Thursday, May 21

RASS training
Western MT Addiction Services is holding a Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service (RASS) training on Thursday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at 209 N. 10th Street, Suite C in Hamilton. The cost of the training is $15 (cash only) for materials. This training is for anyone who sells and serves alcohol. The “Let’s Control It” curriculum is approved by the Montana Dept of Revenue to fulfill the state mandate for certification and participants will receive a certificate of completion. For further information or to register call 532-9149 or email ffavara@wmmhc.org. Register by May 20.

Friendly Gardener’s Club
The Friendly Gardener’s Club of Darby/Conner will be holding their monthly meeting on Thursday, May 21 at 12 noon. You are cordially invited to join in for this fun, social get together. No gardening experience or skills are required! For location and more information regarding this meeting call the club president at 821-2229.

Blood drives
The American Red Cross seeks eligible donors to give blood to help ensure a sufficient blood supply for patients in need. Summer is an especially difficult time to collect enough blood to meet the needs of hospital patients. Many schools that host blood drives are out of session during the summer, and regular donors are often vacationing, potentially making them less available to give. Donors of all blood types – especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative – are needed. To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Upcoming blood donation opportunities
Hamilton
5/21/2015: 11 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Marcus Daly Hospital, 1200 Westwood Drive
5/26/2015: 11 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Walgreens Hamilton, 901 North 1st
6/9/2015: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 275 Hattie Lane
6/15/2015: 11 a.m. – 2:15 p.m., Kmart Pharmacy, 1235 North 1st Street
6/16/2015: 10 a.m. – 2:15 p.m., Rocky Mountain Labs, 903 South 4th Street
Corvallis
6/4/2015: 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 957 Eastside Highway
Darby
5/27/2015: 2 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Darby Community Clubhouse, 106 North Main
Victor
6/9/2015: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Methodist Church, Methodist Church, 115 1st St S.

Blood drive
The American Red Cross strives to collect over 700 pints of blood to meet the needs of patients in this area alone. In the Montana service area every 27 minutes someone needs blood. Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital (MDMH) helps the American Red Cross meet this need by sponsoring blood drives four times a year. The next blood drive is on Thursday, May 21 from 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the hospital conference rooms B/C. To schedule your blood drive appointments, call Gary Schulz at 375-4451. Donors: remember to bring your identification with you and prior to donating blood eat complete meals, avoid caffeinated beverages, and drink plenty of water. Visit mdmh.org for more information about this event and the others coming soon.

Back Country Horsemen
Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen host their monthly meeting on Thursday, May 21, at the Corvallis School Cafeteria on Eastside Highway in Corvallis. Potluck dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. and the general meeting starts at 7:00. Program speaker is Mark Smith, trails specialist for the Bitterroot National Forest. Mark will show and discuss basic trail maintenance techniques and specifications. Completed and upcoming projects and trail rides will be reviewed, and if keeping trails open and accessible is important to you and you enjoy riding or hiking, consider attending — you are welcome! For more information call Karen at 961-0101 or check the website at www.bchmt.org/bitterroot.

Stevi COW
The Stevensville Town Council will hold a Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at the Stevensville Town Hall to discuss FY15/16 Employee Benefits Package.

Friday, May 22

Driver safety class
An AARP Smart Driver Class (Driver Safety) will be presented at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, 1200 Westwood Drive in Hamilton, on Friday, May 22. The class starts at 6 p.m. and lasts approximately four hours. While this safe driving strategies class is designed for drivers age 50 and over, all drivers are welcome. The class fee is $15.00 for AARP members and $20.00 for non-members. There are no written exams or driving tests. Montana mandates an insurance discount for qualified graduates. Pre-registration is advised. To sign up, contact Jones-Korman Insurance at 363-6583 or, for further information, call Bob Graler, Instructor, at 381-4428.

Golden Age dance
Dancers are needed to keep the Friday night dances at the Golden Age Club going. There will be a dance Friday, May 22 from 7 to 10 p.m. The floor is good, the music is good and the potluck snacks are delicious. Admission is $3.00 per person. The hall is at 727 S. Fifth Street in Hamilton. Call 363-0142 for information.

Museum benefit
“A Night out at Sapphire” will be held Friday, May 22 at 7 p.m. at Sapphire Lutheran Homes in Hamilton. Mouthwatering entrees, side dishes, desserts and fine wines, prepared by the talented culinary staff at Sapphire Lutheran Homes, will be served in an elegant atmosphere, fully attended by friendly wait staff and paired with a new museum exhibit. Proceeds benefit the Ravalli County Museum. Tickets are available at Sapphire Lutheran Homes and Ravalli County Museum.

Concert of Baroque Music and Workshop
Bitterroot Baroque presents the popular Seattle early music group “sound|counterpoint,” playing a concert of virtuosic chamber music in acoustically pristine St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 600 S. 3rd Street, Hamilton on Friday, May 22 at 7 p.m. The group comprises recorder, baroque oboe, baroque violin and harpsichord. Featured composers will include Fasch, Vivaldi, Telemann, Bach and Montéclair. Admission is at the door, adults $20, students $5.
And on Saturday, May 23, the members of “sound|counterpoint” will teach their instruments and Baroque style in an all-day workshop for active, advanced musicians. For more information visit www.bitterrootbaroque.org or call (314) 852-5099. Advance registration is required.

Saturday, May 23

Victor Museum
The Victor Heritage Museum will be open for visitors starting Saturday, May 23. The museum will be open Sunday the 24th and Monday the 25th for Memorial Day from 1 to 4 p.m. Ray Peterson will be at the opening day with his train. He will treat riders to a trip around the town of Victor. Regular days to be open are Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. This year’s theme is Victor in the Roaring 20s, 30s & 40s. The museum will feature vintage radios on loan from Evelyn Parrish and dresses from same period of time. Summer guest artist, Donna Case, is displaying her scrollwork. The Victor Garden Club has donated its archives to the Museum. Also on display is a child’s dress from 1865. Come and see what else is new at the Museum, located at the corner of Main & Blake Streets in downtown Victor. Call 642-3997 or visit victorheritagemuseum.org for more information or you may contact Suzanne Tout at 363-3165.

Science Saturdays
Science Saturdays are held at 10 a.m. at the Ravalli County Museum, 205 Bedford, Hamilton. Astronomy will be the topic on Saturday, May 23. Come see what can you see when you look through a telescope. Explore the amazing cosmic world with spectrum. Build a comet, make star charts, look at the sun (safely) and discover how physicists and astronomers explore outer space. Neuroscience will be the focus on Saturday, May 30. Explore the most fascinating organ of the human body – the brain! See a real brain, discover the structure and function of a neuron, and explore how learning and memory work. See the world through upside down goggles to explore the meaning of neuro-plasticity.

Center for Spiritual Living
The Center for Spiritual Living hosts Adele Coon presenting The Power of Universal Love Sunday May 24 at 10:00am. Adele shares wisdom from her spiritual journey, including her work with animal communication. Special music with LeGrande Harvey. Refreshments and lively conversation follow at 11:15. Come early for Meditation at 9:30am. We look forward to seeing you there. The Center for Spiritual Living is located at 1720 N. First Street, Suite C in Selway Commons, north of Sears in Hamilton. Further information call Dave at 381-2355 or at CSLbitterroot.org

Monday, May 25

Stevi school menu
Monday: Memorial Day – No School
Tuesday: Breakfast – Bagels with cream cheese or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Chicken Fajitas with lettuce & salsa, Spanish rice, apples bread & butter, chocolate or regular milk
Wednesday: Breakfast – Cereal or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Pulled pork sandwich, taters, applesauce, bread & butter, milk
Thursday: Breakfast – Pancake on a stick or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Beef Steaks, mashed potatoes & gravy, peaches, bread & butter, milk
Friday: Breakfast – Ham bites or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Hot dogs, baked beans, pears, bread & butter, chocolate or regular milk.

Wednesday, May 27

Library Homework Hour
The North Valley Public Library is starting a new program. “Homework Hour” is designed to be a free, open, quiet study hall. Children of all ages can come to study, research, do homework, receive free tutoring (as available) or just relax and read. Keep in mind that children 10 years old and under must be accompanied by parents or older siblings while at the library. “Homework Hour” will take place in the library’s newly remodeled Community Room. It will be supervised by two adult staff members. The first “Homework Hour” will be on Wednesday, May 27 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Children can come at any time and leave whenever they want. Snacks will be provided. For more information, email Mary at maryw@northvalleylibrary.org or call 777-5061. The North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street. Library hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Quilters’ Guild
The Bitterroot Quilters’ Guild will meet Wednesday, May 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Daly-Leach Community Room, 1010 W. Main, Hamilton. All community members are welcome to attend.

Thursday, May 28

Elk lecture
A lecture by Daniel Eacker on “Elk Calf Survival and Elk Population Dynamics in the Southern Bitterroot Valley” will be held Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m. at the Ravalli County Museum, 205 Bedford St, Hamilton. Eacker is a graduate student in the Wildlife Biology Program at the University of Montana. Dan started his M.S. program in January of 2012 working on the Bitterroot Elk Ecology Project. This three-year study was initiated by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in response to declining elk calf recruitment in the southern Bitterroot Valley of Montana. The study will determine the importance of factors such as nutrition and predation for elk calf survival and elk population dynamics. Eacker will explain the background for the study, provide updated results, and talk about the study goals in relation to the broader context of carnivore recovery.