Wednesday, July 8

Zen Buddhism class
A class will be held Wednesday, July 8 on the fundamental teachings of the Buddha as taught by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh including exercises of mindful breathing, listening, walking, eating; the Eightfold Path with the basic teaching on Mindfulness; the Five Precepts for living in the world; and the Heart Sutra. Led by Jill Davies (642-3601) the class meets the second and fourth Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Center for Spiritual Living, 1720 N. First Street, Suite C in Selway Commons, north of Sears in Hamilton.

Thursday, July 9

Women Newcomers Club
No matter whether you’ve lived in the valley all your life, or if you’ve only just arrived here, the
best place to meet and make new friends is the Bitterroot Women Newcomers Club, which meets on the
second Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. at the First Christian Church, 128 Fairgrounds Road, in Hamilton. The July 9 meeting will feature an informative talk on the noxious and ‘not so noxious’ weeds found in our yards and how to deal with them.

NVPL Kids’ Book Club
North Valley Public Library is starting a new summer group – the Kids’ Book Club! This club is for kids ages 9-12. Each week will have a theme and kids can read whatever books they want within that category. Admission is free. The club will meet on Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon in the Community Room to share likes/dislikes and just chat about books. There will be activities along with a light snack. Kids will finish in time to attend the “Free Lunch” program at St. Mary’s Family Center.
July 9th – Animal Heroes
July 16th – Historical Heroes
July 23rd – Mythical/Folk Heroes
July 30th – Magical Heroes
You can attend just one week or all four weeks; it’s up to you! Register for the Kids’ Book Club by emailing maryw@northvalleylibrary.org, signing up at the front desk of the library, or calling 777-5061. North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville.

Fellowship Club
The Bitterroot Public Library’s Fellowship Club will meet on Thursday, July 9 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to discuss ”Golden Rules for Everyday Life” by Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov.
In this inspiring work philosopher and spiritual master Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov proposes 115 golden rules that will enable seekers to bring the light of the Spirit into every single experience and activity of their life, however mundane.
Aïvanhov was not one for putting spirituality and everyday living into two separate compartments, as people often do. He believed that, whatever we are presented with in life, we should look upon it as a step towards spiritual growth, and bring to it all the light, wisdom, honesty and care we can possibly muster. Drawn from the thousands of talks Aïvanhov gave, these Golden Rules are an ideal companion and source of guidance for anyone on a spiritual path.
Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov (1900-1986) was born in Bulgaria. In 1937 he went to France where he gave the main body of his teaching. One of the most striking aspects in his books is the enormous variety of ways in which he presents the central question of man and his growth in perfection. All topics of his initiatic science are invariably dealt with in terms of how man can better understand himself and better conduct his life.
The Fellowship Club meets every second Thursday of the month in the West Meeting Room of the Bitterroot Public Library and is free and open to anyone seeking to promote individual and collective well being.
Call 363-1670, or email jacostant@gmail.com for more information.

Stevensville Town Council
The Stevensville Town Council will meet Thursday, July 9 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 206 Buck Street. Agenda items include Skate Park Construction Schedule; P/T Police Clerk Position; Restroom Remodel at Lewis & Clark Park; and Adding Rural Firefighters to the Town Roster for Retirement & Training Purposes, to name a few.

Friday, July 10

Relay for Life
The 2015 Relay for Life of Ravalli County will be held Friday, July 10 from 6 p.m. to Midnight at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds. The “track” will be on the new asphalt in front of the First Interstate Building. Registration, silent auction, raffle tickets, food and other activities will be taking place inside the First Interstate Building. Event questions can be directed to Event Co-Chairs Robin Holcomb at 239-5740 or Margi Leininger at 239-0544.
Dinner will be provided by Moose Creek Barbecue from 4 to 10 p.m. The menu will include pulled pork sandwiches with their award-winning sauces, coleslaw, baked beans and potato salad. Survivors will eat for free with a $7 charge for everyone else.
Other activities include silent auction, survivor photos, cowboy poetry, chair massage, fun laps, poker laps, musical dot laps and Zumba. The Luminaria ceremony will take place at 10:30 p.m.
The annual Survivor Dinner will be held on Thursday, July 9, hosted by Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. There are two seatings, at and 7 p.m. To RSVP or for more information folks can contact Tammy Riley at 381-1006.
Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.
Find more information at http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?sid=128433&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=66447.

Star gazing
Explore planets, nebulae, star clusters and distant galaxies during seven upcoming free public observing nights at the Blue Mountain Observatory. The events are family-friendly, and children are welcome.
Public observing nights this summer are scheduled for the following Fridays: July 10 and 17, Aug. 7 and 14, and Sept. 4 and 11. Attendees are asked to reserve a free ticket for each person in their group via Eventbrite at http://bit.ly/1KOSelu.
The observatory, located atop Blue Mountain at an elevation of 6,300 feet, is operated by the University of Montana. Astronomers will be on hand at all events to discuss what’s being viewed through the telescopes, point out constellations, show attendees how to find interesting celestial objects with the naked eye or a pair of binoculars, and discuss recent astronomical discoveries.
Observing begins about an hour after sunset, and organizers recommend bringing warm clothes for cool evenings and a flashlight for the walk from the observatory to the parking lot. To ensure the public observation nights remain safe and pleasurable for all, smoking and alcohol are not allowed.
For more information on the observatory, directions and a map, visit http://cas.umt.edu/physics/Blue_Mountain_Observatory/. Viewing nights will be canceled if the sky is cloudy or thunderstorms threaten. Before heading to the observatory, call 243-4299 for weather and cancellation updates.

Saturday, July 11

First-time homebuyers class
The Bitter Root Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. (Bitter Root RC&D) will hold its next nationally-certified First-Time Homebuyer Group Education class on Saturday, July 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bitterroot Valley Board of Realtors, 224 N. 4th Street, Hamilton. The charge is $50 per household and includes the mandatory one-on-one counseling session to be completed prior to attending the group class. Attendance the full day and the one-on-one counseling session are required for certification. Payment in full is required by Wednesday, July 1, to confirm your reservation. Phone (406) 363-5450 to make your reservations today. Payment can be made with a check, credit or debit card, or cash. The office is located at 1709 N. 1st Street in Hamilton. There will be no August class.
The class is presented by Sara Ann Briggs, who is certified in four areas of housing counseling from the NeighborWorks® Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling: Pre-purchase group education; One-on-one counseling, Financial Counseling, and Post-purchase group education. The Bitter Root RC&D can now offer new programs to the residents of Ravalli County, including the required follow-up counseling for eHome participants.
The class is structured to help novice homebuyers maneuver through the entire process of homeownership. Attendance entitles participants to additional individual financial counseling and post-purchase counseling, at no extra charge. People seeking to purchase their first home should take the class prior to seeing a lender or real estate agent because the class will provide information on how to shop for both, what questions to ask, and what assistance is available to first-time homebuyers for down payments and closing costs, and more.

Sapphire Classics Car Show
On Saturday, July 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mildenberger Motors of Hamilton will be sponsoring the annual Sapphire Classics Charity Car Show. The community will also enjoy food, games, raffles, ATV and Recumbent bicycle displays, and a Child Safety Seat Fitting Station with nationally certified child passenger safety technicians for inspections. Retailers have donated great gift packages for raffle ticket purchasers to win. Come and vote for your favorite Classic Car! All proceeds will be presented to Emma’s House and Bitterroot Therapeutic Riding charities.

Science Saturday
“Engineering” will be the topic at Science Saturday on July 11 at 10 a.m. at the Ravalli County Museum, 205 Bedford St, Hamilton. Think, plan, build! You can be an engineer, and complete a variety of structural design challenges. Can you build a bridge that holds a lot of weight? Can you build a super tall structure that won’t fall over in the wind? Try it out!

Geology Tour
George Furniss, a geology professor at U of M, will lead a tour of sites in the Bitterroot Valley that show the effects of the Ice Ages and Glacial Lake Missoula. The group will travel into Roaring Lion and Judd Creeks, then into Lost Horse Creek, and end the tour at Lake Como, with time for discussion there before returning to Hamilton. At the Lake you will learn the history of the irrigation system, how snowpack is measured, how much water is stored, how the lake is managed and how the flow in the Big Ditch reaches a large number of small farms all along the east side of the valley as far as Florence. Plus there is a new Glacial Lake Missoula marker at the swimming area to show to everyone. There will be maps and road logs provided. Meet the I-Ride Vans in the Hamilton K-mart parking lot at 10 a.m. No RSVP needed. Allow around 5 hours. Bring a lunch and water. Cost is $10 at the vans. Sponsored by Sustainable Living Systems. For more information call Jill at 642-3601.

Accordion club picnic
Five Valley Accordions will hold the annual picnic dance on Saturday, July 11 at the Lolo Community Center. Activities of music, bingo, lunch and ice cream social start at 10 a.m. with dancing from 1 to 10 p.m. Supper supplied by The Hayloft will be served at 5:30 p.m. BYOB. For information call 370-8452 or 777-5349.

Three Mile Community Picnic
The annual Three Mile Community Picnic will be held Saturday, July 11 starting at 12 noon at the Lone Rock Park, corner of Ambrose and Sunnyside Cemetery Road. Meat will be supplied; bring a dish to share and some chairs and enjoy the day. There will be a girls softball tournament, Little Boo Bingo, live and silent auction, live music, vintage vehicles, and games for the younger people. Vendors are welcome for a donation; contact Colleen at 777-3710 for a space. Raffle tickets are on sale for $5 each to win a $500 gift certificate to Super One, Burnt Fork Market (also good at Pattee Creek Market) or Trader Brothers. This picnic is for the community and neighbors. Any proceeds will go towards building a community center for the Three Mile and neighboring area.

Ladies Over 90 Tea
Soroptimist of Hamilton is partnering with Sapphire Lutheran Homes for the 10th Annual Tea for “Ladies Over 90 Years of Age” on Saturday, July 11 at 2 p.m. This heartwarming event is open to all ladies in Ravalli County who have achieved the age of 90 years or more. Sapphire Lutheran Homes has once again offered its formal dining room as the beautiful setting for the tea. Savory finger foods will be provided by Sapphire, with Dominic reading some of his poems, while light music plays in the background.
Encourage your mothers, aunts, grandmothers, sister and friends ages 90 and over to attend this special event held in their honor. Many attendees wear hats to celebrate the occasion and the Soroptimists will have a selection available also.
For more information call Kathy Sital, Chair of Senior Women’s Project, 360-8584.

Public dance
Bitterroot Dancers is having a country western dance on Saturday, July 11 from 7 to 10 p.m. Open to the public, Nashville 406 live band, no-host bar available. Held at Hamilton City Hall/Bedford Building, all welcome, $8 entry. Info at 406-381-1392.

Sunday, July 12

Center for Spiritual Living
The Center for Spiritual Living hosts Jim Olsen presenting “The Habit of Service and Living a Generous Life” on Sunday, July 12 at 10 a.m. The theme for July is Being In Sacred Service and Jim shares his insights about serving others. Special music with LeGrande Harvey. Refreshments and delightful conversation follow at 11:15. Come early for Meditation at 9:30 a.m. The Center for Spiritual Living is located at 1720 N. First Street, Suite C in Selway Commons, north of Sears in Hamilton. For further information call Dave at 381-2355 or visit CSLbitterroot.org.

Monday, July 13

Faith Lutheran Vacation Bible School
“A Love That Never Ends” will be the theme for the week as Faith Lutheran hosts VBS the week of July 13-17. Four FLBC counselors will lead youth in bible-centered activities that include singing, games, crafts, team building exercises, and worship. Youngsters from the age of three up to entering 6th grade are welcome to sign up. Preschoolers will meet from 9 to 11:30 a.m. School-age children will meet from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (lunch will be served).
This wonderful experience is not just open to Faith’s children, but as a Christian outreach to any young children in your life: grandchildren, nieces and nephews, neighbors, etc. For more information call 363-2964. The church is located at 171 Lewis Lane in Hamilton, just off 93 across from Murdoch’s.

Rotary Club
Steve Kice, a Rotarian who recently moved to the Bitterroot from Texas, will be speaking at the next meeting of the Hamilton Rotary Club, on Monday, July 13 at 12 noon at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. 1st, Hamilton. Steve will be speaking about his former landscaping business. The meeting is open to the public. For further information call 363-2960.

Como Schoolhouse group
The Como Schoolhouse preservation group will meet Monday, July 13 for a potluck at 6 p.m. and history lecture at 7 p.m. Guest speaker will be Tamar Stanley, executive director of the Ravalli County Museum, giving a presentation on the history of the Bitterroot Valley. The restored schoolhouse is located 11 miles south of Hamilton, at the corner of Hwy 93 and Old Darby Road. Public is invited to attend potluck, lecture or both. For more information call 821-3592.

Drum Circle
An African Drum Circle will take place Monday, July 13 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Bring your drum, rattles, and other instruments and be part of the fun. No drums–no worries, there will be instruments to share. During the summer, Drum Circle meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month at the Gazebo at River Park in Hamilton. For information, contact Jerry at 381-7220 (jelb229@aol.com).

Tuesday, July 14

Dance camps
River Street Dance Theater presents two dance camps this summer, featuring guest artists Joy French from Missoula and Hamilton’s own Tess Gallagher Clancy. The classes taught by Director Pam Erickson will consist of: Creative Movement at 10-11:15 a.m. (July 14-17) for ages 3 to 7, and Ballet/Modern Dance from 12 noon to 2:15 p.m. for ages 8 to 11 (July 13-17). The second camp is for older children. Students ages nine and up will have Ballet with Pam Erickson at 9:30 a.m. and a Modern Jazz Fusion class with Joy French from 10:40 to 11:40 a.m. The more advanced workshop will be open to dancers 12 years and up. Modern Jazz Fusion taught by Joy French will be at 11:50 a.m. and Ballet taught by Tess Gallagher Clancy will be from 1:20 to 2:40 p.m. Costs run from $35 to $70 for a week of classes. Call 363-1203 for more information and a brochure.

Red Cross blood drives
Hamilton – 7/14/2015: 1 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 275 Hattie Lane
Darby – 7/27/2015: 2 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Darby Community Clubhouse, 106 North Main
Florence – 7/27/2015: 2 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence-Carlton High School, Florence-Carlton High School, 5602 Old Highway 93
Victor – 7/28/2015: 3 p.m. – 6:15 p.m., Church of the Nazarene, 5th and A Street

RCEDA
Ravalli County Economic Development Authority will hold its regular monthly Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, July 14 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, July 15 from 3 to 5 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the RCEDA office, 274 Old Corvallis Rd, Hamilton. These meetings are open to the public.

Intro to I Ching
I Ching is a 3,000 year old Chinese text used for divination and self-awareness. Come and learn how to interpret I Ching readings to enhance and set intentions. This class is offered Tuesday, July 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living, 1720 N. 1st Street (north of Sears). For more information call Jim at 360-1915.