Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Community Calendar

Historic Preservation Workshop

"Doin' Time" at the 2006 Montana Preservation Workshop in Deer Lodge, June 24-26, will be the most enjoyable prison visit you've ever had. Join your hosts MPA, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the Deer Lodge Preservation Commission for this year's excellent line-up of speakers, sessions, panel discussions, and special tours.

The conference will bring preservationists from across the state to the Pen Convention Center at the old Deer Lodge Prison, as well as other historic locations in Deer Lodge. The wide variety of concurrent sessions includes everything from repairing historic windows and creating survey databases to heritage tourism, preservation funding, and handicapped accessibility.

Don't miss conference highlights including a very special welcome party and chuck wagon chow in the meadow at the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site on Saturday night, as well as the MPA Reception and Most Endangered 2006 Unveiling on Sunday night, which will be followed by a wonderfully spooky Twilight Tour of the Old Prison Museum by museum director, John O'Donnell.

For the full conference brochure, registration form, conference map, and hotel information, visit www.preservemontana.org/DeerLodgeConference.html.

Geerat Vermeij, a professor of marine ecology and paleoecology at the University of California in Davis, will present a lecture titled "Why We Study Nature: What Shells Tell Us About Our Past and About Our Future" Thursday, June 22, at the University of Montana.

An expert on mollusks and their predators, Vermeij will discuss how shells reveal facts about the earth's history, competition for resources and evolution at 7 p.m. in the University Theatre. A reception in the lobby will follow. Both events are free and open to the public.

Blind since early childhood, Vermeij has published more than 100 scientific papers and several popular books. He is a fellow of the Academy of Sciences, a recipient of the MacArthur Award and was featured on "The Shape of Life," a PBS television series that examined the evolution of the animal kingdom.

The week before the lecture, Vermeij will spend time as a guest educator at Camp Eureka!, a natural history camp for children who are blind or have low vision offered through the Montana Conservation Science Institute.

As part of the Science within Society lecture series, Vermeij's UM speech is sponsored by Montana's National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, as well as the University's Division of Biological Sciences.

Art opening

The upcoming art show at the Frame Shop & Gallery will start with a reception on Friday evening, June 23 for featured artist Pam Caughey. Caughey's work includes watermedia and collages. The opening will be from 5 to 8 p.m., at 325 Main St. in Hamilton, and Pam's work will be on display until August 20.

Grace Lutheran VBS

Join "Campfire Tales" at Grace Lutheran Church's Vacation Bible School from June 26-30, 9 a.m. to noon each day. Children grades kindergarten through sixth are invited to a week around the "campfire" filled with stories, songs, crafts and games at 275 Hattie Lane, Hamilton (off Daly Avenue). For more information call 363-1924.

Breakfast in the Park

Laureate Nu Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi will be serving Breakfast in the Park at the Victor Park, 5th and Tudor, on Sunday, June 25 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. The menu will be biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, fruit cocktail, coffee and juice. Cost is $4.50 for adults, $3.75 for seniors and a special rate of $12 for a family of four with children 12 and under.

Chapter One Book Store event

On Saturday, June 24, from noon to 2 p.m. at Chapter One Bookstore in Hamilton, Mike Lapinski will sign his two new books, "Grizzlies & Grizzled Old Men," and "Wilderness Predators of the Rockies." For more information call Chapter One at 363-5220.

American Legion Post 91 auction

Corvallis American Legion Post #91 would like to invite the citizens of the Bitterroot Valley to its annual benefit auction on Saturday, June 24 at 10 a.m.

The generous businesses and individuals of western Montana have again stepped up to the plate to support the American Legion. The crowd pleasing loads of gravel are back again this year, as are the numerous gift certificates to local businesses. This year's one-of-a-kind Corvallis Memorial Day commemorative pottery is ready for sale. If you need some help with your lawn a Shindaiwa 22T trimmer is being offered. You can get the entire Bitterroot River experience by learning fly tying, a float trip down the river, then spending the night at the River Inn. Is your back hurting? A local chiropractor has donated a full examination, evaluation and x-ray of the entire spine. There are file cabinets, storage cabinets, furniture, countertops, and storage units. There is something for everyone in this auction, so come to Maki Fields in Corvallis and support this great organization.

Auction items can be viewed at 9 a.m. on the day of the auction. Legionnaires will be there to talk to the public about Legion programs and upcoming events. There will be coffee and donuts that can be enjoyed with local veterans and proceeds will support some very important programs.

Without the public's ongoing support, Post #91 could not accomplish its mission of supporting active duty members, veterans, and local children. The programs are successful because of the team effort involving businesses, the local community and the Corvallis American Legion Post. Some of the programs are American Legion Baseball, McGruff Kits for first grade school children at Corvallis and Victor Schools, American Legion Boys and Girls State, school oratorical contests, Honor Guard services for veteran funerals, helping returning veterans with VA benefits and a number of other programs. Plan to attend this very worthwhile event in Corvallis.

For more information contact Doug Mason at 546-4244 or go to www.corvallispost91.com.