Today

3 Annual Kalispell Christmas Bird Count today. Call Dan Casey of Flathead Audubon to participate, 756-2681 days; 857-3143 evenings. $5 per adult. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Finnegan's Restaurant.

3 First Night Flathead alcohol-free alternative New Year's Eve celebration, downtown Kalispell. Activities and performances the whole family will enjoy, from 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Buttons $7 for adults; children 6 and under free. Call 881-4088 or Pauline at 257-4452.

3 Big Mountain Resort New Year's Eve activities. Rail Jam competition for ages 8 and older, 5-6:30 p.m.; Registration 4-5 p.m. Entry fee $5. Torchlight Parade 7 p.m. Watch from Moguls or at bottom of Chair 2. Fireworks finale. Call 862-2900.

3 American Karate Academy New Year's Eve Party, 8 p.m. tonight to 9 a.m. Monday, in the Whitefish Mountain Mall, for ages 4-12. Dinner and breakfast, martial arts and games, movie, party favors. Registration by Dec. 29. Call 862-7722.

3 Torchlight Parade begins 7 p.m. on Ed's Run, Big Mountain. View from inside Moguls or outside at bottom of Chair 2. Fireworks finale. Call 862-2900.

3 Dance to Jack Waller Quartet 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Swan River Inn, 360 Grand Ave. Bigfork. Free. All welcome. Call 837-2328.

3 Stumptown Ice Den's New Year's Eve Family Free Skate from 9:15 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. Ice Den is on Wisconsin Avenue in Whitefish, near the Alpine Market. Call 863-2477.

Monday

3 The City of Kalispell Solid Waste Division will not be picking up the 90-gallon containers today due to the New Year's Day holiday. Today's route will be picked up on Jan. 2. Have containers out by 7 a.m.

3 Flathead Jazzercise class 10:30-11:45 a.m., Central Christian Church, behind Flathead County Library, Kalispell. Refreshments. Free and open to everyone. Call Cathy Cooney, 212-7243.

3 Kalispell Senior Citizens New Year's Day party and potluck dinner, 1 p.m. Center located at 403 Second Ave. All area seniors welcome. Call 257-1598.

3 Annual Polar Bear Plunge today at The Raven, Woods Bay on Flathead Lake. Parade begins 1:45 p.m.; plunge 2 p.m. Call Lisa Cloutier prior to event at 837-5472; day of event 837-2836.

Tuesday

3 Red Cross blood drive, 2-5 p.m., at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

Wednesday

3 MOMS (Mothers Offering Moms Support) meets 9:15-11:15 a.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 400 W. California St., Kalispell. Exercise with Rose Nicholson. Child care provided. Call 257-LOVE (5683).

3 Children's Story Hour is at 10:30 a.m. in the children's department of the Flathead County Library in Kalispell, 247 First Ave. E. Call 758-5822.

3 Red Cross blood drive, noon to 4 p.m., Kandahar Lodge, Big Mountain.

3 American Heart Association Adult and Child CPR class, 6-10 p.m., The Summit. Cost $50. Pre-registration required. Call 751-4500.

3 Disabled American Veterans (DAV) meet at 6 p.m., VFW meeting room, 111 Main St., Kalispell. Call Jerry Collins at 752-0198.

3 Fair-Mont-Egan School Athletic Committee meets at 7 p.m. in the school library.

Thursday

3 Cholesterol screening 7:30 to 10 a.m., The Summit, Kalispell. $10 cholesterol only; $15 with HDL; $25 with LDL, triglycerides and glucose. No appointment necessary.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 12:30-5:30 p.m., North Valley Community Room, Columbia Falls.

Friday

3 Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Meadow Lake Resort, Columbia Falls.