Today

3 AARP Driver Safety Program for all drivers age 50 and older, 8:30-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. today and Dec. 18, Polson Area Senior Center.. $10 course fee. Call 883-4735 to register.

3 Children's Story Hour at 10:30 a.m., Children's Department of the Flathead County Library in Kalispell. Call 758-5822.

3 Children's Story Hour at 10:30 a.m., Columbia Falls Branch Library. Call 892-5919.

3 Flathead County Road and Bridge Department public meeting regarding 2008 spring weight limits, 1 p.m. Earl Bennett Building, second floor conference room. Call 758-5790.

3 Somers School board Curriculum Committee at 1 p.m. at Somers Middle School.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 2-6 p.m., at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

3 Red Cross Adult CPR for the Professional two-day course, 6-10 p.m. today and Tuesday, at the office, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell. Call 752-6433 to pre-register.

3 Teen Advisory Council for ages 12 to 18, end of year celebration with games, food and fun, 6:30 p.m., Flathead County Library, Kalispell. Call Martha Furman, 758-5713.

3 National Geographic writer Douglas Chadwick talks about his travels to Mongolia and India to learn about efforts to protect the snow leopard, and other travels, 7 p.m., Bohemian Grange, U.S. 93 South and Blanchard Lake Road, Whitefish (behind Coffee Traders.) Public invited.

3 "Changing Your Cholesterol Numbers … with Food Choices" lecture, 7 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. Fee $10. Call 751-4500 to pre-register.

3 Boomers Singles Group holiday open house 7 p.m., Village Greens Community Center, West Nicklaus Avenue, Kalispell. Snacks and beverages provided. RSVP to Syndia, 314-1884. All 40-plus singles welcome.

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

Tuesday

3 Flathead Democratic Party potluck dinner and presidential straw poll, 6 p.m., Village Greens Clubhouse, 500 Palmer Dr., Kalispell. Call 862-4942.

3 Special Olympics Montana Breakfast with Champions fundraiser, 7-8:30 a.m., Hilton Garden Inn, Kalispell. Keynote speaker is animal expert Jack Hanna. Tickets $65 each or $500 for table of eight. Call 406-216-5327.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 4-7 p.m., Lakeside Elementary.

3 Wellness Education Center's Healthy Potluck Supper, 5:30-6:30 p.m., 103 Ponderosa Lane, Kalispell. Families welcome. Bring a healthy dish to share. Call the Wellness Center at 755-8423.

3 Flathead Chapter of Trout Unlimited Christmas party and fly tying extravaganza, 7 p.m., Montana FWP building meeting room, 490 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell. Door prizes, raffles, hors d'oeuvres, non-alcoholic beverages. All welcome.

3 Somers School board meets at 7 p.m. at Somers Middle School.

Wednesday

3 Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Polson High School.

3 Children's Story Hour at 10:30 a.m., Children's Department of the Flathead County Library in Kalispell. Call 758-5822.

3 Lakeside County Water and Sewer district board meets 2 p.m., district meeting room, 253 Bierney Creek Road, Lakeside.

3 Whitefish Chamber of Commerce Gone Fishin' and holiday party, 5-7 p.m. at Mountain West Bank. Refreshments served. Call 862-3501.

3 Montana Department of Environmental Quality holds a meeting at 7 p.m. at Evergreen School cafeteria/gym, 18 W. Evergreen Dr., Kalispell, to seek public comment on proposed plan for clean-up of three contaminated industrial sites in Evergreen.

Thursday

3 Children's Story Hour at 10:30 a.m., Whitefish Branch Library. Call 862-6657.

3 Red Cross blood drive, noon to 5 p.m., Libby VFW.

3 Flathead Suicide Prevention Coalition meets 1 p.m., Flathead City-County Health Department conference room, Kalispell. Films targeting interventions for teens struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts will be reviewed. Call Joan Schmidt, 871-1008.

Thought

"A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things." n "Poor Richard's Almanack."

3 Columbia Falls Branch Library invites teens to open gaming with "Guitar Hero" and "Dance Revolution," 4-6 p.m. Call Martha Furman, 758-5713.

3 PBS Point-of-View (P.O.V.) documentary, "The Fire Next Time" shown 6:30 p.m., Flathead County Library, Whitefish. Guest speaker is Steve Thompson. Admission free. Not rated-parental discretion advised. Call Public Services Librarian Jocelyne Bodden, 758-8523.

Friday

3 Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

A Look Ahead

3 Whitefish Moose Lodge hosts "Breakfast with Santa" 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 22, at the lodge, 239 W. 10th St. Full breakfast $6 for adults; kids are free. Everyone welcome.

3 YogaHeart Studio, 314A Main St., Polson, invites public to celebrate passage from darkness to light with 108 sun salutations, adapted to meet needs of all who attend, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 22. Call Bonnie 883-2186.

3 Shining Mountains Church musical celebration and story behind story of Christmas, 10:30 a.m. Dec. 23, 475 Eighth Ave. EN, Kalispell. All welcome. Call Rev. Yvonne Cottrell, 257-6539.

3 Friendship House ninth annual Light the Walk luminaria display, Dec. 23-24, 606 Second Ave. W., Kalispell. Luminarias $10. Call 257-8375.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dec. 24, at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

3 The Flathead Conservation District meeting for Dec. 24 is canceled. Call 752-4220.

3 Evergreen Disposal will not be picking up garbage on Christmas Day. Today's route will be picked up on Wednesday; Wednesday's route on Thursday; Thursday's route on Friday; Friday and Saturday's route on Saturday. Call 257-1739.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 2-5 p.m., Dec. 26, at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

3 Red Cross blood drive, noon to 5 p.m., Dec. 27, Our Lady of Mercy Church, Eureka.

3 DOVES, Domestic Violence Education and Services, presents a workshop on "Celebrating Our Lives During the Holidays," 1:30-3:30 p.m., Dec. 27, St. Joseph Medical Center, second floor conference room, Polson. Free. Open to Lake County and Flathead Reservation women. Call 883-3350.

3 City of Kalispell and Montana Department of Transportation conduct a public meeting to discuss Stormwater Management Plan, 6 p.m. Dec. 27, Kalispell Waste Water Treatment Plane conference room. Treatment Plant Road, off Airport Road. Call 758-7720.

3 Red Cross blood drive, noon to 4 p.m., Dec. 28, Three Rivers Bank, North Meridian Road.

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

3 Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dec. 31, at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

3 First Night Kalispell 7 p.m. to 12:55 a.m. Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Alcohol-free community event featuring a variety of live entertainment at various downtown venues. Buttons $8 in advance; $10 at door. Call 758-7717.

3 Evergreen Disposal will not be picking up garbage on New Year's Day. Today's route will be picked up on Wednesday; Wednesday's route on Thursday; Thursday's route on Friday; Friday and Saturday's route on Saturday. Call 257-1739.

3 "Walking the Labyrinth-A Sacred Journey Within" retreat facilitated by Roberta Silker of Columbia Falls, Jan. 4, Shining Mountains Center for Positive Living, 475 Eight Ave. EN, Kalispell. $15 donation. Call Silker, 755-6075 or Merrily, 249-1005.

3 Northwest Montana Wedding and Event Professionals sixth annual wedding and event expo, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 5, Hilton Garden Inn, Kalispell.

3 Columbia Falls Community Choir begins practices Jan. 13, Columbia Falls Junior High School. Sign-in and music pick up 1:30-2 p.m.; practice 2-4 p.m. Call Ron Bond, 892-5174.

3 The Flathead Conservation District meets at 7 p.m., Jan. 14, 133 Interstate Lane, in Evergreen. Call 752-4220.

3 Wings 12th annual fundraiser for local cancer patients and their families, Jan. 17-18, Sportsman and Ski Haus, Hutton Plaza, Kalispell.

3 PBS Point-of-View (P.O.V.) documentary, "Lomax the Songhunter" shown 6:30 p.m., Jan. 17, Flathead County Library, Kalispell. Admission free. Not rated-parental discretion advised. Call Public Services Librarian Jocelyne Bodden, 758-8523.

3 PBS Point-of-View (P.O.V.) documentary, "Lomax the Songhunter" shown 6:30 p.m., Jan. 24, Flathead County Library, Whitefish. Admission free. Not rated-parental discretion advised. Call Public Services Librarian Jocelyne Bodden, 758-8523.

3 Youth Service Network meets at noon Jan. 28 at The Summit, Kalispell. Jenny Simon-Thomas will speak on "The Importance of Assessing Executive Functioning Abilities in children and Adolescents." Call Joan Schmidt, 871-1008.

3 Great Rockies Sportshow March 7-9, Majestic Valley Arena, Kalispell.