Swim lesson signups
Sign up now for all Summer Swim Sessions at the Bitterroot Aquatic Center. All sessions run Monday through Thursday for two weeks. Session 1: June 18th-June 28th; Session 2: July 9th-July 19th; Session 3: July 23rd-August 2nd; Session 4: August 6-August 16th. For more information visit the website, www.bitterrootaquaticcenter.com or call 375-8200.
Wednesday, May 16
Father Ravalli birthday celebration
On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Father Anthony Ravalli, the staff at St. Mary’s Mission and Museum invites you to celebrate the legacy of this remarkable man on Wednesday, May 16. Antonio Ravalli was born May 16, 1812 in Ferrara, Italy. The genius of Father Ravalli left an indelible mark on the state of Montana. Enjoy birthday cake from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. plus reduced rates on guided tours of the St. Mary’s Mission Complex. A new book released by Stoneydale Press and Valley Drug of Stevensville, “Father Anthony Ravalli, S.J.”, will be available in St. Mary’s Gift Shop. The book contains a complete memoir of Fr. Ravalli by L.B. Palladino, S.J. written in 1884. Local author Jeanne O’Neill’s chapter is titled, “A Great Good Man”, along with a writing by Sondra Sieg called, “Leonardo of the Rockies.” Included is a commentary by Carlo Ravalli, from Ferrara, Italy, upon the induction of Fr. Ravalli into the Gallery of Outstanding Montanans. Also included is a collection of historical photographs. A new exhibit will also be unveiled in the museum. Fr. Ravalli’s Birthday Party will be held at St. Mary’s Visitor Center, west end of 4th Street, Stevensville. For more information call 777-5734.
Floral design workshop
The Stevensville Garden Club is sponsoring a floral design workshop on Wednesday, May 16. Attendees will make a floral design incorporating a piece of weathered wood. Cost is $10.00. All supplies will be provided and attendees will take their design home. Call Nina Eadie at 239-5361 to reserve a spot.
BPL preschool story time
Preschoolers are invited to meet in the children’s corner of the Bitterroot Public Library on Wednesday, May 16 to enjoy “Pet Pals” with storyteller Samantha Twedt. Story time begins at 10:30 a.m. and is designed for children 3-5 years of age. All story times are free and open to the public.
NVPL story time
“Bumblebee” Storytime will be held Wednesday, May 16 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Library storytime is an important enrichment activity with stories, songs and simple crafts that promotes early literacy development and a love for reading and the library. A healthy snack is always provided. North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville. For more information, call the library at 777-5061.
‘Change Your Age’ workshop
A free “Change Your Age” Balance Workshop will be held Wednesday, May 16 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at the Bitterroot Wellness Center, downstairs in the Kohl Building behind Valley Drug. The “Change Your Age” Program is based on the Feldenkrais Method and is focused on teaching the awareness on one’s neuromuscular habits to reduce pain, discomfort and to improve mobility. This special series will focus on restoring balance. If you are experiencing age-related loss of balance or recovering from a stroke, a brain trauma, PTSD or are in recovery from a surgery, injury or are in fear of falling down. this focused class will help you regain your equilibrium. Learn to move with greater ease and agility while increasing range of motion and balance awareness. The class is not stressful and does not involve repetitive routines. It does not place demands on your muscular strength and flexibility. It does not require specialized equipment or clothing, but it does require you to use the most important organ in your body – your brain! The workshop will be followed by a four-week session starting May 23. For information contact 370-9252 or yogaintheroot@gmail.com.
Stevi school board special meeting
The Stevensville School Board of Trustees will hold special board meeting on Wednesday, May 16 at 7 p.m. in the Stevensville Music Center to interview interim superintendent candidate.
Victor park board
The Victor Park District will hold its next regular meeting on
Thursday, May 17. Meetings are held at the Farmers State Bank meeting
room in Victor (enter rear door from the south parking lot) at 7 p.m.
This month there will be discussion of the final details on the highway project, spring maintenance and the results of the recent Park Board election. Call Roger De Haan at 961-3953 with any questions.
Thursday, May 17
Conversational Spanish class
A conversational Spanish class will be offered at the Darby Community Public Library starting May 17. Explore the language with Alicia Nelson, a native Spanish speaker and experienced instructor. Nelson will introduce grammar basics and target the needs of the class to help participants gain confidence in speaking the language and understanding basic phrases. This six-week free course is scheduled to start on May 17 at 9 a.m. in the Darby Community Public Library meeting room. Registration is open now so sign up at the library or call the library at 821-4771 to confirm your participation.
Back Country Horsemen
Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen host their monthly meeting on Thursday, May 17, at the Corvallis School Cafeteria on Eastside Highway in Corvallis. Potluck dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the general meeting starts at 7:00. Program speakers are Deb Gale, Forest Service Wilderness and Trails Program Manager and Bill Goslin, Wilderness Ranger. They will provide an update on the travel management plan and an overview of the 2012 trails program. Guests are welcome, and for more information call Karen at 961-0101 or check the website at www.bchmt.org/bitterroot.
PFLAG
PFLAG Hamilton-Bitterroot will have the community family counselors Nilda Bishop and Barb Lucas as guest speakers, at the meeting on Thursday, May 17 at 7 p.m. in the community basement room at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 600 S. Third, Hamilton. Do you have questions and concerns you would like to ask a counselor? Bring them for discussion. Some of the topics they can address are how the family is impacted when they become aware a person in their family is gay. Families frequently experience the grief process as frequently legacies are altered. Family communication patterns and systems can frequently be negatively impacted. However, there are methods and skills which can contribute to positive communication and family dynamics. The goal is to keep our families intact. Also, reconciling your child’s needs with your belief system will be discussed. This presentation will be a dynamic one which responds to the participant’s particular needs and interest. A resource list will be provided for families.
Stevi school board special meeting
The Stevensville School Board of Trustees will hold a special board meeting on Thursday, May 17 at 7 p.m. in the Stevensville Music Center to address personnel issues/hiring staff.
Friday, May 18
Tot Time
Music and Motion Tot Time will be held Friday, May 18 from 10:30 to 12 noon at North Valley Family Center, 5501 Hwy 93 N, Suite 3, Florence Business Center (behind Town Pump). Come enjoy the many wonders of music, singing and dance with your toddler. This month’s theme focuses on bugs and counting. Snack provided. Facilitated by Melissa Sparks. Call 273-0142 for more information.
North Valley Pachyderm Club
The North Valley Pachyderm Club will meet Friday, May 18, at noon at the Frontier Café, Hwy 93 in Stevensville. Guest speakers will be Commissioner Suzy Foss and candidate for HD89 Nancy Balance. They will be talking about the Ravalli County Natural Resource Use Plan. The North Valley Pachyderm Club meets the first and third Friday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Frontier Cafe. The North Valley Pachyderm Club is an educational arm of the Republican Party. All are welcome.
HHS Plant Sale
Hamilton High School will have a sale featuring plants students raised from seeds and repotted while learning skills in both special needs and freshman science classes. The sale will be Friday, May 18 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the greenhouse in the south parking lot behind HHS on Fairgrounds Road. HHS Greenhouse sale will have lots of tomatoes and a limited number of flowers and herbs including: Cherry Tomatoes, Riesentraub, Sweet Pea, Red Fig, and Yellow Gooseberry; Flowers: Borage, Coleus, Lupine, Wild Geranium, Geranium, Marigold, Purple Cone Flower, Bachelor Buttons, Strawberries; Herbs: German Chamomile, Basil – 3 varieties in one pot, Oregano and Sage.
SAFE Crystal Ball
The gala event of the season, the SAFE Crystal Ball, happens Friday, May 18, at the Bitterroot River Inn. An evening of fine food, silent and live auctions, a no-host bar, and dancing to the music of the Big Sky Mudflaps — all to support SAFE, Supporters of Abuse Free Environments. Funds raised at the Crystal Ball, help SAFE provide a variety of services to over 400 adult and child survivors of domestic and sexual violence in the Bitterroot Valley each year. Patron tickets are $75 each, general admission $50, or you can be an event sponsor! Patron and General Admission tickets provide admission to the event, auction and dancing. Patrons are invited to attend a pre-event martini reception at 6:30. General Admission begins at 7:00. Tickets for 9:30 admission are only $15 and provide admission for dancing with the Mudflaps only. Purchase tickets now by calling SAFE at 363-2793, or online at safeinthebitterroot.org.
Stevensville Hotel concert
Come hear the “Rock and Roll Love Child,” Andrea Harsell, in person, in an intimate solo setting. Andrea mixes sharp original songwriting with some classic covers, and will have a special guest appearing with her at this show. The show takes place at the historic Stevensville Hotel this Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. For further information, call Michael at 240-0216.
Stevensville Playhouse production
Last chance to see “The 39 Steps.” The show is a farce adapted from the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film. The play’s concept calls fro the entirety of the 1935 film to be performed by a cast of four. One actor plays the hero, Richard Hannay (Erick M Rasmussen), an actress (Lindsey Zachariasen) plays the three women with whom he has romantic entanglements, and the other two actors (Maria Cole and Mark Joy) play every other character in the show: hero’s, villains, men, women, children. The film’s serious spy story is played mainly for laughs, and the script is full of allusions to (and puns on the titles of) other Alfred Hitchcock films, including “Rear Window”, “Psycho”, “Vertigo” and “North By Northwest.” This show will have you laughing from the first scene until the end. Show dates are May 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. and May 20 at 2 p.m. Tickets: Adults $10 with advance purchase or $15 at showtime. Children 12 and under $8 with advance purchase or $10 at showtime. For reservations call 777-2722.
Saturday, May 19
Women’s flyfishing clinic
The Bitterroot Water Forum and The Teller are sponsoring a one day women’s only flyfishing clinic on Saturday, May 19. The clinic will go from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and lead instructor is Jenny West. The registration fee of $50 includes lunch and the proceeds benefit the Water Forum and the Teller. For information, contact Jenny at 360-2644 or jenny.west30@yahoo.com
Daly Mansion Rummage Sale
The Daly Mansion will be hosting a Rummage Sale in the big tent on the grounds of the Daly Mansion on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (no early birds). Shop for gently used treasures and help the non-profit organization The Daly Mansion Preservation Trust keep the gates and the doors open to the Mansion and the Margaret Daly Arboretum. A wide variety of items have been donated for the sale and there are sure to be some great bargains. The Daly Mansion is located at 251 Eastside Highway between Hamilton and Corvallis.
Solar hot water workshop
Want to learn what a solar hot water system would look like and cost for your home? A workshop will be held Saturday, May 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with an optional one-hour tour after the workshop to see an installed residential solar hot water system. The workshop will be held at the Missoula County Extension Conference Room, 2825 Santa Fe Court, #1 in Missoula. Bring your own lunch or bring $10 for on-site ordering. Pre-registration is required for this free workshop (for handout planning) by contacting Susan Bilo at Susan.Bilo@montana.edu or (406) 994-2225. Provide your name, address, and phone number.
Composting workshop
On Saturday, May 19, Sam’s Spade Garden Tools & Wares will be presenting the third installment in the “Grow Your Soil” series. Master composter Rod Daniel will address the virtues and methods of successful composting. Participants will discuss topics such as site selection, optimal materials, carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, water requirements, mixing and aeration techniques and application procedures. The talk begins at 1 p.m. in the Bitterroot Public Library meeting room and is free and open to the public. For more information call Sam’s Spade at 363-1293.
Art show
Art for Hope, a benefit for a friend and neighbor who is suffering from a rare neuro disease, Ataxia, will be held on Saturday, May 19 at the Hackett Orchard. The outdoor art show will be from 3 to 7 p.m. with local artists participating. There will also be a quick draw by Sven Lindauer. Live music will be by Shane Clouse. Fireside Pizza and Scott Williams Welding are providing a BBQ and BlackSmith Brewery is providing the beverages. There will also be games for kids and a live auction with Bill McNulty and Jim Pfau auctioneering. Hackett’s Orchard is located off Eastside Highway, between Willoughby and Groff Lane. For more information, contact Ed at 381-0846 or Melanie at 381-3875.
Scandinavian Fair
Bitterrootdalen Lodge, Sons of Norway, will hold a free cultural fair on Saturday, May 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 275 Hattie, off Daly Avenue in Hamilton. The public is invited to see and participate in cooking from Norwegian recipes, try rosemaling, and see chip carving, and Hardanger embroidery. Visitors can try wheat weaving, learn about Norwegian language, books and videos, genealogy, and see the educational trunk available for schools.
There will be a “Lefse bake-off”, and a free supper of roast pork and lefse wraps will end the afternoon. Members and visitors are invited to bring a sample of a favorite dessert. The Fair is in celebration of “Syttende Mai” (17th of May) – Norwegian Constitution Day, which was signed in 1814. Much of Norway’s Constitution was based on the United States Constitution, signed 25 years earlier. Norway found itself free of Danish rule after Denmark had been allied with Napoleon until his defeat at Waterloo. Later, Sweden administered Norway, until a final, peaceful break in 1905, and Norway was a free kingdom for the first time in six centuries.
The Lodge will also have a window display at the Paper Clip from May 14th to 21st. The paper clip was invented in Norway and used as a symbol of revolt against the German occupation during World War Two.
Eagles installation
Bitterroot Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary #1693 will install new officers on Saturday, May 19 at 6 p.m. at the Eagles Aerie in Hamilton. A potluck dinner will follow the ceremony. The ceremony honors the new officers for the 2012-13 year and recognized the outgoing officers for their service to the community. Meat, potatoes, rolls and coffee will be furnished for the potluck. Those attending are asked to bring a side dish, salad, or dessert, and try to sign up at the Eagles bar, 363-1113, for a head count. Eagles members, family and friends are encouraged to attend.
MAPS on Montana PBS
The MAPS students are at it again. Join alumni and current students on an intimate tour of who MAPS really is — the students and their creative forces. Get an insiders look at the people of MAPS and the creative work they produce in the Bitterroot Valley. MAPS is an after school media arts program that provides free media arts education to Bitterroot Valley high school students. The students will take the audience on a whimsical tour of MAPS and the creative chaos behind it all. The piece airs on Montana PBS on Saturday, May 19 at 5 p.m. and again on Sunday, May 20 at 10:30 a.m.
Monday, May 21
Stevi school menu
May 21-25
Monday: Breakfast – Cereal or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Pizza, corn, mandarin oranges, bread & butter, milk
Tuesday: Breakfast – French toast, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Chicken drumsticks, mashed potatoes, gravy, apples, bread & butter, milk
Wednesday: Breakfast – Bagel with cream cheese, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Spaghetti, tossed salad, mixed fruit, bread & butter, milk
Thursday: Breakfast – Pancakes, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Pulled pork sandwiches, taters, kiwi, bread & butter, milk
Friday: Breakfast – Cereal or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Hot Pockets, mixed veggies, pears, bread & butter, milk
Rotary Club
During the Month of May, Hamilton Rotary Club is featuring the theme, “Ravalli County Historical Tourism” with special guest speakers. The club meets Mondays at noon at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. 1st Street, Hamilton. There will be time for questions and discussion. This meeting is open to the public. For further information, call 363-2960.
Bitterroot Audubon
What does your backyard have that attracts birds? Looking at residential landscapes from a birds-eye perspective will be the topic of Bitterroot Audubon’s May program. Madeline Mazurski and Poody McLaughlin will discuss the merits of native plants in attracting birds to the home landscape and how to design for both birds and people. Now is the time to get those plants in the ground so your property will be a haven to birds and wildlife. This is a perfect opportunity to learn how to do it.
Madeline Mazurski is the owner of Montana Native Landscapes in Missoula, specializing in native plant and water wise landscape design since 1995. She has taught landscape design and plant classes. She also designed and helped establish a Water Wise Demonstration Garden in Missoula. Poody McLaughlin is a long-time member of Five Valleys Audubon. The house that she and her husband built has led to her ongoing curiosity and development of a home landscape that attracts birds.
This program is on Monday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at the Bitterroot National Forest Headquarters on Hwy 93 at the north end of Hamilton. Enter the building from the west side. The meeting is free, and the public is invited. For further information contact Kay Fulton, 642-3794.
Tuesday, May 22
Republican Women’s Club
The Ravalli County Republican Women’s Club will hold its monthly meeting and lunch on Tuesday, May 22 at 11:30 a.m. at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. Guest speakers will be State Senator Bob Lake running for Public Service Commissioner #4, State Representative Pat Connell, incumbent running for HD87 and State Senator Jim Shockley running for Attorney General. Ravalli County Republican Women meet the fourth Tuesday of each month.
Spectra Showcase
Everyone is invited to attend the Hamilton Middle School Spectra Showcase on Tuesday, May 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the HMS Gym. This fabulous event highlights all the amazing Independent Study Projects that HMS Spectra students have been creating throughout the year.