POLSON —Powerful Tools for Caregivers class is scheduled for Wednesdays, Sept. 5 to Oct. 17, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson. The time for the class is 10 to 11:30 a.m. There is no fee for the class. A donation of $25 is suggested. The class is sponsored by the Area VI Agency on Aging and Providence St. Joseph, to help caregivers take care of themselves, better understand their emotions, and communicate more effectively. Please contact Jane at (406) 883-7284 or 1-800-266-4188 for more information or to sign up.

CHARLO — Everyone is invited to attend a book signing at the Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 15.  Bud Cheff Jr., the founder of the museum, will sign his new book, “Legend Keeper: More Trails and Tales.”  The book contains more than 80 stories about experiences in western Montana and offers insights into moments in history about the Mission Valley. The book is printed by Stoneydale Press out of Stevensville, and includes a forward by the publisher, Dale A. Burk. Several individuals who are mentioned in the book will also be on hand for this special event, plus refreshments and entertainment will be available. 

RONAN — On Sept. 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Ronan Visitor’s Center on Highway 93, the fourth annual Ronan Harvest Festival will take place. A chili cook-off will take place and cash prizes will be awarded. Come enjoy tasting the chili. Contact Brennin Grainey at  (406) 676-4600 or bgrainey@commbank.net for more information.

Food and craft vendors should call Roland Godan at 676-5901 ext. 116 or email him at rg@ronan.net to register.

The “Largest Pumpkin Contest” will be held at the festival. This is one of only two official weigh-ins in Montana. Pumpkins weighing 200 to 1000 pounds –plus, will be displayed, officially weighed, and judged.

To participate in the “Scarecrow and Straw Bale Decorating Contest,”

for town or festival display, contact Ronna Walchuck at (406) 261-7579.

The festival includes kids’ games, the famous zucchini races, and much, much more.

Pick up chili cook-off, zucchini races and vendor information and forms at: Community Banks, Ronan Power Products, First Interstate Bank, Valley Banks, Lake Co. Community Development. 

For more information call Ronan Chamber at (406) 676-8300 or email: info@ronanchamber.com

POLSON- The Mission Valley Animal Shelter will conduct a self-service doggy wash to raise funds for the shelter at 11 a.m.  Saturday, Sept.15, in the parking lot of First Interstate Bank in Polson. The event is sponsored by Anderson Broadcasting/KERR/Big 100.

In addition to the doggy wash, food will be provided by ByteMe, a full service food truck owned and operated by local restaurateur Cheryl Hackman. The shelter will also offer discounted micro-chipping for your pet.

Bring your dog and your camera. Shelter personnel will provide tubs, hoses, water, shampoo, towels and brushes.  

The cost of participating is $5 plus voluntary donations to the shelter. ByteMe will also be donating a portion of its proceeds to the animal shelter that day.

For more information, call the shelter at 883-5312.

POLSON — The Polson Chamber of Commerce is having a sporting clays fundraising tournament on Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Big Sky Sporting Clays facility on Irvine Flats Road. Cost is $140 per person or $420 for a 3-person team, which includes 100 targets, shotgun shells, barbecue lunch, and an award ceremony. Contact the Polson Chamber of Commerce for more details at (406) 883-5969 or www.polsonchamber.com.

POLSON — The Mission Valley High School Rodeo will be held at the Polson Rodeo grounds on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 11 a.m. and on Sunday, Sept. 16, at 10 a.m. There will be many contestants from our valley as well as from all over the state. Admission is $5 so come out and support these young men and women, many who compete in the National High School Finals Rodeo.  Contact Rocky Knight at (406) 644-2874, for more information.

POLSON — The International Plein Air Painters Organization and Polson’s Sandpiper Art Gallery invite all artists to the World Wide Paint Out. on Saturday, Sept. 15, in Polson. Free to all, just come and paint. Painters bring your own equipment and check in at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at Riverside Park in Polson. Return to the park at 4 p.m. for showing and sale of work and photos for IPAP. The public is welcome. For more information contact dcartworks09@yahoo.com, Sandpiper Art Gallery at (406) 883-5956 or visit: Sandpiperartgallery.com.

RONAN — Pastor Gordish continues his Muslim vs. Christian course with the topic “Different Core Beleifs.” We will compare the tenants of the Christian faith with the Muslim beliefs. This second installment of the course will be Monday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church. See www.ronanchurch.org for more information.

ARLEE — The Arlee Community Development Corporation will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m. in the Salish Senior Center on Bitterroot Jim Road in Arlee. Members of the Arlee CDC will elect new board members. The new board will review the past year’s activities and the future of the Arlee CDC. The meeting is open to the public and members are encouraged to attend, as they will vote for new board members.

Dinner will be served and the drawing for the 50/50 raffle will be held.

For more information, contact Kelley at (406) 726-5550.

PABLO — The People’s Center will host the annual Native American Awareness Week here Sept. 18-20 and are seeking volunteers to help. We will host local students, some from off reservation schools and local the community. They will have the opportunity to participate in drying and tasting wild game drying on the rack, taste fry bread, see how deer hides are tanned, hear stories, tour the museum, play native games, and hear drumming and singing. If you can help in anyway please call The People’s Center at (406) 675-0160. We lean heavily on volunteers to make this a successful event.

Thanks in advance.

POLSON — Thanks for the wonderful support we’ve had at the community dances. Our next dance is on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 7:30-10:30 p.m. The goodies have been excellent and welcome. We are celebrating a birthday on Sept. 19, so cake and ice cream will be served. No treats are need for that evening’s dance. Ken’s Country Combo will be playing their superb tunes at the Elks. Hope to see you there.

CHARLO — The United Methodist Church is sponsoring a youth jam that will include food, fun and music on Sept. 19, in Charlo Community Park, at 6:37 p.m. Join us.

POLSON — Support Polson Late Afternoon Social Hour will be held on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012, from 5-7 p.m. Your host will be the Mission Valley Aquatic Center. Contact the chamber office at (406) 883-5969, for more information.

POLSON — The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are sponsoring the 2012 Fall Mack Days on Flathead Lake. It will be held Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 21-Nov.11, and the last 10 days of the contest are all fishing contest days. Great prizes can be won and a fish fry will be held on Nov. 11 for all participants and their families at Blue Bay. The award ceremony begins at 5 p.m. Anglers may enter the contest at: www.mackdays.com, pick up applications at area sporting goods stores, or call in their entries to (406) 883-2888 ext. 7294. Entry forms will not be mailed out. Contact CSKT at (406) 883-2888 ext. 7294, for more information.

RONAN — Ronan Booster Club's annual homecoming tailgater will be Friday, Sept. 21. Line up for the parade is 4:30 p.m.; then follow it to the Ronan football field. The Ronan Booster Club will be having its $5 meal deals and also its membership meal deals (with a purchase of a membership, receive two free meals).

PABLO — On Friday, Sept. 21, from 4 p.m. to dusk, a social pow-wow will be held at The People’s Center in Pablo. There will be dancers, drums, and vendors. The public is welcome.

Call 675-0160, for more information.

POLSON — On Saturday, Sept. 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Polson Shooters Association will hold an open house at the newly revamped range at 38386 Kerr Dam Road. All hunters and gun enthusiasts are invited to come out and see our new improved facility. This is a free day to sight in your rifles before the beginning of the hunting season.

We will be serving hamburgers and hot dogs at lunchtime. There will be range officers and vendors to discuss any issues you may have with your rifles or handguns.

POLSON — Knights of Columbus and Polson Catholic Christian Women will host a free will offering breakfast and bake sale on Sunday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m.-noon at Immaculate Conception Church. Proceeds will be given to Debbie Basler for medical expenses. Plan on joining us to support a great cause and have a delicious breakfast.

ST. IGNATIUS — All boys and girls 11 years of age and older (by Sept. 24), are invited to attend the hunter safety classes to be held in the basement of the Christian Church for five evenings starting Monday, Sept. 24, from 6-8:30 p.m. The Friday night class will be from 5-8:30 p.m.

All students must pre-register online and print and bring to the first class the student agreement form (includes a parent/guardian agreement) signed by the student. Also bring the 2012 student code of ethics.doc. To find and print the required forms go online to: www.register-ed.com:80/events/view/25338. Call (406) 546-9015 for further information.

RONAN —Pastor Gordish concludes his “Christian vs. Muslim” course by looking at the difference in how Muslims and Christians relate to government. This third class takes place Monday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church. See www.ronanchurch.org for more information.

PABLO — Judith Heilman, Director of Obama for America in Montana, will speak at Salish Kootenai College Tuesday, Sept. 25, in the Michel Bldg., Room 105, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.  Come hear her talk about President Obama's bid for reelection, current information on the campaign and ask how you can help get Barack Obama reelected on Nov. 6. Come and bring a friend, ask Ms. Heilman to answer your questions, share a light snack and beverage with like-minded friends. We look forward to seeing you all there. 

ARLEE — There will be a public meeting to discuss tribal election rules and regulations on Wednesday, Sept. 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Arlee Indian Senior Center. For more information, visit www.facebook.com and see the event “CSKT Election Process and Discussion” or contact 406-531-4316 or 406-745-1140. This is a tribal citizen-organized initiative and is not sponsored by the Tribal Council or the tribal government.

POLSON — Please join us to meet with gubernatorial candidate Rick Hill at Ridgewater Office Complex, 145 Southlake Crest. This fundraising reception hosted by Dale Gillespie, Mike Maddy, Sen. Carmine Mowbray, Jim and Joanne Simpson, John Cowan, Jack and Susan Lake, Ron and Kathi Normandeau, takes place Wednesday, Sept. 26, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Contributions are appreciated, (maximum contribution $630). To RSVP please call Carmine at (406) 883-4677. 

Directions: Turn west off Highway 93 at Ridgewater, (across from Memory Lane), take immediate left on Long Lake; then next left to top of hill. There’s plenty of parking.

RONAN — On Friday, Sept. 28, at noon, at the Ronan Senior Citizens Center, Bill Pullman and Montana’s Commissioner of Securities will host a 50-minute documentary entitled, Gold Digger: Investment Fraud in the Treasure State. Lunch will be provided. Limited seating is available so please RSVP by calling (800) 322-6148 or go to www.csi.mt.gov/GoldDiggers.

POLSON — Jack Stivers, Lake County Extension Agent, will be the featured speaker at the Friday, Sept. 28, meeting of the Lake County Pachyderm Club to be held at the Rural Fire Dept. building on Airport Road west of the bridge in Polson. The business meeting begins at noon and adjourns at 1 p.m.

Stivers will share his experiences from a summer trip to Kenya and Tanzania where he volunteered at an orphanage and on the orphanage farm. He then went on a safari in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

He is an Associate Professor with a master’s degree in animal science from Montana State University and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Colorado State University.

Pachyderm meetings begin with a social time at 11:30 a.m.; attendees are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch. Anyone with an interest in learning is welcome to attend the meeting.