‘Name That Café’ Contest
How can you win a $50 gift card to Best Buy and a year of free coffee drinks? Enter the Name That Café Contest! The Bitterroot Cares for Kids Network is hosting a Name That Café Contest May 14-18 for local high school students to name the coffee cafe that will have its grand opening in September 2012. Open on Friday nights starting in September, the Café will offer a great place for high school teens to hang out, drink a cup of joe (mochas, lattes, Italian sodas, etc) play games, chillax! Here’s how it works: Come up with a great name, email it to bcaresforkids@gmail.com along with your name and an email contact. The deadline is May 18 and the winner will be notified by May 25 and again when the café opens in September so you and your friends can be a part!
Stevi Art Walk series
The Art Walk series begins on First Friday, May 4 and will run through First Friday in October. Any businesses that would like to host an artist should contact Joan at the Stevensville Main Street office, 777-3773, and an artist will be assigned to your business. Numerous artists are ready to participate and the locations just need to be finalized.
Call to artists
Ravalli County Museum, in partnership with scientists from Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, is hosting a three month long exhibition “Through the Microscope ,Science in Wonderland” which will include exhibits by students, lectures by scientists and an exhibition by community artists interpreting the world through the microscope. The community art segment of the exhibition opens July 12. Visual artists interested in participating, contact Barbara Michelman at barbara@michelmanphoto.com or Pamela Caughey pamcaughey@gmail.com for more information.
Wednesday, April 25
BPL Preschool Story Time
Preschoolers are invited to meet in the children’s corner of the Bitterroot Public Library on Wednesday, April 25 to enjoy “Feet, Feet, Shoes” with storyteller Kristen Weese. Story time begins at 10:30 a.m. and 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, April 25 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the North Valley Public Library. Melissa Sparks leads this program, geared towards ages 2-7 with an accompanying adult, through singing, movement, fingerplays and stories. April’s theme is “Manners and Feelings.” Stop by the children’s room from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. for the “READ to a Dog” program. Ooby and his handler will be on hand to listen to all levels of readers. North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville. For more information, call the library at 777-5061.
Book discussion
Why is “The Hunger Games” popular with teens, tweens, adults, and seniors? Come read and discuss Suzanne Collins’ book at the Darby library on Wednesday, April 25 at 4 p.m. at the Darby Community Public Library. Books are now available to registered participants. The discussion is open to all ages. You can register for the book discussion at the library or call the library at 821-4771 to register by phone.
Backyard Chicken Workshop
Have you ever thought how nice it would be to have your own hens and fresh eggs? The North Valley Public Library will hold a Backyard Chicken Workshop on Wednesday, April 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the library community room with all the basics of raising your backyard chicken flock. MSU/Extension Nutrition Educator and local poultry expert, Virginia Chaffin, will lead this informative two series workshop. This week the workshop will cover how to raise chickens in a farm or city setting, the benefits of free range, how to integrate your chickens with your garden, how to produce the best tasting eggs and how to handle the threat of disease and predators. This class is free and open to the public. North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville. For more information, call the library at 777-5061.
Thursday, April 26
Master Gardener Program
The time has come for the 2012 Level I Master Gardener Program. This ten-week course will be held April 26 through June 28 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Bitterroot Valley Board of Realtors Office in Hamilton. The Level I course will provide an introduction into a wide variety of gardening, landscaping and horticulture topics. The Level I Master Gardener Program will fill up fast, so register soon. The course is open to the first 30 paid applicants. Contact your MSU/Ravalli County Extension Office at 375-6611 or email ravalli@montana.edu.
Stevi school special board meeting
There will be a special Stevensville School Board of Trustees work session on Thursday, April 26 at 6 p.m. in the Stevensville School Music Center to pre-screen superintendent applications.
American history presentation
Daly School fifth graders will be presenting “Great Americans of the 20th Century, a showcase performance of American History” on Thursday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center (PAC), 327 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton. Admission is one non-perishable food item. All donations benefit Haven House.
Book signing
Author Wendy Ervin of Corvallis will sign copies of her new book, “The Predator” on Thursday, April 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Chapter One Book Store, 252 W. Main St., Hamilton. “The warning signs were there, of course,” says Ervin, “but I just didn’t recognize the red flags that stared me in the face. I didn’t want to see.” What does a mother do when there is corruption in the family? How does she identify and tackle abuse when it is veiled? How does she face truth when it is so ugly that it can be neither comprehended nor accepted? Is there hope when one’s world disintegrates around them? In navigating her way through these questions, author Wendy Ervin learned not only that hope is an eternal light shining in the darkness but also that God’s grace is available to all who are willing to trust in him. A heartbreaking tale of betrayal and loss of innocence, “The Predator” is a beacon to those who are suffering, a glimmer of hope during dark times. For more information, contact Traci Jones at 888-361-9473 or traci@tatepublishing.com.
Stevensville Town Council meeting
The Stevensville Town Council will meet Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in the Town Council chambers, 206 Buck. Agenda items include Twin Creeks well field agreement, contract for audit services, Resolution #293 Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan, to name a few. The meeting will be preceded by a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on the results of the Environmental Review for the Town’s proposed improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Victor Park District
The Victor Park District holds its regular meetings on the fourth Thursday of each month. The next meeting is Thursday, April 26. All meetings are held at the Farmers State Bank meeting room in Victor (enter rear door from the south parking lot) at 7 p.m. This month the board will discuss the final details on the Highway project and spring maintenance. The public is encouraged to attend. Call Roger De Haan at 961-3953 for more information.
Friday, April 27
Parent, Baby and Toddler Luncheon
The 2nd Annual Parent, Baby and Toddler Luncheon will be held Friday, April 27 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the North Valley Family Center, 5501 Hwy 93, suite 3 of the Florence Business Center, next to Town Pump in Florence. Bring your baby and toddler and celebrate Week of the Young Child at the North Valley Family Center. There will be early learning activities, and a special luncheon afterwards to celebrate your little one, plus there will be free pony rides. Don’t miss out on this fun day! Call the center for more info, 273-0142.
South Valley Pachyderm Club
Incumbent County Commissioners, J.R. Iman and Greg Chilcott, candidates for re-election, will be speaking at the Friday, April 27 meeting of the South Valley Pachyderm Club. The club meets at 12 noon on the second and fourth Fridays at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. First Street, in Hamilton. The South Valley Pachyderm Club is an officially recognized allied organization of the Republican Party. Members of the public are welcome.
Saturday, April 28
Great American Cleanup event
The Bitterroot College Program of The University of Montana will celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day by hosting a Great American Cleanup event Saturday, April 28 from 8 a.m. to noon. About 50 volunteers are needed to do cleanup and beautification of the campus at 274 Old Corvallis Road and collect litter along the road. Students, community members and children are encouraged to attend. Volunteers should wear work gloves, sunscreen and dress for the weather. Participants are asked to RSVP by calling the BCP office at 375-0100 or emailing kathleen.oleary@umontana.edu.
BCP also is seeking the donation of five ponderosa pines to plant in honor of Arbor Day and 25 low-growing juniper for campus beautification.
Horsemanship clinic
Bitter Root BCH will offer a horsemanship clinic to the public on Saturday, April 28, at C-Max Stables, 657 Bass Lane, Corvallis. The clinic, from 9 a.m. to noon, will use demonstration stock and will cover spring tune-up issues, groundwork and basic equine behavior and communication. Participants are encouraged to bring a chair. For further information, contact Jack Emory at 961-1363 or naturalgaithorsemanship@yahoo.com or the BCH website at http://www.bchmt.org/bitterroot/ under training.
Teller Stewardship Day
Join The Teller for its Spring Stewardship Day on Saturday, April 28 and improve important habitat for fish and wildlife. Volunteer stewardship projects will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Meet at The Teller’s Slack Barn at 8:30 a.m. Projects will include trail maintenance, houndstongue weed dig, fence removal and landscape maintenance. Volunteers must sign up for projects by Wednesday, April 25. A light breakfast will be provided. The Teller is a private non-profit conservation organization, founded in 1988 by Otto Teller. Its mission is to inspire, educate and demonstrate conservation in action. For information, directions or to sign up for projects, contact Lauren at The Teller office at 961-3507, or email lauren@tellerwildlife.org.
Emma’s House benefit bike ride
Emma’s House, a children’s advocacy group in Hamilton, will sponsor a bike ride on Saturday, April 28, at 10 a.m., to help promote Child Abuse Prevention Month, being celebrated this April. As a special guest, Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock will speak at Emma’s House at 10 a.m., to kick off the event. Bullock created the Children’s Justice Center within the Montana Department of Justice to improve the state’s response to child sexual abuse. Adults and children are invited to bring their bikes and helmets (required) for the ride. Following Bullock’s presentation, kids and adults will ride from Emma’s House, located at 800 N. Second Street, on a route that goes via Main Street and Marcus Daly Hospital, to Hieronymus Park, a distance of under four miles. Local law enforcement will accompany the riders to assure their safety. At the park, Emma’s House will provide refreshments, and door prizes will be awarded. The event is scheduled to conclude by noon. Participants are encouraged to make signs promoting the theme of the event, “We Care About Kids.” For more information on the event, contact Emma’s House at 363-7216. For information on how to prevent child abuse through strengthening families, visit http://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth/guide2012.
Stevi Community Gardeners
The Stevensville Community Gardeners will meet on Saturday, April 28, at 11 a.m. at the Community Garden located on the south end of the school grounds on Park Street. Look for the deer-proof fence and blue garden shed located at the rear of the field. Returning gardeners can reclaim their beds, and there will be room for new members, too. Novice gardeners are welcome, with plenty of help available. Gardeners are welcome to share spaces. There will be a $20 fee for a garden space of approximately 5×45. There will be information on the automatic watering system, setting up the hoop house, and improvements to the garden this season. If you can’t make the meeting or want more information on “growing up”, call Colleen Miller at 777-1167.
Spring Festival
Celebrate Spring with the Bitterroot School’s annual Spring Festival on Saturday, April 28 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Seed planting, cake walk, maypole dance and potluck lunch at Homestead Organics Farm, 175 Skalkaho Highway, just south of Hamilton. All are welcome.
Community carnival
A Community Carnival sponsored by Ravalli County 4-H, will be held Saturday, April 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Fairgrounds First Interstate Center in Hamilton. Everyone is welcome! There will be 20 game booths, food, and a silent auction. Purchase tickets with any 4-H member, extension office or the day of the event. Enter to win a $150.00 gift card to Mountain West Co-Op!
Sunday, April 29
Bitterroot Buggers Fishing Day
Volunteers are needed for the Bitterroot Buggers Fishing Day and Picnic which will be Sunday, April 29 at the Stock Farm. Meet at 3:30 p.m. at the Westview Center located at 9th and Main in Hamilton and board buses to the Stock Farm. Buses leave promptly at 3:45 p.m. Private vehicles not allowed. All helpers must take the bus. Bring tippet material, knot tool and a landing net. Participants will fish until about 5 p.m., then return to the Westview Center for the picnic, awards and wrap-up. For more information call Jeff at Western Flies and Guides (363-9099), Ria of the Keystone Program (363-5996) or Greg Chester of BRTU (363-0033).
Baby memorial service
The St. Francis Health and Wellness Ministry will be holding a special memorial service for babies who died during pregnancy or the first year of life on Sunday, April 29 at 3 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church, 411 S. Fifth Street, Hamilton. It is always appropriate, and never too late, to honor the life and death of a baby who has left handprints deep in your heart, never to be forgotten. For more information call 363-1385.
Monday, April 30
Stevi school menu
April 30-May 4
Monday: Breakfast – Cereal or yogurt, toast, fruit, milk; Lunch – Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, fresh carrots, applesauce, bread & butter, milk
Tuesday: Breakfast – French toast, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Sweet & sour chicken over rice, oranges, bread & butter, milk
Wednesday: Breakfast – Bagels & cream cheese, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Mac & cheese, broccoli Normandy, apricots, bread & butter, milk
Thursday: Breakfast – Pancakes, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Chicken breast sandwich, fresh veggies, peach cups, bread & butter, milk
Friday: Breakfast – Cereal or yogurt, fruit, toast, milk; Lunch – Burrito, corn, mixed fruit, bread & butter, milk.
Rotary Club
Terry Moran, representing the 4-H Mentoring Program, sponsored by the MSU Extension Office, and Michelle McConnaha, from the Hamilton School District representing “Graduation Matters, will be the speakers for the next meeting of the Hamilton Rotary Club, Monday, April 30. The club meets Mondays at noon at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. 1st Street, Hamilton. There will be time for questions and discussion. This meeting is open to the public. For further information call 363-2960.
Tuesday, May 1
MADD chapter
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? Come help create change and save lives. The next Ravalli County MADD Chapter’s meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 209 N. 10th St in Hamilton. Dinner will be served. Call 532-9149 for more information.
Sons of Norway
Bitterrootdalen Lodge, Sons of Norway, will meet Tuesday, May 1 at 5 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Hamilton. The program will include making traditional Norwegian paper baskets, language lessons and card games. There will be plans to have a window display at the Paper Clip, and celebrating Norwegian Constitution Day with a day-long cultural fair at Grace Lutheran Church on May 19th. The Lodge will provide “Norwegian spaghetti”, made with Vikings, as sold at the Fair. Members and guests are invited to bring a side dish.
Fly Fishers of the Bitterroot
The monthly meeting of the FFB will be Tuesday, May 1, at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. Social hour is 6 to 7 p.m. Cocktails and dinner are available/optional. This month’s presentation is “Overlooked Trout in the Northern Rockies” by Greg Thomas. Greg is the editor of “Fly Rod & Reel” magazine and the originator of the well known web site “Angler’s Tonic.” He will take the audience through Wyoming, Washington, British Columbia and parts of Montana with big trout at every turn. If you’re into wild places loaded with trout you’ll get a heavy dose here! Anyone interested in joining Fly Fishers of the Bitterroot, come check it out. For more info call Phil at 363-0744.
Wednesday, May 2
BPL Preschool Story Time
Preschoolers are invited to meet in the children’s corner of the Bitterroot Public Library on Wednesday, May 2 to enjoy “Hermis and Howard” with author and storyteller Diane Hipp. Story time begins at 10:30 a.m. and is designed for children 3-5 years of age. All story times are free and open to the public.
iPad class
Jennifer Ritz, Vann’s Appliance s Mobile Technology Advisor, will teach “Introduction to the iPad” on Wednesday, May 2 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the west meeting room of the Bitterroot Public Library. Call or stop by for pre-registration. This class is free and open to the public. For more information contact Nansu Roddy at the library, 363-1670.
Thursday, May 3
MDMH 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) will hold a blood drive on Thursday, May 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms B/C. This year’s remaining MDMH sponsored blood drives will be held on July 19 and October 4. To schedule your blood drive appointment call Gary Schulz at 375-4451. Donors should remember to eat complete meals and drink plenty of water before donating blood and bring your identification. For more information visit www.mdmh.org.