Community news
School musical
The Glacier Gateway Elementary School fourth-grade classes will present a musical, “The Adventures of Lewis and Clark,” in the Columbia Falls High School Little Theater on Friday, May 8, at 1:45 p.m. A complimentary reception for students, parents and guests will follow the afternoon performance. A morning matinee will be presented for Glacier Gateway students at 9:30 a.m. at the same location.
Chamber meets
The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold their general membership meeting and tourist celebration at the Teakettle Community Room, 235 Nucleus Avenue, on Tuesday, May 12, from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch is $12. For more information, call Carol Pike at 892-2072 or e-mail cpike@centurytel.net.
Pies and plants
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 401 Seventh Street West in Columbia Falls, will hold a pie and plant sale on Saturday, May 9, from 8 a.m. to noon. Donated plants will be accepted on Friday, May 8, from 3 to 7 p.m. Hot coffee, pie by the slice and hot breakfast dishes will be offered in addition to whole pies.
Retirement
A retirement party for Carol Pike, the outgoing executive director of the Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will be held at Truby’s at Meadow Lake Resort on Thursday, May 14, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Book sale
The Columbia Falls Library Association’s bookstore, 39 Sixth Street West in Columbia Falls, will hold a bag sale on May 15-16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fill a plastic grocery bag with books, CDs and videos for $3 per bag, with no limit to how many bags a person can fill.
Senior center garage sale
The North Valley Senior Center is postponing its May 22 garage sale until June.
Burn permits
Free burn permits are required for debris burning in Flathead County starting May 1 and are good for the entire burning season. They are available online at www.firesafekalispell.com or at the Flathead Environmental Health office or by calling 752-7376. Escaped debris and agricultural burns are the top causes of human-started wildfires in the Flathead area, and burners can be held responsible for the cost of suppression. Air quality compliance is required for every burn by calling 751-8144 or checking online at www.flatheadhealth.org/environmental-health/burn-restrictions/ for the daily ventilation and burning forecast.
Skeptics meet
The Flathead Area Secular Humanist Association will hold its monthly Skeptics in the Pub gathering at the Kalispell Brewing Co. in Kalispell on Tuesday, May 12, at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit online at www.flatheadsecular.com.
Hungry Horse Dam
The Bureau of Reclamation will open the Hungry Horse Dam Visitor Center for the 2015 summer season on May 17. The visitor center will be open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sept. 12. Exhibits about the history of Hungry Horse Dam and its importance to the Federal Columbia River Power System are featured. For more information, call 406-387-5241 ext. 347 or visit online at www.usbr.gov/pn/hungryhorse/index.html.
Salvation Army gala
The theme of the Salvation Army’s second annual gala fundraiser will be Country & Western. The event will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn on Saturday, May 16, with music by Rob Quist & Great Northern and Rob’s daughter Halladay Quist and entertainment from April Howard’s Steppin’2 Rhythm Country Western Dance Team. Tickets are $50 per person. Proceeds will support the local Salvation Army, which last year served 30,000 hot meals and provided shower and laundry facilities to the destitute. For more information, visit online at www.salvationarmygala.com or call 257-4357.
After hours
The Columbia Falls Area Chamber of Commerce’s after-hours social event will take place at Freedom Bank on Wednesday, May 20, from 3 to 7 p.m. to celebrate the bank’s birthday.
Farmers market
The Columbia Falls Farmers Market will take place at Pinewood Park in Columbia Falls on Thursdays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. from May 14 through Sept. 17. The market offers locally grown plants and produce and a wide variety of handcrafted items, including certified Made in Montana items. Music will be provided by local bands, including Dan Dubuque, the Montana Marimba Ensemble and others. For more information, visit online at www.columbiafallschamber.org/farmers-market.
New farmers market
The Columbia Falls Community Market will kick off on U.S. 2 next to O’Brien’s Liquor & Wine on May 21. The market will be held on Thursdays through Sept. 24 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. featuring locally grown produce and plants from more than seven farmers, handmade local crafts, artists, food caterers and local microbrewed beers. Local musicians will perform on stage in The Coop behind the store. The market is an official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and all sponsorships are tax deductible. For more information, visit online at www.cfcommunitymarket.com or call 871-6440.