POLSON — The Flathead River Rodeo will be held at the Polson Fairgrounds Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23-25, with nightly performances at 6:30 p.m. Come join the fun at KwaTaqNuk Casino and Resort for chances to win night rodeo passes and other great promotional prizes during Flathead River Rodeo week. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the gate. Contact KwaTaqNuk Resort and Casino at (406) 883-3636.

BIG ARM — On Saturday, Aug. 25, the Big Arm Historic School’s pavilion will be transformed into a barn, where the  “For Ever Country” band will play country and old rock-n’-roll music until 10 p.m. This music will delight everyone who loves to dance. The Old School Cafe will be open from 6-7:30 p.m. with waitress service and a special menu of  “Student Fodder,” “Teacher Feed,” and “Principal Fare.” Tables will be set up in the sheltered pavilion and inside the historic school where you can meet your neighbors and catch up with old friends. We will have a silent auction of many wonderful items, a 50/50 raffle and will call the winner of the raffle for the “Last Light” king-size quilt.

Come dance, come dine, or just come to visit.

The Barn Dance/Historic School is located on Seventh Street in Big Arm. For more information, call 849-6628. All proceeds will benefit the restoration work on the historic school.

DIXON— The Dixon Melon Days committee would like to invite the public to the 21st annual melon celebration on Saturday, Aug. 25, in Dixon. This is a fun filled family event with lots of activities: parade, run/walk, dunk tank, kids’ games, little buckaroo rodeo, lawn tractor race, melon eating contest, farmers’ Olympics, and much more. We hope to see you there for a fun-filled day.

PABLO — Save Saturday, Aug. 25, to stomp out Lake County hunger. Join the “Fun Run” at the Joe McDonald Gym in Pablo. Pick up registration forms at Lake County Food Banks.

POLSON — It’s time for our annual Polson Rotary Festival for Youth Raffle to be held Saturday, Aug. 25, at 2 p.m. at Riverside Park. You do not have to be present to win. Proceeds from the raffle go to the Mission Valley Aquatics pool project.

Tickets are $25 per chance or five chances for $100. Make check payable to the Rotary Foundation. One prize per ticket and prize choices are: $1,000 cash from First Interstate Bank; $1,000 of groceries from Super One Foods and Harvest Foods; $1,000 in gas; 300-350 pounds of cut Kobe beef from Liz and Jon Marchi; a wine cellar collection (minimum of 60 bottles); and two 2013 season golf passes for Polson Bay Golf Course from the City of Polson.  

Drop off or mail a check to Rotary Foundation c/o Tracy Dooley, 704 Third Ave. E., Suite B, Polson, MT 59860. 

Call (406) 883-0900 for more information.

POLSON — It’s time for our annual Polson Rotary Festival for Youth Raffle to be held Saturday, Aug. 25, at 2 p.m. at Riverside Park. You do not have to be present to win. Proceeds from the raffle go to the Mission Valley Aquatics pool project.

Tickets are $25 per chance or five chances for $100. Make check payable to the Rotary Foundation. One prize per ticket and prize choices are: $1,000 cash from First Interstate Bank; $1,000 of groceries from Super One Foods and Harvest Foods; $1,000 in gas; 300-350 pounds of cut Kobe beef from Liz and Jon Marchi; a wine cellar collection (minimum of 60 bottles); and two 2013 season golf passes for Polson Bay Golf Course from the City of Polson.  

Drop off or mail a check to Rotary Foundation c/o Tracy Dooley, 704 Third Ave. E., Suite B, Polson, MT 59860. 

Call (406) 883-0900 for more information.

POLSON — On Saturday, Aug. 25, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., the Polson Rotary Club will host a chili cook-off at Riverside Park on the south side of the Armed Forces Bridge in Polson. Children’s games and activities, and a raffle, are included. This year’s Annual Polson Rotary Festival for the Youth is once again an effort to raise funds to support a local project oriented towards the youth of our local community. Polson Rotary is proud to support the Mission Valley Mariners and the improvements and stadium lighting being constructed on their home field. The improvements and lighting will enable them to host tournaments and enhance the overall functionality of the ball field. Polson Rotary believes this project will have a significant impact on the youth of this community. Please make any checks payable to Polson Rotary. Your support is greatly appreciated. Contact the chamber at (406) 883-5696.

CHARLO — To mark the 40th anniversary of Shakespeare in the Parks, artistic director Joel Jahnke decided to produce Shakespeare’s greatest and best-known play for the 2012 summer season. The Ninepipe Arts Group is pleased to announce that “Hamlet” will grace Palmer Park on Sunday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m.

Cheri’s Kitchen Catering will provide a delicious picnic dinner at 4:30 p.m. A variety of delicious desserts will be sold as a fundraiser for scholarship funds. Seating is provided, but feel free to bring a comfortable lawn chair.

Ninepipes Arts Group is soliciting funds from local friends and neighbors to help cover the cost of bringing this year’s production to Charlo.

Come enjoy the action and learn whether, “To be, or not to be?” really is the question.

RONAN — Please join us in celebrating the 13 years of service Jeff Kingery and family have devoted to our community as pastor, counselor, servant, chaplain, friend and much more. The Kingerys are leaving and we invite you to join us in saying farewell and thank you for your service, love and dedication to our community. Join us for a potluck-style farewell barbecue at 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 at Terrace Lake Community Church (formerly Ronan Alliance Church). Bring a dish of your choice and celebrate with us.

For more information, call (406) 676-5395 or 676-2958.

RONAN — On Sunday, Aug. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m., The Red Poppy introduces a gallery show of Northwest landscape and wildlife photography by Jay Cross. Jay will present a narrated slide show of some of his favorite photographs at 2 p.m. As always, the afternoon is free and open to the public, with a reception following the program. This work will hang in the gallery until the fourth week in November.

The Red Poppy is located in Ronan at Eisenhower St. SW and Hwy. 93. Call (406) 676-3010 for more information or go to our website: www.theredpoppy.org

RONAN — The Ronan Farmers Market takes place Thursdays from 3-7 p.m. through Sept. 13 on the lawn in front of the Flower Mill on Main Street. Fresh produce, baked goods and giftware are available. All vendors are welcome. 

RONAN — Orders will be taken at Rod’s Harvest Foods on Aug. 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Chamber of Commerce community calendars. You may contact LaVonne Olmsted at (406) 745-3423 for any questions or orders. Your support helps the Chamber sponsor many activities during the year including Good Old Days, Easter and Christmas activities for kids and families. Calendars are $8 with information for the immediate family and additional names may be added for 50 cents each. Ads are also available for businesses. 

POLSON — A “fifth Friday” dinner will be held at Polson Community Church, located at 1814 1st St. E., on Friday, Aug. 31, from 5-7 p.m. Save the date. 

POLSON — A farmers market will be held every Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Third Avenue West. For more information, contact Tonya Truman at (406) 546-0749.

POLSON — Learn the facts about the Flathead water rights settlement in a presentation sponsored by The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and State of Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission from 7 to 10:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 4, at the KwaTaqNuk Resort, 49708 US Highway 93 East, Polson. 

RONAN — The Mission Mountain Quilt Guild monthly meeting will be Sept. 4 starting at 7 p.m., at the Terrace Lake Community Church (Ronan Alliance Church).  This is the new year registration meeting and the challenge fabric and block of the month fabrics will also be available for a small charge. We encourage any and everyone to join us. Members bring your friends and your show and tell. Hope to see you there. Refreshments for this month are Kasey Savage, Donna Corum, Deleen Winters, and Lori Lindon.

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.

POLSON — Our back-to-school dance is set for Sept. 5, from 7:30-10:30 p.m., at the Polson Elks. Ken’s Country Combo will be playing their wonderful selection of tunes. Everyone is invited to join the fun and the awesome treats the group provides. Thanks to all of you for the goodies.

PABLO — This year, 2012, marks the 30-year anniversary of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ designation of the Mission Mountain Tribal Wilderness area by CSKT Tribal Ordinance. To celebrate this important environmental accomplishment we are bringing together indigenous land managers from North and South America – members of the international Native Lands and Wilderness Council – at Salish Kootenai College. The gathering will be held Sept. 5-7, with two days of plenary sessions and break-out sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy a day of guided interactive experiences in the Mission Mountain Tribal Wilderness Area on Sept. 5.

This symposium is open to the public. Registration and information for the event can be found at: http://nlwc.eventbrite.com/

POLSON — The next water rights negotiation session between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the State of Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission and the United States is scheduled for Sept. 5 at 9 a.m. at the KwaTaqNuk Resort. The public is invited to attend. 

RONAN — The Ronan Farmers Market takes place Thursdays from 3-7 p.m. through Sept. 13 on the lawn in front of the Flower Mill on Main Street. Fresh produce, baked goods and giftware are available. All vendors are welcome. 

RONAN — On Sept. 6 and 7, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the Mission Valley Senior Center, at 528 Main St. SW, has a yard sale. Proceeds benefit the Ronan Senior Center nutrition program and the home services and transportation programs run by the Lake County Council on Aging. 

ST. IGNATIUS — In honor of our American Indian heritage, St. Ignatius Dance Troupe will present an assembly to celebrate our native culture on Friday, Sept. 7, from 1-2 p.m. on the east side of the elementary school playground. (In the case of poor weather, it will be held in the elementary gym.) Aileen Plant, our Native American Studies teacher, is organizing this event with assistance from Geraldine Felix and Ben Corral. This assembly showcases school and community male and female dancers’ unique dance styles and will support pride in our tribe, our families, our school, and us. After enjoying lunch with students in the lunchroom, 30 guests from the International Friendship Force will join us at the assembly. Parents and community members are welcome to join us in the celebration. 

RONAN — The Mission Valley Back Country Horsemen will hold their monthly meeting, Sept. 7, at 7:30 p.m., at the VFW Hall on Round Butte Rd. The program for the evening will consist of discussing some of the items of equipment you might want to take into the mountains when you go hunting.

If you have questions, you may contact Dennese at (406) 883-5876.

POLSON — Good Shepherd’s Little Friends Preschool will have an open house on Friday, Sept. 7, from 4 to 6 p.m., at 409 Fourth Ave. E. in Polson. During that time, you can meet teacher Heather Holmes and explore the classroom.

Little Friends Preschool is a joyful ministry of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, offering a Christian-based education with an emphasis on art fundamentals.

Classes are offered 8 a.m. to noon. Students age 3 meet Tuesdays and Thursdays (tuition is $100/month,) and students ages 4 to 5 meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (tuition is $150/month.)

For more information, come to the open house or call Heather at 406-370-6397.