Poster contest
High-school students are invited to submit original artwork for the annual Love Is Respect poster contest sponsored by the Ravalli County Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The winning artwork will be featured on the promotional poster for Supporters of Abuse Free Environments, Inc. (SAFE) and distributed throughout the valley. There will also be cash prizes for first, second, and third place entries.
High-school students interested in applying their creativity to the promotion of healthy relationships and the prevention of dating violence are encouraged to participate in the poster contest. This year’s theme is Healthy Relationships Encourage Growth. Submissions must be original two-dimensional artwork of any medium and submitted on 8.5 x 11 paper. Artwork should be submitted to SAFE or your art teacher by Friday, February 17. All entries must include the artist’s name, phone number, and school or address on the back of the piece.
For more information on how to enter, contact Wendy or Sonya at SAFE at 363-2793.
Free tax preparation
Free tax preparation for low to moderate income taxpayers of any age is available at the Stevensville Senior Center through April 14 on Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For appointment call 777-5681.
Daffodil Days
The American Cancer Society Daffodil Days sales drive will conclude on Feb. 20, with delivery of the flowers on March 19. Residents and businesses not contacted by a Daffodil Days sales representative place an order for daffodils by contacting Candy Zier at 239-1594.
Wednesday, February 15
BPL preschool story time
Preschoolers are invited to meet in the children’s corner of the Bitterroot Public Library on Wednesday, February 15 at 10:30 a.m. to enjoy “Let’s Fly with Airplanes” with storyteller Jennifer Crawford. Story time is designed for children 3-5 years of age. All story times are free and open to the public.
NVPL Storytime
“Music Makers” Storytime will be held Wednesday, February 15 from 10:30 to 11:30 at the North Valley Public Library in Stevensville. Storytime is an important early literacy activity for toddlers and preschoolers that helps them develop a love for reading and the library. Join volunteer, Melissa Sparks, as she leads a storytime filled with movement, music and stories! This month’s theme is Valentine’s Day, Love and Family. A healthy and delicious snack is always provided. Contact Caitlin at 777-5061 for more info.
Lecture series
“Hollywood Westerns and the Great Directors: John Ford, Sam Peckinpah, and Clint Eastwood” is the topic of a lecture series to be given by Richard Ellis on Wednesdays, February 15, 22, 29 and March 7 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center (PAC).
Ellis is a retired professor of Western American History and American Indian History who taught at the University of New Mexico and at Fort Lewis College where he also was a museum and archive director. His interests are interdisciplinary; his research involved history, ethnohistory, photography, art, and film with publications on the frontier army, Indian policy, and Indian art. He has worked extensively with tribes and with tribal museums and has provided scholarly reports for litigation support and served as an expert witness. He also organized and led the search for the site of the Sand Creek Massacre for the state of Colorado. He offered courses on the West in Film and on American Indians in Film and was involved in a Western Film Institute at the Danish National Film Museum while a Fulbright Professor in Denmark. Cost of the series, which is sponsored by the Bitterroot College Program, is $45 for all four lectures. Call 375-0100 to enroll now.
Photography class
A Digital Photography class instructed by Bain Robinson, Corvallis High School Librarian, will be held Wednesday, February 15 from 6 to 7 p.m. on the main floor of Bitterroot Public Library in Hamilton. Bring your camera and manual.
Valley Christian info night
Valley Christian School is hosting its annual High School Information Night on Wednesday, February 15 at 7 p.m. The event starts in the North Building auditorium. Students and parents are invited to come learn about the excellent academics, Advance Placement classes, sports programs, extracurricular activities and clubs, missions, trips and more. Come discover how Valley Christian School combines excellent academics with a biblical worldview. Valley Christian School is an interdenominational Christian school located at 2526 Sunset Lane, Missoula. For more information call 549-0482.
Thursday, February 16
Business marketing class
Marketing Basics with Cynthia Rademacher of CMR Marketing Strategies will be held on Thursday, February 16 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Ravalli Entrepreneurship Center, 274 Old Corvallis Road, Hamilton. Cost is $15. Call 375-9416 to register or for more information.
MDMH blood drive
Give blood, it can save a life! In the Montana service area every 27 minutes someone needs blood. The American Red Cross strives to collect over 700 pints of blood to meet the needs of the patient’s in this area alone. On Thursday, February 16, Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital is sponsoring an American Red Cross Blood Drive at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital in Conference Rooms B & C from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To make an appointment, call Gary Schulz at 375-4451. Donors: remember to eat complete meals and drink plenty of water before donating blood, and identification is required. For more information visit www.mdmh.org.
‘Soup’s On’ at Valley View
Soup’s On! at Valley View Estates. The public is invited on Thursday, February 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for free hot soup, bread and dessert. Bring a friend! Valley View Estates is located at 225 N. 8th, Hamilton. Call 363-1144 for more information.
Studio Art Group
The North Valley’s Art Club will meet on Thursday, February 16 at 6 p.m. at the North Valley Family Center, 5501 Hwy 93, Suite 3, in the Florence Business Center (behind Town Pump). The club is open to anyone interested in art/drawing, from beginning – experienced, and everyone in-between. Bring your own materials. Call 273-0142 for more information.
Back Country Horsemen
Bitterroot Back Country Horsemen host their monthly meeting on Thursday, February 16, 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 speaker is Gil Gale, Bitterroot National Forest range program manager, who will present information on noxious weed management in wilderness areas. Trail projects for the year will also be discussed. Guests are welcome to attend, and for more information call Karen at 961-0101 or check the website at www.bchmt.org/bitterroot.
Stevi Committee of the Whole
The Stevensville Town Council will convene the Committee of the Whole on Thursday, February 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at 206 Buck Street. Agenda items include a discussion of special event permits and transient business licenses, as well as a review of the job description for the new town/police/court clerk position.
PFLAG
PFLAG Hamilton-Bitterroot will meet Thursday, February 16 at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s community basement room and the Laramie Project film will be shown and discussed. The Laramie Project is a compelling documentary performance based on a theatrical portrayal of reactions to the Matthew Shepard story, a 1998 murder that took place in Laramie, WY. It became a lightning rod for rallies against homophobia and hate crimes. The film’s commentary is taken directly from the notes and transcripts of interviews with local residents following the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard. This film provides an insightful portrayal of the intolerance many LGBT citizens live with in rural America.
Friday, February 17
Driver safety class
An AARP Driver Safety Class will be presented at Marcus Daly Hospital in Hamilton on Friday, February 17. The class begins at 9 a.m. and will last approximately four hours. This safe driving strategies class is designed for drivers age 50 and over but all drivers are welcome. The class fee is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members. Attendees are requested to bring a check made out to “AARP” for class fees. Pre-registration is requested. Contact Jones Korman Insurance at 363-6583 for further information. There is no written test. Montana mandates an insurance discount for qualified graduates.
Toddler Time
Ready!Set!Play! Toddler Time will be held Friday, February 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the North Valley Family Center, 5501 Hwy 93, Suite 3, Florence Business Center (behind Town Pump). Come enjoy story time and arts and crafts with your toddler. This month’s theme is Winter! and Family and Friends! Listen to a story, play a game and make a craft relevant to the story. A snack is provided. Call 273-0142 for more information.
North Valley Pachyderm Club
North Valley Pachyderm Club will meet Friday, February 17, at noon at the Frontier Café, Hwy 93 in Stevensville. Our guest speaker will be announced at meeting. 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.
BPL Family Night
Family Night will be held on Friday, February 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bitterroot Public Library. Explorers ages 8-13 celebrate their region of the United States and then begin to tour the polar regions. Read a climate map and write some recipes based on locally grown food! This event takes place in the west meeting room of the library.
Saturday, February 18
Trapper Education Class
A trapper education class is scheduled for Saturday, February 18 at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Missoula Office (3201 Spurgin Road). The class is free of charge and all are welcome to attend. Pre-registration is required.
To register, stop by the FWP office, or call 542-5500. The class will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students should bring a lunch and notebook.
The class is open to people of all ages who are interested in learning about trapping and is sponsored by the Montana Trappers Association (MTA). MTA instructors will cover topics including equipment and trap setting, ethics, rules and regulations, furbearer identification, and fur handling.
Students of all ages are invited to attend, but anyone under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Class participants will receive a certificate of completion, the National Trappers Association trapping handbook, and other informational material.
Those completing the one-day class will receive a certificate of completion. The course is not required to trap in Montana but is strongly recommended. For more information, call FWP at 542-5500 or MTA’s Guy Kempthorne at 251-5951.
Volunteer opportunity
The Bitterroot River Restoration Project is looking for volunteers to help cut willows along the river. Meet at the Bitterroot River Bed & Breakfast, 501 South Ave., Stevensville, on Saturday, Feb. 18 and 25 at 10 a.m. Bring pruning shears. For more information call 777-5205 or 777-2423.
Model Railroaders
The Bitterroot Valley Model Railroaders will hold their monthly meeting on Saturday, February 18 at 10 a.m. in the basement conference room of the Kohl Building (behind Valley Drug) in Stevensville. The adjacent layout will then start running at 11 a.m. The meeting is open to all, especially those who are interested in getting involved in this fascinating hobby.
Watercolor workshop
The Bitterroot School presents a Wet-on-Wet Watercolor painting workshop for adults on Saturday, February 18 at 1 p.m. at Studio You, 210 N. 1st, Hamilton. Learn the art of the wet-on-wet technique used in Waldorf early childhood education programs and kindergartens. Cost is $5. Call 642-6527 for more information or to register.
Monday, February 20
Stevi school menu
Feb. 20-24
Monday: No school
Tuesday: Breakfast – Waffles, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Burrito, glazed carrots, oranges, bread & butter, milk
Wednesday: Breakfast – Muffins, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Taco salad, chips, salsa, mixed fruit, bread & butter, milk
Thursday: Breakfast – Egg & cheese wrap, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Chicken & noodles, corn, bananas, bread & butter, milk
Friday: Breakfast – Cereal or yogurt, fruit toast, milk; Lunch – Hot dogs, taters, pears, bread & butter, milk.
Rotary Club
Ravalli County Commission Chair, Matt Kanenwisher, will be speaking
at the Monday, February 20 meeting of the Hamilton Rotary Club. The club meets Mondays at noon at BJ’s Restaurant 900 N. 1st Street, Hamilton. This meeting is open to the public. For further information call 363-2960.
Bitterroot Audubon
The Bitterroot Audubon Society invites you to a fascinating program about the Greater Sage Grouse, an iconic species of the West’s sagebrush landscapes, on Monday, February 20 at 7 p.m. at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, north of Stevensville. Ben Deeble has been working on Greater Sage-Grouse conservation in Montana for over a decade helping craft the state’s sage grouse management plan, testifying before Congress and currently co-chairing the western Montana Sage Grouse Local Working Group. Ben’s presentation will describe the current status of Greater Sage Grouse, and the efforts to conserve the species in the face of habitat loss from oil and gas development, ranching and urbanization. The presentation will include a description of Montana Audubon’s “Adopt-a-Lek” program, which trains volunteers to help monitor Greater Sage Grouse populations at their springtime breeding sites (leks). Contact Kay Fulton for further information at 642-3794.
Tuesday, February 21
Toastmasters Speechcraft Workshop for Women
Are you a woman who feels uncomfortable about public speaking? Would you like to sharpen your communication skills? Bitterroot Toastmasters Club is offering a 6-week Speechcraft workshop designed especially for women to practice prepared and impromptu speaking situations in a friendly environment. Cost is $20, with workbook provided. The workshop will be offered Tuesdays, February 21-March 27 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Perkins Restaurant in Hamilton. For information and to enroll, phone 360-7355, or e-mail Pamela Morris: PML@imt.net
MADD meeting
Are you MADD enough to do something about underage drinking and drinking and driving here in Ravalli County? Did you know that traffic crashes are the number one killer of teens and 28 percent of fatal traffic crashes involving teen drivers are alcohol-related? Did you know that Montana has led all states in 2008 in alcohol-related traffic fatalities per miles traveled? Did you know that in the past year people with 10 DUIs have been arrested for yet another DUI here in Ravalli County? Come help create change and save lives. The Ravalli County MADD Chapter’s premiere meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 209 N. 10th St in Hamilton. Dinner will be served. Call 532-9149 or email at maddravalli@gmail.com for more information. Also check out MADD Ravalli on Facebook.
Forest health workshops
The mountain pine beetle is showing up in increasing numbers in the Bitterroot. The Montana DNRC will be conducting free workshops in the valley to provide information on the beetles, as well as pine butterfly, western spruce budworm and other pests one might encounter on forested lands. Amy Gannon, Forest Entomologist for the DNRC, will provide information on identification of the insects, measures to protect trees, and what to do if your trees become infested.
The workshops will be held Tuesday, February 21 at Hamilton Library on Thursday, February 23 at Darby High School Lunchroom, and Tuesday, February 28 at Stevensville Public Library. All sessions run from 6 to 8 p.m. The workshops are free, but those planning to attend are asked to call the DNRC in Missoula at 542-4300 so that the agency can make sure there is adequate space and materials for attendees.
Bucs baseball signups
Bitterroot Bucs baseball signups will be held Tuesday, February 21 at 7 p.m. at the Florence School District Conference Room. Boys from Stevensville, Florence and Victor, aged 15 to 18, are eligible. For more information call Mike Anderson at 721-9996.
Wednesday, February 22
Stevi baseball signups
Stevensville Youth Baseball Sign-ups will be held Wednesday and Thursday, February 22 and 23 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Lone Rock School and Saturday, February 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Super One Foods in Stevensville. For more information call Karla at 550-2440.
Local author to speak
The University Center will host award-winning author Marty Essen of Victor on Wednesday, February 22, at the University of Montana. Essen will present his high-energy multimedia show “Around the World in 90 Minutes” at 7 p.m. in the UC Theater. The event is free and open to the public. The show features interesting facts, humorous stories and the best of thousands of photos he took while traveling the world for his book “Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents.” Be ready for laughter, learning and excellent photography. Essen grew up in Minnesota and moved to Victor in 1996. For the past four years he has presented at colleges across the nation. For more information visit http://life.umt.edu/uc/ucsi/leadership/default.php.