Thursday, December 14
Darby High School Art Show Sale
For the second year, Darby High School is collaborating with Hidden Treasures, a local art store in Darby, to host a student art show and sale. On Thursday, December 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., student art from the art, shop, and greenhouse students will be on display in Hidden Treasures. Community members are invited in to look around and support a budding artist by purchasing a gift for their friends, family, or themselves this holiday season. Juli Winthers, owner of Hidden Treasures, welcomes this event and is happy to host a space for students to display their hard work.
Health Education Series
On Thursday, December 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, join Rebecca Conroy, FNP from Bitterroot Physicians Clinic North and uncover your detective skills at the, Journaling Makes a Difference class. If you do not already know, you are your best detective. In this class you will learn how to empower yourself to capture patterns, signs, symptoms and more through journaling. This powerful class will help you to navigate your health, identify when life is overwhelming and teach you how to take control. Enhance your diet, get moving and de-stress with just a few minutes a day! This is a one hour class, is held in the hospital’s Blodgett and Canyon View conference rooms. Doors open at 5pm. Marcus Daly medical staff work together to offer monthly health education classes. Take this opportunity to meet the medical staff and learn how to become a more active partner in your health care, for more information visit mdmh.org or call 363-2211.
Genesis House open house
Genesis House will hold an open house and Christmas party on Thursday, December 14 at 5:30 p.m. at 116 College, Stevensville. The public is welcome. For more information call 777-3751.
Open Mind Discussion Group
The Open Mind Discussion Group meets at Sapphire Homes in Hamilton from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every second Thursday of each month starting December 14th. December’s subject is: The greatest words ever spoken. For more information call 360-7004.
Cross-Country Ski Club
Kate Davis, founder of Raptors of The Rockies, will present a program on raptors at the Thursday, December 14 meeting of the Bitterroot Cross-Country Ski Club. The potluck dinner begins at 6 p.m., the meeting and program will begin at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome. The club meets at the First Presbyterian Church, 1220 W. Main Street, Hamilton. Kate is bringing a few of her feathery friends!
Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen
The SPWBCH will celebrate the holiday season by having a finger food potluck, coffee, tea and hot cocoa at the next general meeting on Thursday, December 14 at 6 p.m. in the Hamilton Forest Service Bldg. There will be a drawing for a Murdoch’s $25 gift certificate and also a “White Elephant” gift exchange up to $15! It’s that time of year for membership renewals, elections and a look back on a great summer of projects, packing and mountain trails! Guests are always welcome to attend and enjoy snacks, drinks and lots of “trail talk”. Entrance is in the rear. For more information contact Mike at 777-4383.
Victor park board
The next meeting of the Victor Park District will be on Thursday, December 14 at 7 p.m. in the meeting room of Farmers State Bank in Victor. There will be discussion of the drilling of the new well in the park, plans for the new irrigation shed, and tentative budget items. Come if you can, or call Roger at 961-3953 if you have any questions.
Friday, December 15
North Valley Pachyderm Club
The North Valley Pachyderm Club will meet Friday, December 15 at 12 noon at the Frontier Café, Hwy 93 in Stevensville. This is the club’s Christmas Lunch ($11.00). Bring a white elephant gift to exchange. There will be no speaker. The North Valley Pachyderm Club is an educational arm of the Republican Party. All are welcome.
Saturday, December 16
Kids’ candy house making
Children can make a candy house for Christmas on Saturday, December 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Ravalli County Museum in Hamilton. Kids: expand your imagination, celebrate creativity, and decorate a festive holiday house that gets you in the jolly spirit. Using a menagerie of colorful candy, choose how to adorn your own tasty house. This activity costs $5.00 per house to cover materials. Call 363-3338 for more information.
Daly Mansion Christmas Party
Santa is coming to the Daly Mansion on Saturday, December 16! From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the house will be full of fun activities for kids, such as cookie decorating, craft projects, a performance by the Sunshine Generation and visits and photos with Santa Claus. Santa will arrive at 12 noon and be on hand for photos until 3 p.m. The house will be decorated for the season and it’s the perfect setting for cherished photos. There will also be light snacks for all and more live music with the Bitterroot Ragtime Society and pianist Joan Roe. Cost of admission is: $5 per adult, $2 per child 3 and older. Under age 3 is free. Optional photos with Santa are $5 each. All proceeds benefit the Daly Mansion Preservation Trust.
Square Dance Club
Boots & Calico will be celebrating 70 years of square dancing as a Club on Saturday, December 16. This is also a Christmas dance and both Ray Dunbar and Barry Bartlette will call this special dance. Don Scheline will provide the Round dance music. Ray is teaching the ongoing beginners class, and the Mainstream dance is from 6 to 8 p.m. Dancers are asked to bring festive finger food to share, and canned goods for Haven House. To celebrate the 70th anniversary, there will be cake and ice cream! Club dances are held at the Golden Age Center at 5th & Baker Streets, Hamilton. The public is welcome.
Christmas concert
The Montana A Cappella Society will present “A Montana Christmas” on Saturday, December 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hamilton Performing Arts Center. The show will feature special guest John Floridis, guitarist extraordinaire, who is the Emmy award winning host of the Musicians Spotlight on Montana Public Radio.
Continuing a Bitterroot tradition, this free, festive holiday concert is perfect for the entire family and presents holiday favorites from Christmas past and present that will delight all listeners. The show is presented against beautiful backdrops and is costumed in elegant Victorian costumes.
Take time out of your busy schedule and spend an evening of joyous celebration of the season. Tickets are not required for this free concert and all are welcome. You deserve to relax and soak in the beauty of the holidays!
Performing a cappella music since 2003, the Montana A Cappella Society is an all-volunteer organization representing a cross-section of the community from varied musical backgrounds, occupations, and ages. In addition to private bookings and several major concerts a year, the group creates special programs for community events, civic organizations, and schools.
The Hamilton Performing Arts Center is located in the Hamilton High School, 217 Daly Avenue, Hamilton. For more information call 363-5778.
Center for Spiritual Living
“Integrity: The Path of Least Resistance” is the topic of the Sunday Service on December 17 at the Center for Spiritua Living in Hamilton. The better we know ourselves and trust in who we are, the more integrity we will manifest and the less we will fear in our complex and changing world. Z’eva Singer, licensed family counselor, will lead attendees in a short meditation and share some stories to provide practice and examples of situations in which heartfelt truth manages to pop out unexpectedly. Be prepared to connect with “the little brain in your heart!” The Center for Spiritual Living is located at 328 Fairgrounds Road, across from Hamilton High School. Come hear inspiring ideas and uplifting music. Meditation begins at 9 a.m. For further information call Dave Schultz at 381-2355, visit CSLBitterroot.org, or on at Facebook: CSLBitterroot.
Monday, December 18
Stevi school menu
Monday: Breakfast – Pancakes or Yogurt, fruit, toast or cereal bar, milk; Lunch – Ham & Cheese Sandwich, taters, pears, bread & butter, milk
Tuesday: Breakfast – Cinnamon Rolls or Yogurt, fruit or cereal bar, toast, milk; Lunch – Burritos, Spanish rice, applesauce, bread & butter, milk
Wednesday: Breakfast – French Toast or Yogurt, fruit, toast or cereal bar, milk; Lunch – Cheeseburgers, taters, bananas, bread & butter, milk
Thursday: Breakfast – Cereal or Yogurt, fruit, toast or cereal bar, milk; Lunch – Cheese-filled Breadsticks, glazed carrots, mixed fruit, bread & butter, milk
Friday: Winter Break – no school.
Rotary Club
Celebrating the Christmas Season, the Hamilton Rotary Club will host “Guys & Dolls” directed by Peggy Bucheit on Monday, December 18 at 12 noon at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. 1st Street, Hamilton. The meeting is open to the public.
Due to the holidays, there will be no Rotary meetings on December 25th or January 1st. For further Rotary Club information, call 363-2960.
Tuesday, December 19
Food box distribution
On Tuesday, December 19, Pantry Partners in Stevensville will hold its annual Christmas Food Box Distribution. This is a community event with scores of volunteers from the Back Country Horsemen, your neighbors, local junior high and high school students and Santa Claus. Pantry clients receive everything needed for a first-rate Christmas dinner with turkey and all the trimmings. Pantry Partners clients may pick up their boxes at the St. Mary’s Family Center at 401 4th Street in Stevensville between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, December 19. Clients are reminded to bring their green claim receipts.
Community Cooking Connection
A Teen Cooking Program providing a free meal to the public and teaching youth how to prepare and serve health meals will be held December 19-21 in Corvallis. Visit Facebook for more details and registration at: https://www.facebook.com/CommunityCookingConnections/.
‘All Aboard the Polar Express’ at Library
“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.” – The Conductor, The Polar Express
Come “board” the Polar Express on Tuesday, December 19 at 5:30 p.m. and hear this classic story, as well as other traditional Christmas stories. Wear your pajamas, enjoy some hot chocolate, and make a themed craft. Sign up at the Library’s front desk. This program is suitable for children ages 4-12. The North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville. For more information, call Annika at 777-5061.
Wednesday, December 20
Nativity Gallery
All are invited to enjoy a Nativity Gallery on Wednesday, December 20 at 6 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 401 N. 8th St. in Hamilton. Come enjoy beautiful display of creche collections and an introduction to the “Light the World” service initiative that brings even more spiritual meanings to the Christmas season. All are welcome.
Elks Christmas Dinner
The Bitterroot Valley Elks Lodge #1651, located at 203 State Street, Hamilton, will be serving a Christmas Dinner on December 20 at 6 p.m. The $15.00 complete dinner includes prime rib, salad, dessert and coffee. Proceeds from the dinner help to sponsor Elks charities in the Valley. For reservations telephone 1-406-363-3031 (Bitterroot Valley Elks Lodge #1651 Office).
Back Country Horsemen
Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen host their monthly meeting on Thursday, December 21, at the Corvallis School Cafeteria on Eastside Highway in Corvallis. Potluck dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. The program speaker will be Dave Schilz. He brings knowledge of his 28 years of backcountry packing experience with the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service, including outfitter and guide stories of his personal pack trips. As a student and teacher of packing, a horseman and a longtime BCH member, Dave looks forward to sharing his knowledge with those in attendance. Guests are welcome and for more information call Karen at 961-0101 or check out the website at www.bchmt.org/bitterroot or on Facebook at Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen (BR BCH).