Community news

Chamber meeting

The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its Christmas membership luncheon at the Teakettle Community Hall, 235 Nucleus Avenue, on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Music will be provided by Columbia Falls High School students, and the chamber will hand out First Buck Awards and Community Pride Awards.

Burning season

The open burning season in Flathead County ended Nov. 30. Open burning is prohibited for the months of December, January and February. Recreational fires are limited to four feet in diameter. Open burning season will reopen on March 1.

Historical society

The Columbia Falls Historical Society will meet in the chapel building at the Montana Veterans Home on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in local history is welcome to attend. The 2014 historical society calendar is now available by calling 892-5894 or stopping by the historical society’s booth during the Columbia Falls Night of Lights on Friday, Dec. 6. The historical society’s second annual Cowboy Christmas Ball will take place at the chapel building on Saturday, Dec. 28, from 8 p.m. to midnight. For tickets, call 892-0178.

Veterans wreaths

The annual Wreaths Across America ceremony honoring and celebrating America’s veterans will take place at the Montana Veterans Home Cemetery in Columbia Falls on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m. The 25-minute ceremony will include placement of ceremonial wreaths representing all branches of the military plus a special wreath to honor MIAs. The Glacier Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution is organizing and planning this annual event. The wreaths were purchased through donations contributed by Glacier Chapter SAR, Bird Woman Falls Daughters of the American Revolution and area residents and businesses.

Healthy donation

North Valley Hospital recently donated $12,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Glacier Country to improve the health and wellness of children in Columbia Falls and Evergreen through sponsorship of the Triple Play wellness program. Through the program, boys and girls better understand nutrition, health effects and determining reasonable portion sizes. Members also receive coaching in sports, recreation and fun activities. For more information, visit online at www.bgca.org or call the Columbia Falls Club at 406-892-7486 or the Evergreen Club at 406-752-5440.

Church bazaar

The Columbia Falls United Methodist Church, 117 Second Street West, will hold its Joy of Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with cookie trays, lefse, their famous Butte pasties, crafts, handiwork, gift bags, Grannie’s Treasures and a silent auction. A sidewalk cafe will offer rolls and muffins from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a soup luncheon will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is looking for individuals, groups or organizations to ring the bells during their annual Christmas Kettle Season through Christmas. For more information, contact Bob Blake at 257-4357. Glacier Bank will match all Salvation Army Red Kettle donations at all Super 1 Foods stores in the Flathead Valley on Thursday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Salvation Army also is taking applications from families who could use Christmas assistance at the Salvation Army Corps Community Center, 110 Bountiful Drive, in Kalispell on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. If anyone would like to help by Adopting a Family or by providing money or gifts, call 257-4357 or mail contributions to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 8357, Kalispell MT 59904 or bring donations to their community center.

Free holiday concert

The Flathead Valley Community Band, under the direction of Allen Slater, will present its annual Holiday Concert in the Red Lion Ballroom on Wednesday, Dec. 11, beginning at 7:30 p.m. with some traditional, and some not so traditional, holiday tunes. Admission is free and open to all ages.

Leaders of Tomorrow

Thirty-two high school juniors from Flathead Valley high schools have been chosen as members of the 2013-2014 class of Leaders of Tomorrow, including three Columbia Falls High School students — Conner Bowman, Ty Morgan and Colter Norick. The students will spend one day a month meeting with community leaders and developing friendships with students from other high schools. After completing the program, students may serve on boards and committees as part of their commitment to Leaders of Tomorrow.

Board openings

The following positions are open on local government boards — Columbia Falls City-County Planning Board, city position, 2-year-term, and county position, 2-year-term; Columbia Falls Tree Board, must be city resident or city business owner or a tree professional, 3-year-term; and Flathead County Solid Waste Board, city representative. Interested people can call City Hall at 892-4391.

Master gardener

The Montana State University Flathead County Extension office will hold its next Master Gardener Level 1 class from Jan. 16 through March 6 in Bigfork at the Bethany Lutheran Church, 8559 Highway 35, on Thursdays from 3-5 p.m. Topics will include lawn care and maintenance, tree pruning, seed starting, container growing, vegetable gardening, soil fertility, lawn care, plant physiology and fruit production. Flathead County agriculture and natural resources agent Pat McGlynn will be the instructor. Cost is $185, which includes a handbook and handouts and a $50 refund to students who complete course requirements and a community service project. For more information or to enroll, visit online at www.flathead.mt.gov/extension or call 758-5554.

Live music

Joe Procita will play holiday music on keyboard and guitar at Montana Coffee Traders in Columbia Falls on Friday, Dec. 20, from 6-8 p.m. Coffee, desserts, salads, soups, quiche and wraps will be available for sale.

Town Pump food drive

The Town Pump Charitable Foundation hopes to raise $3 million in its 12th annual fundraising campaign for food banks across Montana. The foundation will match up to $8,000 on behalf of the Columbia Falls Food Bank, $500 more than last year. All funds raised in Columbia Falls will remain in the community. Donations are being collected at the Columbia Falls Town Pump, Magic Diamond and Lucky Lil’s Casinos. Donations also can be sent directly to the Columbia Falls Food Pantry, P.O. Box 1081, Columbia Falls MT 59912.

CASA concert

Voices for CASA will present its seventh annual Spirit of Christmas Concert in the Flathead High School auditorium on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m. Penni Chisholm and Sandee Sauer will host an evening of musical offerings to benefit CASA for Kids in Flathead County. All proceeds from ticket sales will stay in the Flathead to help abused and neglected children through the Court Appointed Special Advocates program. Tickets are $12 each available in Columbia Falls at Glacier Bank, Freedom Bank and Laurie’s Deli. For more information, visit online at www.flatheadcasa.org.

Christmas dinner

A free community Christmas dinner will be hosted by Matt and Janet McConville at the United Methodist Church, 127 Second Street West in Columbia Falls, on Dec. 25 from 2 to 6 p.m. There will be board games, Christmas music and readings, Santa’s elves, a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, a showing of the movie “Elf,” gifts for all and a traditional Christmas dinner. Shuttle service will be available. Reservations are requested by Dec. 1 at the Klothes Kloset, North Valley Senior Center, Columbia Falls Food Bank and United Methodist Church. For more information, call 892-1233.

UPS food drive

UPS will host a food, clothing and toy drive to benefit local food banks and the Salvation Army at the UPS Store at Super 1 Foods in Columbia Falls and other locations on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. UPS locations began accepting donations Nov. 18.