hotel, Shade, a local singer, will perform with his guitar.

POLSON — The Polson Flathead Historical Museum will open for the season on Saturday, May 24. They are located at 708 Main Street and the hours are Monday thru Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Call (406) 883-3049 for more information. 

ARLEE — The third and final “Spur The Cancer Out Of Montana” rough stock rodeo will take place memorial weekend. This event includes bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding and barrel racing for the ladies. The PBR short round bull Chocolate Thunder and the boys from Bird Bucking Bulls will be joining in on the fun. Thanks go to New West Rodeo, Pistol Creek Rodeo Company, Triplett bucking bulls and Hendrickson bucking bulls for bringing their stock.

HOT SPRINGS — Kathy Colton and the Reluctants (World Music) will play at the Symes Hotel from 8-10 p.m. Call (406) 741-2361, for more information.

HOT SPRINGS — On Memorial Day Sunday, May 25, at the Symes Hotel, a barbecue and dance with Voodoo Horseshoes performing is scheduled.

POLSON — North Lake County Public Library will be closed.

POLSON/ RONAN — Memorial Day Parades, organized by the Polson and Ronan VFW posts, will be held in Polson at 10 a.m. and Ronan at noon. Memorial services at both the Polson and Ronan Cemeteries will be held immediately after the parades. Following all ceremonies a dinner will be served, about 1 p.m., at the Ronan VFW, 35981 Round Butte Road. 

POLSON — A free showing of the movie Temple Grandin will be presented at North Lake County Public Library in Polson on Tuesday, May 27, at 6:30 p.m. The film will be followed by discussion led by Lisa Orr, MSW, LAC, of Sunburst Mental Health Service. The event is being held in conjunction with National Mental Health Month, and is sponsored by NAMI Mission Valley and North Lake County Public Library.  It is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For more information, please call the library at (406) 883-8225 or visit the circulation desk at #2 First Ave. E. in Polson.

ST. IGNATIUS — “Smoker, a Mission Valley Rumble” is a boxing and MMA event for youth sports sponsored by Mission Little Guy Wrestling. Weigh-ins for the Friday, June 6, event are at the Community Center on Wednesday, May 28, at 7 p.m. Interested fighters or anyone with questions, please call Lyle Cronk at (406) 210-0874.

POLSON — A Montana Common Core Standards Symposium will be held on May 28, at 7 p.m., in the Polson High School Auditorium. There will be local educators answering important questions regarding the Common Core Standards. Everyone is welcome.

POLSON—The Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1122 will hold the May meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, at the Polson airport. Speaking to our group will be Jeff Vercoe, the Helena FSDO, with a presentation on “Owner Maintenance.” All interested pilots are welcome to attend this meeting.

POLSON — The Fifth Friday Community Dinner is “Where’s the beef?” The dinner will be served at Polson Community Church, 1814 First Street E, on May 30, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. All are welcome.

POLSON — Sandpiper Gallery will host a reception on Friday, May 30, from 5-7 p.m. This will be a Montana themed show highlighting pottery, landscape and wildlife photography and woodcut prints.

RONAN — Round Butte Grange 126 is having a Lake County and State forum on May 30 at 7 p.m. at the Museum in the old Round Butte gym. 

If you would like to have a question answered by a candidate, send your questions to drenter@centurytel.net or Darlene and Ray Salomon, 35451 Minesinger Trail, Polson, MT, 59860. Questions must be in by May 23.

HOT SPRINGS — On Friday, May 30, at the Symes Hotel, John Kelley will perform blues music.

ST. IGNATIUS —There will be a yard sale and bake sale sponsored by The People’s Voice, Inc. for two days on May 30-31 from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. The event takes place on top of Post Creek Hill at the Methodist Church. There will be many new items, delicious baked goods, $1 grab bags for clothing. You get one bag and may fill it with clothing in one minute. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be served at a nominal cost.

CHARLO — The Mission View Garden Club is sponsoring a Garden/ Craft Sale on Friday, May 30, and Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The sale will be held at the corner of Highway 93 and Highway 212. The proceeds from this sale will go to maintain the Charlo Park.

If you have any questions, please call (406) 644-5001.

POLSON — Good Shepherd’s youth group will have a yard sale on Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., to raise funds for the June service trip to Bethlehem.

High quality furniture and furnishings have been donated to the sale, along with a vast assortment of books and housewares. The sale will be indoors and outdoors (weather permitting) at the church, 409 Fourth Ave. E., in Polson.

Proceeds from the sale will help fund the kids’ trip to the Holy Land next month. There, they will learn and serve at the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, and also tour sacred sites.

For details, call (406) 883-5864, or stop by the church.

NINEPIPE — Kids Fishing Day at the Ninepipe Pond takes place on Saturday, May 31, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Three age groups are included: 6 years and under; 7 to 9 years; and 10 to 13 years. There will be door prizes, drawings and a fish identification test. There will be limited fishing poles, tackle and bait provided for kids who do not have fishing equipment. The pond will be stocked with Rainbow Trout. For questions or more information, contact Jason McDonald at (406) 381-7574; Josh Gallant at (406) 381-6041 or go to:www.facebook.com/kidsfishingdaymt.

HOT SPRINGS — On Saturday, May 31, at the Symes Hotel, Alan Lane and Frank Chiaverini will perform rock music. 

POLSON —Ever wondered what your best friend is trying to tell you? Join us for a free class and learn about “Canine Communication.” This class is suitable for all the family and helps keep kids safe from dog bites. You will have fun and explore a little about the life of our dogs living in a human world. Come on Saturday, May 31, from 1–2 p.m. at the Mission Valley Animal Shelter, 36251 N. Reservoir Road, Polson. Call (406) 883-5312, to reserve a place and for more information.

RONAN — The Ronan Chiefs’ High School Boys Basketball Program is holding a yard sale/car wash/bake sale at the Ronan Visitor Center parking lot on Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. ... and we need your help. We are asking for donations of items that can be sold at the yard sale. All proceeds from this yard sale directly benefit Ronan Chief Basketball players throughout the summer and basketball year. If you have yard sale donations, please contact Danyel McCrea at (406) 249-3373, for a pick-up of goods. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please call Steve Woll at the Ronan Middle School at (406) 676-3390. 

POLSON — Head over Heals presents a gymnastics exhibition show free to the public. It will be held at the Alliance Church on Highway 93 in Polson from 9 a.m.-1:15 p.m. on May 31.

POLSON — “911, Thanks” is an event to say thanks to the local first responders for all they do to keep the community safe. Come join us for a free lunch, bouncy toys, face painting, and more. This event is takes place on May 31 at Polson Alliance Church, 46873 Highway 93, and starts at 10 a.m., and goes until 3 p.m. For more information, call the church office at (406) 883-4179, or send an email to: officeofpac@gmail.com.

CHARLO — Breakfast will be served to children at 9 a.m. in the lobby of the Charlo gymnasium Monday –Thursday, June 9-26.

HOT SPRINGS — Hot Springs Artists Society’s 2014 Juried Art Show will be in May and June with entry forms out by the end of February. It is open to everyone. Paintings, drawings, mixed media and sculpture, carving, metal sculpture, pottery and other original handmade works of art are accepted. 

Entry forms can be ordered by March 1 at the phone numbers above or by email at marla@western-art.com or at www.hotspringsartist.org -click on entry form. 

HSAS meets the first Wednesday of each month at The On the Wall Gallery at 7 p.m. at Wall St. Place.  

POLSON — The Polson Chamber of Commerce will host a “free” customer service training targeted at front line staff that interact with our tourists. Please join us Monday, June 2, 2014, from 1-4 p.m. at the KwaTaqNuk Resort. There will be Montana based videos, tourism scenarios, resources for guiding your visitors, and instruments to start using the moment you return to your business. Call the Chamber of Commerce at (406) 883-5969, to RSVP or to ask questions. 

RONAN — The Mission Valley Back Country Horsemen will meet on Tuesday, June 3. There will be no meetings in July with meetings resuming on Aug. 5. The horsemen meet at the Ronan VFW. For more information, call (406) 883-5876.

RONAN — The Mission Mountain Quilt Guild will hold their monthly meeting on June 3 at the Terrace Lake Community Church in Ronan, at 6:30 p.m.

Please bring four fat quarters for the raffle basket and your items for the Country Store for the quilt show. We will have a show and tell with your completed Challenge UFO projects. Don’t forget to bring them.

POLSON — Polson Chamber’s general meeting and luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, at the Polson Elk’s Lodge from 12-1 p.m. Polson School District’s superintendent Dr. Linda Reksten will be our featured speaker. She will present on the state of the schools. For more information, please call the Chamber office at (406) 883-5969. A hot entrée lunch will be served for $12 per person.