No headline

TODAY

- Friendship Force meets for breakfast 9 a.m., Sykes Restaurant, Kalispell. Learn about unique travel experiences and opportunities. Call Priscilla, 756-9332.

- Red Cross blood drive, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Polson High School.

- USMC Happy Hour for Marines and Navy who served with Marines, 5-7 p.m., Kalispell VFW, 330 First Ave. W. Cash bar. Spouses welcome. Call 406-249-2448.

- Zen priest Jerry Smyers presents a free Introduction to Zen Meditation class, 6 p.m., YogaHeart Studio, 314 Main St., Polson. All welcome. Call 847-721-0665.

- 2019 Wilderness Speaker Series presents a program on wilderness fisheries management by three Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials, 7-8:15 p.m., Arts and Technology Building, FVCC. Free. Open to public.

THURSDAY

- Red Cross blood drives 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Columbia Falls Community Room; sponsored by Columbia Falls Rotary.

- Anime Club for teens in grades six to 12 meets 4-5:30 p.m., ImagineIF Library, Kalispell.

- Flathead Valley Community College Honors Symposium Series presents “Post-Soviet Politics and the Rise of Nationalism in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia” by Marty Manor Mullins, 7 p.m., Arts and Technology Building, FVCC. Free. Public welcome. Call Gerta Reeb, 756-3889.

FRIDAY

- Kalispell Public Schools Board Governance Committee meets 10 a.m. , superintendent’s office.

- Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

- Glacier Pachyderm Club meets noon to 1 p.m., Sykes, Kalispell. Sen Al Olszewski provides a legislative update; www.gcpachy.org

- All Saints’ Episcopal Church Friends of Chili Open Event, 7 to 9 p.m. at 342 Plantation Drive. The event will feature wine, soft drinks and appetizers. Suggested donation is $20. For more information call 291-3613.

SATURDAY

- Flathead Audubon volunteer work party, 9 a.m. to noon, help reduce the amount of houndstongue weeds in the Owens Sowerwine Natural area, Kalispell. Contact Denny Olson, docwild.mt@gmail.com

- Gold, Gem and Mineral Show 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Expo Building, Northwest Montana Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Admission is free for children through eighth grade, $2 for adults, high school age and older. Door prizes. Free parking.

- Ronan Women’s Club arts and crafts fair, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Ronan Community Center. Silent auction. Indian taco soup lunch.

- Home and Garden Show, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Advance tickets at all Glacier Bank and Super 1 locations, and participating businesses. Tickets also available at door.

- All Saints’ Episcopal Church Whitefish-Columbia Falls 12th annual chili open golf tournament starting at 10:30 a.m. at All Saints’ Church, 2048 Conn Road. The event benefits the Humane Society of Northwest Montana, the Flathead County Animal Shelter, the Spay and Neuter Task Force and Spay Montana. Fees for gold, $20.

- Rocky Mountain Rollers Good Sam RV Chapter meets at 11:30 a.m., Scotty’s, 2205 U.S. 93 S., Kalispell. Guests welcome. RSVP to Mike or Tanya, 858-336-1538.

- South Flathead Modular Railroad group operating session, noon to 3 p.m., Gateway Community Center, Kalispell. Use north entrance C. The public is welcome and can bring and run HO gauge trains. New members welcome. Call Vance Carolin, 755-9412 or Joel Goldberg, 248-514-3207.

- Annual Princess Ball fundraiser, 7 p.m., Red Lion Hotel Kalispell. Tickets $25; limited availability. Proceeds benefit Ronald McDonald House; https://valicitysonceuponatime.org

THOUGHT

“Le sens commun n’est pas si commun.” (Common sense is not so common.) — Voltaire, French author and philosopher (1694-1778).

SUNDAY

- Gold, Gem and Mineral Show,10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Expo Building, Northwest Montana Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Admission is free for children through eighth grade, $2 for adults, high school age and older. Door prizes. Free parking.

- Home and Garden Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Advance tickets at all Glacier Bank and Super 1 locations, and participating businesses. Tickets also available at door.• Columbia Falls High School Speech and Debate team celebrated its 14th consecutive State Tournament victory, 6-8 p.m., high school Little Theater. Free and open to public.

MONDAY

- Daughters of the American Revolution, Chief Ignace Chapter, meet noon to 3 p.m., 4Bs Restaurant, Kalispell. Sandy Taylor presents a program titled “The Battle of Kings Mountain.” To reserve a seat, call Cate, 755-6781.

- Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

- Swan River School board meets at 4 p.m.

- West Valley School board meets 5 p.m.

- Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group meets 6-8 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. Lynae West with Summit Independent Living will discuss programs and assistance 6-7 p.m. Survivors, family, friends are welcome. Refreshments. Call Jennifer, 756-4725.

- Columbia Falls School board meets at 6 p.m.

- Flathead Conservation District 310 Stream Permit meeting 7 p.m., 133 Interstate Lane, in Evergreen. Call 752-4220.

TUESDAY

- West Valley School fundraiser for kindergarten through fourth grade, 5-7 p.m., Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Kalispell. 15 percent of proceeds support school programs.

- Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Unwind, 5-6:30 p.m. Rocky Mountain Bank, 2405 U.S. 93 N. Giveaways. All welcome. Call 758-2803.

- Smith Valley School board meets 6 p.m.

- Montana State University professor Alison Harmon’s presents “$3 a Day - Building Empathy and Compassion for the Food Insecure” 7 p.m., Arts and Technology Building, FVCC. Free. Public invited.

A LOOK AHEAD

- Red Cross blood drive, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 13, FVCC, Kalispell.

- Alpenglow Clinic, Kalispell’s state-certified chemical dependency clinic, grand opening 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 13, 285 Second Ave. WN Suite 101, Kalispell. Hor d’oeuvres and literature provided. Call 406-890-2570.

- Parkinson’s disease support group meets 3-4:30 p.m. March 13, Gateway Community Center, north conference room, Kalispell. Presenter is pharmacist Justin VanCampen. All welcome. Call Lois, 871-3767. • Whitefish Women of the Moose monthly meal, 5-7 p.m. March 13, Moose Lodge 230 W. 10th St. Taco bar. Call Carol, 260-8493.

- Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation annual film fundraiser, March 13-14, O’Shaughnessy Center, Whitefish. Doors open 6 p.m. Films start 7 p.m.

- Montana Lakes Conference workshop, “Lake Ecology 101: How Biology, Chemistry and Physics Interact to Shape how Lakes Function” by Shawn Devlin of the Flathead Lake Biological Station, 1-4 p.m., March 13, Lodge at Whitefish Lake. Free. Open to the public. Call 862-4327.

- Free community presentation, “A glimpse of fading glaciers: Impacts on Life in Mountain Regions,” 7 p.m., March 13, Whitefish Performing Arts Center. Call 862-+4327.

- Bigfork County Water and Sewer District meets at 7 p.m. March 13, district office, 108 Harbor Heights Blvd.

- Senior Tour and Tea, 10:30 a.m., March 14, Hockaday Museum of Art, 302 Second Ave. E., Kalispell. Free admission for seniors 60 and older 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Docent tour 10:30 a.m. Call 755-5268.

- Teen social for grades 6-12, 4-5:30 p.m. March 14, ImagineIF Library, Kalispell. Food, Wii gaming. Craft is Maker Lab. Free.

- West Valley School fundraiser for fifth through eighth, 5-7 p.m. March 14, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Kalispell. 15 percent of proceeds support school programs.

- Flathead Valley Community College Honors Symposium Series presents “The Brexit Battle: What It Means for Europe and America” by Craig Parsons, 7 p.m. March 14, Arts and Technology Building, FVCC. Free. Public welcome. Call Gerta Reeb, 756-3889.

- Kalispell Public Schools Finance and Operations Committee meets 7 a.m. March 15, district office basement meeting room.

- Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 15 at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

- Evergreen Chamber of Commerce luncheon, 11 a.m. March 15, Snappy Sport Senter, 1400 U.S. 2 E., Kalispell. RSVP by March 12 to 885-1212.

- FVCC Spring Concert series present Cocinando with guest vocal quintet, 7 p.m., March 15, Arts and Technology Building. Free. Public invited.

- Eastside Grange annual Breakfast for Supper and silent auction, 5-8 p.m. March 15, Creston Volunteer Fire Hall, 4498 Montana 35, Creston. Pancakes, Denver omelets and Belgian waffles. Food drive for veterans food pantry.

- Smith Valley Fire District free St. Patrick’s Day pancake breakfast, 8 a.m. to noon March 16, 3496 U.S. 2 W., Kalispell. Meet first responders. Tours.

- AARP Driver Safety Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 16, The Summit, Kalispell. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.

- Mission Valley Animal Shelter Spay-ghetti and No-balls dinner fundraiser, 5-9 p.m. March 16, Elks Lodge, 5120 Main St., Polson. Tickets $20 available at shelter and Seconds 2 Go.

- Park After Dark snowshoe hike, 8 to 9:30 p.m. March 16, Lone Pine State Park, Kalispell. Cost $4 per person over the age of 13; kids 12 and under are free. To register, call 755-2706, ext. 2.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade, 4 p.m. March 17, Main Street, Kalispell. To enter, call 755-7410.

- Red Cross blood drives March 18: 1-6 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell; 1-6 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church, Kalispell.

- Red Cross blood drive, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 19, Glacier High School.

- Kalispell Public Schools Curriculum and Instruction Committee meets 3 p.m. March 19, assistant superintendent’s office.

- Kalispell Public Schools district board work session 6 p.m. March 19, Kalispell Middle School Library.

- Red Cross blood drive, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 20, Saint John Paul II Church, Bigfork; sponsored by Knights of Columbus.

- Lakeside QRU board meets 7 p.m. March 20, Lakeside Community Room. Call Lois Lauman, 253-2841.

- Kalispell Public Schools Policy and Communications Committee meets 8:30 a.m. March 21, superintendent’s office.

- Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., March 21, The Wave, Whitefish.

- Flathead Special Education Cooperative Executive Council meets 11:45 a.m. March 21, Gateway Community Center, United Way Conference Room, Kalispell. Call 257-1857.

- Flathead Valley Community College Honors Symposium Series presents “European Security after NATO” by David M. Andrews, 7 p.m. March 21, Arts and Technology Building, FVCC. Free. Public welcome. Call Gerta Reeb, 756-3889.

- Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 22 at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

- Connect to Kalispell community open house, 6-8 p.m. March 22, Lone Pine State Park, Kalispell. Meet staff and learn how park partners with other agencies. Call 755-2706, ext. 4.

- Annual Agriculture Appreciation dinner for local farmers and ranchers, March 22, Ronan Community Center. Social hour 6 p.m.; dinner 7 p.m. Call Ronan Chamber of Commerce.

- AARP Driver Safety Course, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 25, Libby Christian Church. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 7406-283-7000.

- AARP Driver Safety Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 25, Gateway Community Center, Kalispell. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 752-7266.

- Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m. March 25 at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

- Glacier National Park Volunteer Associates Winter Speaker series presents field manager Adam Osborne on “Rebuilding Sperry-A Builder’s Perspective, 7 p.m. March 25, Arts and Technology Building, FVCC. Free. Public invited.

- Flathead Conservation District business meeting 7 p.m. March 25, 133 Interstate Lane, in Evergreen. Call 752-4220.

- Red Cross blood drive, noon to 5 p.m. March 26, Good Shepherd Church, Polson.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. March 26, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.

- Red Cross blood drives March 27: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Elks Lodge, Kalispell; 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Glacier Bank, Bigfork.

- Flathead Democrats Monthly Education Series presents “Local Government, Where the Rubber Hits the Road and How You Can Put Your Foot on the Gas,” 7 p.m. March 27, Room 204, Arts and Technology Building, FVCC. Speaker is Whitefish City Councilor Richard Hildner. Free. Public invited.

- Red Cross blood drives March 28: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. U.S. Forest Service, Kalispell; 1-6 p.m. Fuel Fitness, Kalispell, blood mobile.

- Marion Fire District board meets 5 p.m. March 28, Marion Community Center, 180 Gopher Lane, Marion.

- Author and nutrition researcher Peter Greenlaw talks about food, nutrition and health in a presentation, 7-8:30 p.m. March 28, Red Lion Hotel, Kalispell. Free. ublic invited. To register, visit https://bit.ly2BLva

- Red Cross blood drives March 29: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell; 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Mackenzie River North, Kalispell, blood mobile.

- Ruth and Sam Neff present a program titled “A Look Inside Iran,” 1 p.m. March 30, Whitefish Community Library community room, 9 Spokane Ave. All welcome.

- Somers Company Town Project annual Spirits of the Valley Tasting event, 6-9 p.m., March 30, Best Western Plus Flathead Inn and Suites, 4823 U.S. 93 S. Appetizers, desserts, spirits. Raffle, silent auction. Tickets $25 at door.

- Annual Creston Auction, Country Fair, Auto, Marine, RV and Equipment Sale, April 6-7, 12 miles east of Kalispell on Montana 35.. April 5 is Consignment Day.

- West Valley School board meets 5 p.m. April 8.

- Dream Adaptive Spring Fling, 5 p.m. April 13, Hilton Garden Inn, Kalispell. No-host cocktail hour, prime rib and salmon dinner, silent and live auctions. Live music by Mike Murray Duo. For tickets, call 406-871-6607.

- Lakeside QRU board meets 7 p.m. April 17, Lakeside Community Room. Call Lois Lauman, 253-2841.

- Flathead Special Education Cooperative Executive Council meets 11:45 a.m. April 18, Gateway Community Center, United Way Conference Room, Kalispell. Call 257-1857.

CASA for Kids Flathead County spring graduation ceremony, April 18, Flathead County Justice Center, Kalispell. Mock trial 4-5 p.m.; swearing in ceremony 5-6 p.m.; reception 6-6:30 p.m.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. April 23, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.

- West Valley School board meets 5 p.m. May 13.

- Lakeside QRU board meets 7 p.m. May 15, Lakeside Community Room. Call Lois Lauman, 253-2841.

- Flathead Special Education Cooperative Executive Council meets 11:45 a.m. May 16, Gateway Community Center, United Way Conference Room, Kalispell. Call 257-1857.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. May 28, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.

- West Valley School board meets 5 p.m. June 10.

- Lakeside QRU board meets 7 p.m. June 19, Lakeside Community Room. Call Lois Lauman, 253-2841.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. June 25, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.

- Whitefish Woody Weekend, June 28-30, Lodge at Whitefish Lake. Public invited to tour classic, antique wooden boats at docks beginning 9 a.m. Saturday. Public boat rides during day. Call Tim Salt, 862-5085.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. July 23, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.• Lakeside QRU board meets 7 p.m. Aug. 21, Lakeside Community Room. Call Lois Lauman, 253-2841.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. Aug. 27, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.

- Lakeside QRU board meets 7 p.m. Sept. 18, Lakeside Community Room. Call Lois Lauman, 253-2841.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. Sept. 24, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.• Lakeside QRU board meets 7 p.m. Oct. 16, Lakeside Community Room. Call Lois Lauman, 253-2841.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. Oct. 22, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.

- Lakeside QRU board meets 7 p.m. Nov. 20, Lakeside Community Room. Call Lois Lauman, 253-2841.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. Nov. 26, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.

- Medicare 101 class, 1-3 p.m. Dec. 17, Flathead County South Campus, 40 11th St. W., Kalispell. Representatives guide through health insurance basics. Cost is $10. Call 758-5730.