Wednesday, December 7
Garden Club meeting cancelled
Stevensville Garden Club will not meet on Wednesday, December 7. The next meeting will be Wednesday January 4, 2017 at 1 p.m. at the Community Baptist Church, 409 Buck Street, Stevensville. Everyone is welcome. Contact Sue at 406-369-0406 for more information.
Stevi school concert
Stevensville Public Schools will hold a Holiday Concert on Wednesday, December 7 at 1 p.m. in the elementary gym. The concert will feature the 1st and 3rd grade classes of Stevensville Elementary School, the 5th grade choir, and the Stevensville Stinger Singers, all under the direction of Katie Raffety, K-5 music instructor. The public is welcome.
Corvallis Christmas Celebration
The annual Corvallis Christmas Celebration and Tree Lighting will take place on Wednesday, December 7, at 5:30 p.m. All community members are cordially invited to participate and help kick-off the holiday season. The celebration will begin in front of Corvallis High School with the lighting of the Marty Litvin Memorial Tree. The festivities will then move inside for holiday singing led by Corvallis High School music students and refreshments for all. Santa Claus will visit with treats for children. This annual celebration is sponsored by the Corvallis Civic Club in collaboration with the Bitterroot Women’s Club, the American Legion Auxiliary, Corvallis band and choir students, Bitterroot Tree Service, and White Horse Forestry. For further information, contact Carol Peterson at 961-3362.
Spiritual Masters Video Series
The documentary “Wake Up,” which follows the fascinating story of Jonas Elrod, an average guy who inexplicably developed the ability to access other dimensions, will be shown on Wednesday, December 7 at 6:30 p.m. at The Center for Spiritual Living, 1720 N. 1st Street (north of Sears), Hamilton. Jonas crisscrosses the country searching for answers and delves deeper into the thrilling world of the phenomenal and spiritual. He visits Buddhist monasteries, interviews spiritual masters such as Llewellyn Vaughn-Lee and explores scientific principles to make sense of his unusual experiences. The video will be followed by discussion and popcorn will be served. By donation. For more information visit cslbitterroot.org.
Thursday, December 8
Lone Rock park board
The Lone Rock Division of the Ravalli County Park Board will meet Thursday, December 8 at 7 a.m. at the three Mile Fire Hall. The public is welcome.
Ionic Lodge #38
Masonic Brothers and Sojourners, Ionic Lodge #38 will hold the monthly Stated Communications Meeting on Thursday, December 8 (second Thursday) at the Lodge in Hamilton, 115 S. 3rd Street, for the discussion of business that regularly comes before the Lodge. The Stated Communications will be opened on the Master Mason’s Degree, Entered Apprentice Degree or Fellow Craft Degree if a Brother(s) of these Degrees are present. A light meal will be served in the Lodge dining hall at 6:30 p.m. with the Stated Communications meeting to begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. Sojourners (visiting Brothers) will be provided assistance if their Masonic work is a little rusty. For further information contact Rick Laible, Trestle Board Editor, (406) 531-4456, or email ricklaible@aol.com.
Caregivers and Executors class
Join Katherine Herczeg, MSN, APRN, of Bitterroot Physicians Clinic South and Larry Johnson, attorney, on Thursday, December 8 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for a class on being prepared for end of life regardless of your age. The class will take place at the Blodgett/Canyon View Conference Rooms at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, 1200 Westwood Drive in Hamilton. Being prepared reduces the burden on your loved ones. Through engaging personal experiences and legal counsel you will learn how to simply take care of yourself and those you care for. There will be a discussion about the priority items to have in place from a Living Will to Advance Directives and you will leave with a checklist that will help you get started on getting your personal affairs in order. Knowing that your loved ones’ and your own personal affairs are in order will give you a sense of peace. For information about upcoming classes visit mdmh.org/hes or call 363-2211.
Selway-Pintler BCH
The SPWBCH will close out the year with a Christmas meeting on Thursday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bitterroot National Forest Building in Hamilton (rear entrance). Join members for tasty treats, warm drinks, trail talk and a look back at the 2016 projects. Elections will also be held. For more information contact Linda at 961-1435.
Cross Country Ski Club
Pam Okland will share her experience exploring Alaska’s Inside Passage on a small ship with a photo presentation at the next meeting of the Bitterroot Cross Country Ski Club, on Thursday, December 8 at the First Presbyterian Church, 1220 West Main Street, Hamilton. Hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, bushwhacking, shore walks, whale watching, wildlife viewing and breathtaking scenery were all part of the package on this adventure cruise. Uncruise Adventures are unrushed, uncrowded, and unbelievable! Pam Okland is a retired teacher who loves having the time to explore new places and try new things. A holiday potluck will begin at 6 p.m. Bring a favorite dish to share and your own table service. Pam’s program will follow at 7 p.m. The public is welcome.
The Bitterroot Cross-Country Ski Club is a non-profit organization that maintains and grooms over 32 miles of cross-country ski trails on National Forest lands east of Lost Trail Pass, south of Darby. The trail system at Chief Joseph X-C Ski Area has been significantly expanded over the past few years to include not just traditional classic-style trails. There are now 13+ miles (22.3 kilometers) of trails groomed for skate and classic skiing, and 19+ miles (30.6 kilometers) of multi-use trails appropriate for skiing, dog sledding, snow shoeing, fat-tire biking, and snowmobiling. Employing the services of Lost Trail Powder Mountain’s PistenBully to groom the trails ensures that, as soon as (still waiting!) the Pass receives enough snow, the entire trail system will remain in the best condition possible for the entire season.More information about the Club can be found at http://bitterrootxcskiclub.net/.
Fellowship Club
The Bitterroot Public Library’s Fellowship Club will be meeting on Thursday, December 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to discuss the book “The Dance: Moving to the Deep Rhythms of Your Life” by Oriah Mountain Dreamer.
In this practical, inspiring, and profoundly illuminating book the acclaimed author of “The Invitation” challenges readers to live with passion, energy, and honesty. The key, says Oriah, is to savor the everyday world of family, friends, love, and work with clear minds and open hearts. When we are physically and emotionally stressed and our spirits are depleted, we must realize that happiness has not vanished but is buried beneath the clutter of our harried lives.
With rare courage and honesty, Oriah unveils the challenge of her inspiring poem through compelling stories from her own experience, offering us tools to become fully the person we already are not ways to change. “To dance to live in a way that is consistent with our longing” is
to discover a gift that we can give ourselves again and again over a lifetime.
To dance, alone or with others, is to be who we truly are as we fulfill our soul’s desires. To do this, we must learn how to let go and slow down, returning to the sacred emptiness where we encounter the serenity and joy of our true self.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer is a visionary teacher and writer, and author of the bestselling “The Invitation.” She gives speeches and leads workshop, ceremonies, and retreats throughout the United States and Canada.
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.
Stevi town council
The Stevensville Town Council will meet Thursday, December 8 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 206 Buck. A special meeting will precede the regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. to interview Ward 2 council candidates. Action items for the regular meeting include discussion/decision on Resolution No. 396, to adopt the Growth Policy Update; approval of Grants to Others for Pantry Partners, Clothes Closet, Genesis House, Stevensville Senior Center, St. Mary’s Mission and Stevensville Playhouse; request for improvements to the proposed helitack base at the Stevensville Airport; and appointment of replacement to fill remaining term of Ward 2 council member Clay Freeman.
Friday, December 9
Lunch Time Learning
As a year of Lunch Time Learning winds up, celebrate the “Pulses,” better known as dried legumes. Montana’s agriculture industry grows a large quantity of these crops. They have tremendous nutritional value. The more we learn about how to use pulses in the kitchen then the more healthy meals we can prepare and the more we support Montana’s agriculture industry.
December 9: Garbanzos
December 16: Black-eyed Peas
Lunch Time Learning is held from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at The O’Hara Commons & Sustainability Center, 111 S. 4th, Hamilton, and is open to all. For more information call 406-369-6451.
Holiday tours at Daly Mansion
The Daly Mansion is all dressed up for the Christmas season and you are invited to come and visit! Self-guided holiday tours will take place on Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. Regular tour prices apply: $9 per adult, $8 seniors, $6 youth 6-16 years, 5 & under free. Docents will be on hand to answer questions and direct you through the house. You will see over a half dozen imaginative trees decorated to match the room they are in as well as other Christmas décor. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season and step back in time by strolling through the 62 rooms of this wonderful historic treasure. The Daly Mansion is located at 251 Eastside Hwy, Hamilton. For more information call 363-6004.
Saturday, December 10
Holiday Bazaar
The 3 Mile Holiday Bazaar will be held Saturday, December 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lone Rock School. Thirty plus vendors will sell crafts, art, holiday gifts, food and more. Holiday photos available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Groovz Dancers will perform from 1 to 2 p.m.
Kids Shopping Day
The Stevensville Clothes Closet free store’s annual Kids Christmas Shopping Day is quickly approaching. Local kids are invited to come on Saturday, December 10 between 9 and 11 a.m. with a prepared shopping list. Each child will have their own Clothes Closet Elf to assist them in selecting gifts for their loved ones free of charge. Volunteers will then help kids wrap each gift so they leave with presents ready to put under the tree. Coffee and cocoa will be served outside to help keep parents warm while they wait.
The Clothes Closet is still in need of donated gifts, volunteer elves and wrappers for this event. If interested, call manager Gail Fisher at 777-5694. The Clothes Closet is located at 3614 ALC Way, off of Middle Burnt Fork Road in Stevensville.
Cookie Walk & Bake Sale
Do yourself a favor this holiday season and skip all the fuss of baking those holiday sweet treats by attending this unique “Cookie Walk” and Bake Sale on Saturday, December 10, hosted by the Bitter Root Humane Association.
Talented area bakers have been busy whipping up their favorite holiday cookies in every flavor, shape and size. Shoppers can tour the cookie tables and choose their favorites in any quantity (sold by the pound) and stock up on all the other individually priced sweet treats of pies, cakes, breads and candies, some of which are County Fair ribbon winners. And, rumor has it there will also be goodies for your four legged furry friends! To round out the event, some great gift items, including wonderful unusual cookie jars, handmade holiday stockings and photo gift cards, will also be on the sale tables to treat yourself or all those lucky folks on your holiday shopping list.
The event is being held on Saturday, December 10 at the Bitterroot Valley Board of Realtors Building located at 224 N. 4th Street in Hamilton and the doors will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plan to come early for the best selection since this event has sold out in the past!
All proceeds from the sale will be used by BRHA to assist animals in need throughout the coming year. For more information or to pre-order premade cookie gift platters contact Mary at 642-3785 or email at dogmommary@aol.com.
Hospice Tree of Lights
Marcus Daly Hospice staff and volunteers are hosting the 25th Silver Anniversary Tree of Lights ceremony on Saturday, December 10 at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. All are welcome to attend this extra special Anniversary Tree of Lights ceremony. Enjoy bluegrass and gospel music by Bo Wherry, a spiritual token exchange and a time to reflect and remember those we love during this special time of year. The Hospice Volunteers are hosting a cookie reception prior to the ceremony which begins at 3 p.m. in conference rooms B/C. The Celebration of Light ceremony will follow at 4 p.m. and take place in the new MDMH Blodgett/Canyon View conference rooms. The event will conclude with the lighting of the tree outside the Hospice Center entrance.
Remember your loved ones during this special time of year with a light or ornament in their memory. Your donation of remembrance is extremely valuable in helping to continue the important work done by Marcus Daly Hospice. The donations available are:
- $5 or more you can have a loved one’s name remembered with a light on the Tree of Lights.
- $10 or more you can have a loved one’s name remembered with a “Silver” light on the Tree of Lights.
- $15 or more you will receive a beautiful angel ornament for your or someone you select on your holiday tree.
- $100 or more you will be recognized as a Tree of Light Sponsor and receive a letter of appreciation.
- $250 or more you or your business will be recognized as a Beacon of Light on your letter and in our publications.
To purchase a Tree of Lights memorial ornament or light, call 363-6503.
Amateur Radio Club
The Bitterroot Amateur Radio Club will be hosting their annual Christmas Dinner at BJ Restaurant in Hamilton on Saturday, December 10 at 4 p.m. All are welcome. Experts will be on hand to answer any questions you might have about Amateur Radio.
Bitterroot Valley Chorus Concert
Hallelujah! Come and celebrate the 2016 Christmas season with the Bitterroot Valley Chorus!
In its 44th season, the Chorus will be offering the gift of Christmas music to the community at two annual concerts. Dates and times for the performances are Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 11 at 2 p.m. Performances are held at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center, 327 Fairgrounds Road in Hamilton.
The Conductor/Artistic Director for the BR Valley Chorus is Peggy Bucheit, in her 21st year at the helm. The concert program features Christmas music that is uplifting, inspiring, and joyous, including many well-known favorites and sharing two beautiful new pieces, “For Him All Stars Have Shone” and “Night of Silence.” A select ensemble will perform a powerful arrangement of “Angels We Have Heard On High.” The audience will also be treated to special solo and small ensemble performances, and will have the opportunity to join the Chorus in singing Christmas carols.
The 2016 adult Chorus has 75 members, comprised of a diverse group of singers from around the Bitterroot Valley. The BRVC Youth Choir features 35 children from public, private and home-school educational settings who come together to make music with each other and the adult Chorus.
Admission to the concerts is free, but a $5 donation is suggested to help defray the expenses of the Chorus. The Bitterroot Valley Chorus is a 501c3 non-profit organization and is dependent on the generosity of sponsors and donors to continue providing these high-quality Christmas concerts to the community.
The business of the Chorus is managed by an all-volunteer Steering Committee. Visit the website at www.bitterrootvalleychorus.org for more information about Chorus membership, community activities and sponsorship opportunities.
Square Dance Club
Boots & Calico Square Dance Club will have Barry Bartlette calling a Mainstream dance on Saturday, December 10 at the Golden Age Center, corner of 5th & Baker, Hamilton. Pre rounds from 7 to 7:30 p.m. followed by the Mainstream dance from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Spectators are welcome.
Sunday, December 11
Episcopal Bishop to visit
The Right Reverend Carol J. Gallagher, Assistant Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Montana for Native American Ministries, will make her first visit to St. Paul Episcopal Church in Hamilton and St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Stevensville on Sunday, December 11. The service in Stevensville will begin at 12 noon and will be followed by a pot-luck covered-dish supper.
A member of the Cherokee Nation, Bishop Gallagher was the first indigenous woman to be elected a bishop in the 85 million member Anglican Communion of which the Episcopal Church is a part. She is the author of several books. She and her husband Mark have three daughters, Emily, Ariel, and Phoebe, and one grandchild, Lillian. As the first American Indian female bishop in the Episcopal Church and the first Indigenous female bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion, Carol shows her gratitude to God by honoring her elders’ love and teachings, and by offering her gifts and skills for Christ’s service and to do justice within and beyond the Church.
CSL Sunday Service
“A Gift That Keeps On Giving” will be presented by LeGrande Harvey, a singer, songwriter, recording artist and also CSL’s Music Director, on Sunday, December 11 at 10 a.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living in Hamilton. Harvey will share the importance of one special gift! Each Sunday, CSL hosts inspirational speakers who share insights of their spiritual perspective at 1720 N. 1st Street, Suite C in Selway Commons, north of Sears in Hamilton. Meditation is at 9:30 a.m. Refreshments and meaningful conversation follow at 11:15 a.m. For further information call Dave at 381-2355 or visit CSLbitterroot.org.
Monday, December 12
Stevi school menu
Monday: Breakfast – Waffles or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Pizza, peas & carrots, applesauce, bread & butter, milk
Tuesday: Breakfast – Bagel & cream cheese or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Chicken Fajitas, Spanish rice, apples, bread & butter, milk
Wednesday: Breakfast – Cereal or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Christmas Dinner – Turkey & gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, mixed Fruit, pineapple, bread & butter, milk
Thursday: Breakfast – French Toast or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Chili & crackers, fresh carrots, grapes, bread & butter, milk
Friday: Breakfast – Scrambled Eggs or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Corn Dogs, baked beans, Mandarin oranges, bread & butter, milk.
Rotary Club
Celebrating December with Christmas music, the Corvallis High School Choir will be the program at the next meeting of the Hamilton Rotary Club, on Monday, December 12 at 12 noon at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. 1st Street, Hamilton. The meeting is open to the public. For further Rotary Club information, call 363-2960.
Green Thumbs Up
Green Thumbs Up Garden Club will meet Monday, December 12 at 2 p.m. in the downstairs meeting room of the Bitterroot Public Library in Hamilton. The meeting is free and open to the public. Karen Griffing will bring a specimen of saffron crocus and speak briefly about its culture and harvest. Following the crocus presentation, we will enjoy some holiday refreshments and make plans for the upcoming gardening year. People are welcome to bring holiday snacks to share. You may also bring any garden-related items to place on our free table. Contact Karen at 381-1395 for more information.
African Drum Circle
African Drum Circle will take place Monday, December 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Bring your drum, rattles, and other instruments and be part of the fun. No drums–no worries, we have instruments to share. Drum Circle meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month at The Center for Spiritual Living, 1720 N. 1st Street (north of Sears). Donations taken. For information, contact Jerry at 381-7220 (jelb229@aol.com) or on Facebook at CSLBitterroot.
Tuesday, December 13
Stevi school board
The Stevensville School Board of Trustees will hold a regular board meeting on Tuesday, December 13 at 7 p.m. in the Stevensville Music Center Choir Room.