Daybook

Today

• Red Cross blood drives: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell; noon to 4 p.m. Best Buy; in the blood mobile.

• Boomers Singles Group dinner, Village Greens Community Center, 195 W. Nicklaus Ave., Kalispell. Bring a “white elephant” gift for exchange. Social hour, 6 p.m.; dinner 7 p.m., ham provided. Bring a side dish and pay $5, $10 without; meeting 8 p.m. For reservations, call Melody, 892-3532. All 40-plus singles welcome.

Saturday

• Sunriser Lions 41st annual fishing derby, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Smith Lake, Kila. Cash prizes for largest pike and perch. Merchandise prizes for third and fourth place. Entry fee $5 adults; $2 kids; $10 families. Refreshments and food available.

• First Night Flathead music and entertainment events for the entire family, 2 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., downtown Kalispell. Free children’s activities 2-5 p.m. Kalispell Center Mall. Buttons $12 in advance; $15 at door. Children 6 and under, free, with paying adult. Visit www.firstnightflathead.org

Sunday

• Kalispell Senior Center New Year’ Day party and potluck, 1 p.m., at the center. Bring a dish to share. Games.

Monday

• City of Kalispell Solid Waste Division will be picking up 90-gallon containers today. There will be no disruption of service. Have containers out by 7 a.m. Call 758-7720.

• Gateway to Glacier Trail group meets 6 p.m., Stonefly Lounge, U.S. 2, Coram. All interested in a proposed bicycle/walking trail from Coram to West Glacier welcome to attend.

• Suicide Support Group, Surviving Our Loss after Suicide, (SOLAS) meets at 7-8:30 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. Call 871-1008.

Tuesday

• Flathead National Forest Advance Avalanche Awareness Program for skiers class, 6:30-9 p.m., Forest Service office, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell. Free. Call 758-5284.

• Life After Loss grief support group for people who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal loss, 6-7:30 p.m., Cornerstone Building, 3004 Hospital Way, North Valley Hospital, Whitefish. Free. Call Tamarack Grief Resource Center counselor Carrie Thiel, 261-0724; or nurse Denise Cox, 863-3535.

Wednesday

• Glacier Country Pachyderm meets noon to 1 p.m., Red Lion Hotel Kalispell. Speaker is Drew Turian, GOP candidate for Montana governor. Lunch available. Public invited. Call Mark Johnson, 253-7467.

• Free Falun Dafa Qigong easy to learn exercise instruction for all ages at noon today and Jan. 18, Flathead County Library community room, Kalispell. Call Katherine, 257-9798.

• USMC Happy Hour for Marines and Navy who served with Marines, 5-7 p.m., Kalispell VFW, 330 First Ave. W. Cash bar. Spouses welcome. Call 471-3295.

• National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, Support Group meets 7 p.m., Flathead County Library, 247 First Ave. E., Kalispell. Call 862-6357.

Thursday

• Community forum with Facebook, Sen. Jon Tester and other state officials, noon to 1 p.m., Flathead High School auditorium. Question and answer session follows. Public invited.

• Bingo 12:30 p.m. every Thursday, North Valley Senior Center, 205 Nucleus Ave., Columbia Falls. XLL 892-4087.

• Kalispell Public Schools Curriculum Committee meets at 4 p.m., administration offices, 233 First Ave. E.

• Flathead National Forest Advance Avalanche Awareness Program for skiers class, 6:30-9 p.m., Forest Service office, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell. Free. Call 758-5284.

• Flathead Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol meets Thursdays 6:30 to 9 p.m. National Guard Armory, U.S. 93 North, Kalispell. Call Dale Rodwick, 756-3773.

A look ahead

• Kalispell Public Schools Finance Committee meets at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 6, administration offices, 233 First Ave. E.

• Whitefish Winter Carnival Merry Maker dinner and roast, 6 p.m. Jan. 6, Whitefish Moose Lodge. Tickets $15, available at Whitefish Lake Restaurant, Whitefish Credit Union and Whitefish Chamber. Call 862-3501.

• Glacier guitar, bass and drum students of Paul Gonsorchik perform a free concert, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 6, Christian Center’s Activity Center, 255 Summit Ridge Dr., Kalispell. Public welcome.

• Free family snowshoe walks Jan. 7, Winter Trails Day: 10 a.m. to noon, Blacktail Mountain cross-country ski trails, call 837-7500 to reserve snowshoes; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lone Pine State Park, free rentals first come, first serve, call 755-2706; 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Glacier Park, free rentals; 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Condon Work Center. Call 758-5218 for general information on all walks.

• Flathead Audubon field trip, “Winter Wander in the Mission Valley,” Jan. 8. Meet at 8 a.m. at Park ‘n’ Ride at intersection of U.S. 93 and Montana 82 near Somers. Bring binoculars or scope. To sign up, call Leslie Kehoe, evenings, at 837-4467. Free. All welcome.

• AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 9, The Summit, Kalispell. $14 fee ($12 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.

• Kalispell Public Schools Personnel Committee meets at 4 p.m. Jan. 9, administration offices, 233 First Ave. E.

• The Flathead Conservation District meets at 7 p.m., Jan. 9, 133 Interstate Lane, in Evergreen. Call 752-4220.

• Flathead Audubon meets 7 p.m. Jan. 9, The Summit, Kalispell. Tom Nelesen will give a presentation titled, “A Look Back at Glacier Park’s Dude Ranch Days.” Free. All welcome.

• Mosquito Control District board meets 8:30-10 a.m., Jan. 10, Earl Bennett Building, Environmental Health conference room, Kalispell.

• Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce membership luncheon, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jan. 10, North Valley Hospital Community Room, 235 Nucleus Ave. Speaker is Kevin Waldher, vice president finance for Zinc Air. No reservations required. Lunch available for $10. Call Carol Pike, 892-5963..

• Kalispell Public Schools district board meets at 6 p.m., Jan. 10, Kalispell Middle School Media Center.

• Flathead National Forest Advance Avalanche Awareness Program for skiers class, 6:30-9 p.m. Jan. 10, Forest Service office, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell. Free. Call 758-5284.

• Crist Family presents a Southern gospel concert, 7 p.m. Jan. 10, Christian Center, 255 Summit Ridge Dr., Kalispell. Free admission; offering will be taken. All welcome.

• Evergreen School board meets 6:30 p.m., Jan. 11, administration boardroom.

• Flathead Outdoor Club meets 7 p.m., Jan. 11, The Summit, Kalispell. Malinda Shafman talks about her trip to Africa. Coffee and tea served. Everyone welcome. Call Mike Spence, 857-2599.

• Open house and rededication ceremony for Flathead County Courthouse, 3-7 p.m. Jan. 12, Tours to showcase renovated building. Music, refreshments. Official ceremony at 5:30 p.m., third floor.

• Opening reception for Sweat & Steel exhibition featuring painting of Livingston artist C. David Swanson, 5-7 p.m. Jan. 12, Hockaday Museum of Art, 302 Second Ave. E., Kalispell. Free. Public invited. Local historian Kevin McCready gives a talk at 4 p.m. ($10 for nonmembers). Call 755-4268.

• Flathead National Forest Advance Avalanche Awareness Program for skiers class, 6:30-9 p.m. Jan. 12, Forest Service office, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell. Free. Call 758-5284.

• Flathead Valley Sjogren’s Support Group luncheon/meeting, 11:45 a.m., Jan. 13, Wheat Montana, 405 Main St., Kalispell. No reservations needed. Call Tedi Marie, 849-5537; or Jo, 883-5401.

• Frontier Hospice offers a free advanced directive workshop, 10-11 a.m. Jan. 14, 29 Second St. E., Kalispell Social worker Dawn Lyga presents and answers questions. Call 755-4923.

• Columbia Falls Community Choir begins practice for 2012 concert season, 2-4 p.m. Jan. 15, Columbia Falls Junior High School. Sign-in and music pick up 1:30-2 p.m. Call Ron Bond, 8925-5174.

• AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 16, Troy United Methodist Church. $14 fee ($12 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 406-293-0100.

• Flathead County Republican Women meet at noon, Jan. 16, Red Lion Hotel, Kalispell. Speaker is Sandy Welch, candidate for state superintendent of schools. Public welcome. Call Caroline Solomon, 837-4525.

• Artists and Craftsmen of the Flathead meets at 7 p.m. Jan. 19, basement of the Eagles, 37 First St. W., Kalispell. Guests welcome. Call 406-881-4288 (leave a message).

• Columbia Falls Library Association book sale, noon to 5 p.m. Jan. 20, Discovery Square, Main Street, Columbia Falls. Fiction, nonfiction, old and new book. Proceeds benefit Columbia Falls Library.

• AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 21, The Summit, Kalispell. $14 fee ($12 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.

• Wildlife researcher Brian Baxter teaches an animal tracking and sign interpretation workshop, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 21, Lone Pine State Park, Kalispell. Cost $15; $10 if registered by Jan. 15. Preregistration required. Call 755-2706.

• AARP Driver Safety class, noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 23, North Valley Senior Center, Columbia Falls. $14 fee ($12 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 892-4087.

• Kalispell Public Schools district board work session, 5:30 p.m., Jan. 24, Kalispell Middle School Media Center.

• Great Rockies Sportshow, Jan. 27-29, Kalispell.

• AARP Driver Safety class, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 30, Libby Christian Church. $14 fee ($12 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 406-293-0100.

• 2012 Whitefish Winter Carnival, Feb. 3-5. Theme is “Fiesta Pescado Blanco.”

• Suicide Support Group, Surviving Our Loss after Suicide, (SOLAS) meets at 7-8:30 p.m., Feb. 6, The Summit, Kalispell. Call 871-1008.

• 10th annual Weddings and Events Expo, Feb. 18, Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Food, fashion shows, giveaways.

• Suicide Support Group, Surviving Our Loss after Suicide, (SOLAS) meets at 7-8:30 p.m. March 5, The Summit, Kalispell. Call 871-1008.

• Flathead Suicide Prevention Coalition meets noon to 1 p.m., March 22, Flathead City-County Health Department conference room, 1035 First Ave. W., Kalispell. Call Joan Schmidt, 871-1008.

• Suicide Support Group, Surviving Our Loss after Suicide, (SOLAS) meets at 7-8:30 p.m., April 2, The Summit, Kalispell. Call 871-1008.

• Suicide Support Group, Surviving Our Loss after Suicide, (SOLAS) meets at 7-8:30 p.m., May 7, The Summit, Kalispell. Call 871-1008.

• Flathead Suicide Prevention Coalition meets noon to 1 p.m., June 28, Flathead City-County Health Department conference room, 1035 First Ave. W., Kalispell. Call Joan Schmidt, 871-1008.