Today

| March 17, 2007 1:00 AM

3 AARP Driver Safety Program for all drivers age 50 and older, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. $10 course fee. Call 751-4500 to register.

3 Expanding Your Horizons conference to encourage science and math careers for girls in grades 6-8, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Columbia Falls Junior High School. Nationally recognized keynote speaker is Marian York. Sponsored by local Soroptimist International clubs and Girl Scouts. Contact Diane Yarus, 751-2175.

3 Flathead Audubon wetlands field trip to Somers and Lower Valley. Meet to carpool at 8:30 a.m., at Somers Park 'n' Ride, intersection of U.S. 93 and Montana 83. Bring lunch, binoculars or scope and appropriated clothes. Free. All welcome. Call Bob Lopp, 257-6886.

3 Izaak Walton Inn annual Snow Rodeo today and Sunday, Essex. Rodeo-style events on skis and snowshoes including goat roping, steer dogging, bareback bronc, chuckwagon and barrel racing. Kids treasure hunt March 18 for rodeo participants. Spectators welcome. Call 888-5700.

3 Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry fourth annual attic sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Flathead County Fairgrounds grandstand building, Kalispell. Art and antiques, collectibles, jewelry, household, furniture and more. All proceeds go to pantry. Call 756-7304.

3 Benefit sale for Ashley Benavides to help transport and set up her single-parent household with three children, at Naropa University, Boulder, Colo., and for her tuition and books, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday, and March 24-25, 2210 N. Mission Dr., Kalispell. Call 212-8867.

3 Whitefish Winter Classic Snow Picnic, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Big Mountain off Gray Wolf Run, hosted by Flathead Snowmobile Association. Free. Meet visiting sports celebrities. All welcome. Association will also have their Family Day Run.

3 Glacier Pilot Club of the Flathead Valley safety presentation and bike helmet give-away to preschoolers and toddlers, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Kalispell Center Mall. Brain Minder Buddy puppet shows will be performed.

3 Human Rights Film Series presents "Maggie Growls," about the founder of the Gray Panthers, the nation's leading senior advocacy organization, 2 p.m., Whitefish Branch Library Community Room. Free. All invited. Parental discretion advised.

3 Ancient Order of the Hibernians St. Patrick's Day Parade, 4 p.m., downtown Kalispell. Line-up at 3 p.m., First Avenue West and Eighth Street. Call Mark Lalum, 755-7400 or 261-1654.

3 St. Patrick's Day dinner, 5-8 p.m., Calvary Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 2200 U.S. 2 E., Kalispell. Irish music by String Crossings and traditional food. Free. All welcome. Call 752-4102.

3 People for Peace vigil to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq, 6-7 p.m. Depot Park, Kalispell. Everyone welcome.

3 St. Patty's Day Pub Crawl, 7-11 p.m., Troy. Registration $16. Starts at VFW. Sponsored by Troy Area Community Association. Call Glen Gill, 406-295-5834.

3 Whitefish Winter Classic St. Paddy's Day Party, 7-9 p.m., Great Northern Brewery. Tickets $25.

3 Mountain Dreaming: A Dream Workshop by author and international presenter of dreams, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 1515 Trumble Creek Road, Kalispell. $100, includes lunch. Call 862-9591.

3 Flathead Valleyaires Barbershop Chorus "Get Your Irish Up," show featuring Tra La Gael, Celtic Cross Dancers, Classic Touch and Uncalled 4, 7:34 p.m. Flathead High School auditorium. Advance admission $8 adults; $7 students and seniors; or $10 at the door. Children 12 and under are free. Call Wesley Tintinger, 892-5953.

Sunday

3 Izaak Walton Inn annual Snow Rodeo continues today, Essex. Rodeo-style events on skis and snowshoes including goat roping, steer dogging, bareback bronc, chuckwagon and barrel racing. Kids treasure hunt for rodeo participants. Spectators welcome. Call 888-5700.

3 Whitefish Winter Classic Champagne Brunch, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Whitefish Lake Restaurant. Tickets $12 adults; $6 kids.

3 Sunburst USA Beauty Pageant and Model Search, Kalispell Center Mall. Registration, noon; pageant 1 p.m. Call 751-5052.

3 Benefit dinner for Eureka resident Helen Lahr who is battling cancer, 1-4 p.m. Eureka Senior Center, 310 First Ave. E. Call 406-889-5018.

3 Red Cedar Circle meets at Donnalee's, 1720 Second. St. E., Whitefish. Potluck at 5 p.m. Circle at 5:45 p.m. Healing through stories, ancient spiritual practices. All welcome. Call 863-9412.

Monday

3 AARP Driver Safety Program for all drivers age 50 and older, 8:30-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. today and March 20, Polson Senior Center. $10 course fee. Call 883-4735 to register.

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 Flathead County Republican Women meet at noon, at the Bulldog/WestCoast Outlaw Hotel. Guest speaker is Debra L. Acord, diagnostic radiologist specializing in breast imaging. Lunch available.

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

3 People for Peace candlelight vigil to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq, 5-6 p.m. Depot Park, Kalispell. Everyone welcome.

3 Red Cross certified course in Standard First Aid, 6:30 p.m. at the office, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell. Call 752-6433 to pre-register.

3 Choir of Cono Christian School 50-member choir performs sacred and secular music, 7 p.m., Faith Covenant Church, 611 Third Ave. E., Kalispell. Public invited. Call 752-2400.

3 FVCC Smoking Symposium presents a discussion on "Tobacco and the Law," 7-9 p.m., Room SAT 148. Free. All invited. Call 756-3832.

3 Vista Chapter No. 44, Easter Star, will feature a program on Americanism, 7:30 p.m., Columbia Falls Masonic Temple. Grand representatives and committee member will also be honored.

Tuesday

3 Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Kalispell City Hall.

3 Red Cross certified course in Adult CPR, 6:30 p.m. at the office, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell. Call 752-6433 to pre-register.

3 Flathead Valley Community College 2007 Honors Symposium Series presents Steven Gaulin of the Department of Biosocial Anthropology at University of California on " Biological Differences," at 7 p.m., Red Lion Hotel, Kalispell. Free. Seating limited. Public welcome. Call 756-3822.

3 Big Sky Bonsai Society meets at 7 p.m., at the Flathead County Library in Kalispell. Potting techniques will be demonstrated. Free and the public is invited. Contact Jerry Meislik at 862-0387.

3 Democratic Central Committee meets 7 p.m. KM Theatre, downtown Kalispell. Guest speaker Bill Rossiter will show a short movie on the Bill of Rights, and ACLU. All welcome. Contact John deNeeve, 756-7859.

3 Cayuse Prairie School board meets at 7 p.m. in the school library.

3 Meeting for Hands On Place, an interactive children's museum coming to the Flathead Valley, 7 p.m. The Summit, Kalispell. Newcomers welcome. Call Courtney Rudbach, 756-7691.

3 Somers School board meets at 6 p.m. at Somers Middle School.

Wednesday

3 MOMS (Mothers Offering Moms Support) meets 9:15-11:15 a.m. Trinity Lutheran Church, 400 W. California St., Kalispell. Ron Clem talks about children in crisis. Child care provided. Call 257-LOVE (5683).

3 Brunch is offered the public at 9:30 a.m., Los Caporales, Nucleus Avenue, Columbia Falls. Hooper's Garden Center's Michael Connolly gives gardening tips. Guest speaker is Sherry Attard. Cost is $7.50 per person. Free child care by reservation. Call Candy at 387-4119, or Sherry at 892-5990. Sponsored by the Columbia Falls Women's Connection and Stonecroft.

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, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., NorthWestern Energy.

3 Kalispell Toastmasters Club open house, noon to 1 p.m., Christ Church Episcopal, at Third Avenue East and Second Street. Topic is "Effective Communication." Bring a brown bag lunch. All welcome.

3 Winter Sports Inc. Big Mountain Ski Resort CEO Fred Jones speaks at Kalispell Kiwanis Club, 12:15 p.m., WestCoast Outlaw Hotel, Colt 44 conference room. Public invited. RSVP at 253-9192.

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

3 Lincoln Conservation board meets at 4 p.m., Lincoln Conservation District office, 655 U.S. 93 N., Eureka. Open to public.

3 FVCC Office of Multicultural Services presents part II of Lucy Smith's discussion and slide show on her volunteer work in East Africa, 6 p.m., FVCC Blake Hall. Free. Refreshments. All invited. Call Gerda Reeb, 756

3 Olduvai Forum meets 7 p.m., Clementine's, 265 Bridge St., Bigfork. The film, "Visions of Utopia" about several national intentional communities will be shown Coffee and tea provided. Desserts and other drinks available to purchase. All welcome. Call Edmund Fitzgerald, 837-5548; or Jeffrey Funk, 837-4208.

3 FVCC Honors Satellite Seminar Series presents Washington Post columnist and Fox News Channel analyst Jeffrey Birnbaum on "Money Talks: Lobbyists and the Power of Money in Washington," 7-8:15 p.m., BSS Building, room 110. Free. Public invited. Refreshments. Call Karen Longhart, 756-3998.

Thursday

3 Red Cross blood drive, 2-5 p.m., First Interstate Bank, Main St., Kalispell.

3 Flathead County Library board meets at 3 p.m. at the Flathead County Library meeting room, Kalispell. Contact Kim Crowley, library director, at 758-5826.

3 Open community forum and public meeting on proposed U.S. Department of Peace, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Kalispell Montessori on Willow Glen. Refreshments. Everyone invited.

3 Mission Valley Animal Shelter "Spay-ghetti Dinner" and silent auction fundraiser 5-7:30 p.m. March 22, Ronan VFW, corner of Round Butter and Fifth Avenue Southwest. Tickets $6.50 per person, or $25 per family of six. Call Pam Gibson, 883-3336.

3 Muldown Elementary School Mully Night 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dinner, games, activities and entertainment. Proceeds support school field trips and assemblies. Call 862-8620.

3 Public art opening of "100 Best Communities for Young People with Whitefish Community Center, 6-9 p.m., The Loft, above the Toggery, Central Avenue, Whitefish.

3 Flathead City-County Board of Health invites EMS organizations and providers to a visioning session for the future of EMS in Flathead County" 5:30-8:30 p.m., Earl Bennett Building second floor conference room, 1035 First Ave. W., Kalispell. Refreshments. RSVP to Tonya Passwater, 751-8109.

3 Informational meeting for parents of students interested in being an AFS foreign exchange student, 7 p.m. Whitefish Independent High School, 625 Park Ave., across the street from Whitefish High School. Call Ray Boksich, 212-0261 or 862-3430.

3 Flathead High School annual talent show, 7 p.m. FHS auditorium. Piano, vocalists, jazz and rock bands and Irish, tap and jazz dance. Tickets $4 in advance at main office, or $5 at the door. Proceeds go to Central Asian Institute in Bozeman and FHS International Baccalaureate scholarships.

Friday

3 Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

3 Fair-Mont-Egan School board meets for a team building exercise at 1:45 p.m. in the music room.

3 Fourth annual Stillwater Music Festival today and March 24, Stillwater Christian School, Kalispell. Band and choir students from regional Christian school compete for scholarships. Public invited to come and listen throughout the festival. Call Micah Hunter or Travis Rhubottome at 752-4400.

3 Flathead Valley Community College 2007 Honors Symposium Series free lecture by Brian Bechtold of FVCC on "Twelfth Night and Gender in the Shakespeare Theater," 6-6:30 p.m., followed by production of "Twelfth Night theater production at 7 p.m., today and March 24, Room 123 Learning Resource Center. Tickets first come, first serve or purchase in advance by calling 756-3814.