Today

3 Jewel Basin Road, Forest Road No. 5392, will be closed today until about 5 p.m. for maintenance work by the Flathead National Forest. All vehicles in parking lot and along road must be removed by 6 a.m. Call Hungry Horse District at 387-3800.

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

3 Lake County Republican Women meet from noon to 1 p.m., Wheat Montana, Polson. Kathie Newgard with the Lake County Election office will discuss how the Montana provision allowing election day registration affected Lake County. Call 883-0448 to order lunch. All women invited.

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

3 New club for teens who like Anime and Manga animation meets 4:30 p.m., Flathead County Library, Kalispell. Call Public Services Librarian Martha Furman, 758-5713.

3 Rails to Trails meets at 5 p.m. at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks building, 490 N. Meridian Road, All welcome. Call 257-1932.

3 Flathead Chronic Pain Support Group meets 5:30-6:45 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell, second floor classrooms. All people who would like to learn how to successfully manage their chronic pain and share their experiences in a confidential manner are encouraged to attend. Free. Call Dr. Alex Bokor, 250-5252.

3 Glacier Stamp Club meets in the basement meeting room of the Flathead County Library, Kalispell. Stamp trading and talk at 7 p.m.; short business meeting at 7:30 p.m. Visitors welcome. Call Gail Long, 752-6110.

Tuesday

3 Evergreen Water and Sewer District board meets at 7 a.m. at the district office, 130 Nicholson Dr.

3 Kalispell School District board special meeting, noon, administration building, 233 First Ave. E.

3 Annual Realtors Food Drive. Leave bags at your front door before 5:30 p.m. for collection, or drop off at any real estate office in the Flathead Valley.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 1-6 p.m., Bigfork Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

3 Creston School board meets at 4:30 p.m. in the school library. Public welcome.

3 Somers School board meets at 5 p.m.to tour new construction at Helena Flats Elementary.

3 Flathead Citizens for Paved Roads meet 7 p.m. in the cafeteria, Kalispell Middle School, 205 Northwest Lane. Use north entrance.

Wednesday

3 MOMS (Mothers Offering Moms Support) meets 9:15-11:15 a.m. Trinity Lutheran Church, 400 W. California St., Kalispell. Guest speakers Tedd Tripp and Cindy Radosevich will talk about "Shepherding a Child's Heart." Child care provided. Call Kirsten Kerr, 756-9668.

3 Children's Story Hour, 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., in the blood mobile, Sportsman and Ski Haus, Kalispell.

3 Clear Choice Health Plans offers a free Medicare information session, 2 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. Topics include what Medicare does and doesn't cover, options for additional coverage, low income subsidy. New enrollment period begins Nov. 15. Call 751-2460 to reserve a seat.

3 Bigfork School District open house, 5 p.m., high school band room, to discuss bond election. Tour facilities; question and answer session. Call 837-7400.

3 Disabled American Veterans (DAV) meet at 6:30 p.m., VFW meeting room, Kalispell. Call 862-6458.

3 Daniel Henning, past Buddhist monk, will give a free talk on Buddhism and deep ecology 7-8:30 p.m., Yoga Heart Center, Main Street, Polson.

Thursday

3 Red Cross blood drive, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the blood mobile, FVCC.

Thought

"Everybody favors free speech in the slack moments when no axes are being ground." n Heywood C. Broun, American journalist (1888-1939).

3 Noted public speaker and author Mac Bledsoe presents a program titled, "Parenting with Dignity," Olney-Bissell School. Presentation at 7 p.m.; dinner available at 6 p.m. to those who pre-order tickets. Cost $20 for two and $15 per single. Call Lona Everett, Bissell School, 862-2828. All welcome.

3 Sons of Norway meet 7 p.m., Buffalo Hill Terrace meeting room, 40 Claremont St., Kalispell. Call 257-2537.

Friday

3 Evergreen Special Services hosts a multi-district child find screening, 8:30 a.m. to noon, East Evergreen Elementary School. Children 0 to 5 years screened for hearing, vision, motor skills, speech, language and cognition. Call 751-1113, ext. 16, to schedule an appointment.

3 Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce 10th annual rummage sale, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today; 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 6, Old City Hall building, 202 Nucleus Ave. Donations welcome - drop of Oct. 3-4 noon to 6 p.m. Call Carol, 892-2072; or Mary, 751-4774.

3 Botanist and naturalist Anne Morely leads walk on Sprunger-Whitney Nature Trail in remembrance of Elmer Sprunger and Jack Whitney, 10 a.m. today. Dress for fall weather and bring a lunch and water. Take Montana 83 7.1 miles south of Swan Lake Trading Post, Swan Lake. Turn right at Point Pleasant sign (1/2 mile south of mile marker 64). Follow sign to trail.

3 Friends of the Library Book Sale 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 6; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7, Kalispell Center Mall. Call Erica, 257-3988.

3 Neighbors in Need volunteers deliver homemade chili lunch around Kalispell, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost $8 includes chili, muffin, cole slaw and homemade pie. Whole pies available for $8. Fax orders to 755-7266 by Oct. 3. Call 752-7266.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the blood mobile, Glacier Bank, 49 Commons Loop, Kalispell.

3 Consignments accepted for Kalispell Ski Club annual ski swap and sale 1 to 8 p.m. today, Expo Building Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Sale hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6; and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 7, Expo Building. Call 752-SKIS.

3 Voices of the Wilderness Art Exhibition and Silent Auction to support Wilderness Trail Work 5:30-8 p.m., Hockaday Museum of Art, 302 Second St., Kalispell. Drinks and hors d' oeuvres. Suggested entrance donation $15. Call Carla Belski, 253-4421; or Kathy Koors, 754-3137.

A Look Ahead

3 Kalispell Fire Department hosts a free pancake breakfast 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Oct. 6, Fire Station 61, 312 First Ave. E, to kick off Fire Prevention Week. Donations appreciated. All welcome.

3 Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce 10th annual rummage sale, 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 6, Old City Hall building, 202 Nucleus Ave. Donations welcome - drop of Oct. 3-4 noon to 6 p.m. Call Carol, 892-2072; or Mary, 751-4774.

3 Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down 2007 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 7, VFW Post 1548, 108 W. Second St., Libby. Physical and mental health providers and employment counseling, referrals, haircuts, surplus military clothing, lunch; free camping. Call Allen W. Erickson Sr., 756-7304 or 250-0698.

3 Friends of the Library Book Sale, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 6; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7, Kalispell Center Mall. Call Erica, 257-3988.

3 Kalispell Ski Club annual ski swap and sale 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6; and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 7, Expo Building, Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Consignments accepted 1 to 8 p.m. Oct. 5, Expo Building. Call 752-SKIS.

3 Daniel Henning, past Buddhist monk, gives a free workshop on Buddhism and deep ecology, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6, Deep Bay Center, U.S. 93, Lakeside. Donations welcome. Call Deep Bay Center, 884-2611; or Henning at 883-2040.

3 Community United Methodist Church annual fall bazaar, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 6, 750 Electric Avenue, Bigfork. Original handcrafts by local artists, bake sale. Soup, bread and homemade pie lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. Call 837-4547.

3 Columbia Falls Women's Connection presents Make It, Bake It, Sew It, Grow It, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 6, Community Room, Nucleus Avenue, Columbia Falls. Buy homemade crafts, baked and canned goods. Homemade soup luncheon, $2.50. Proceeds support annual missionary project.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 2-6 p.m., Oct. 8, at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

3 Flathead Audubon meets 7 p.m. Oct. 8 Community Room, The Summit, Kalispell. Wildlife consultant Brian Peck discusses grizzly bear recovery in northern Rockies. All welcome.

3 Red Cross blood drive, noon to 4 p.m., Oct. 9, KRMC.

3 Swan River School board meets at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 9, in the school library.

3 Whitefish Figure Skating Club presents a "Little Black Dress Affair," a fashion show on ice, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9, Stumptown Ice Den, Wisconsin Avenue, Whitefish. Tickets $25 at Village Shop, Whitefish. Limited to 100. Call Carol, 862-7699; or Jennifer, 862-6524.

3 Pam Haglund will discuss her recent three-week travels in Iran, 7 p.m. Oct. 9, Whitefish Library. All welcome. Call 892-1688 or 862-1629.

3 Mission Mountain Audubon meets 7 p.m. Oct. 9, Polson City Library meeting room. Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes fisheries biologist Craig Barfoot presents a program on "Ecology and Fisheries management of the Flathead River Downstream of Kerr Dam." Free. All welcome.

3 Back Country Horsemen of the Flathead meet at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 9, Fish, Wildlife and Parks Building, 490 N. Meridian Road. Public welcome. Call Don at 862-6955.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Oct. 10, Coldwell Banker, 1205 S. Main St., Kalispell.

3 Evergreen School District board meets at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 10, in the administration building boardroom.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 12:30-5:30 p.m., Oct. 11, at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell. Sponsored by Kalispell Rotary Clubs.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oct. 12, at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

3 Northwest Montana Humane Society "Dogtoberfest" 6-9 p.m. Oct. 12, charlotte Edkins Animal Adoption Center, 3400 U.S. 93 N., Kalispell. Beer, wine, bratwurst an live music by Don Lawrence and the Bavarian Echoes. Tickets $20 in advance at the center, Tailwaggers and Montana Coffee Traders locations. Call 752-7297.

3 Columbia Falls High School Band garage sale 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 13, high school cafeteria. Public welcome.

3 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family History open house 9 a.m. Oct. 13, Kalispell Stake Center, Whitefish Stage Road. Classes open to public. Call 752-5446.

3 Red Cross blood drive, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 13, Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day