LOCAL ROUNDUP: Water sports days planned July 12-15
DREAM Adaptive’s 2016 Summer Water Sports Program is July 12 to 14 at Mike and Julie Thompson’s house on Echo Lake near Bigfork.
Each day, events will be held on the water from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided; bring a potluck side dish for all to share. Also bring all your personal belongings such as swimsuit, towel, sunscreen etc. Anyone with a disability can attend for free and siblings who wish to participate in motorized activities can join for $5 each or $15 maximum for families with multiple siblings.
July 15 will be a day dedicated to veterans and their families. If you know a veteran who would be interested, contact Larry Cannon at the Kalispell Vet Center at 257-7308.
Participants with both programs can experience many activities, including water sit-ski, stand skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, kayaking, tubing, swimming, boating and paddleboarding.
Dream’s Water Sports Program is an opportunity for individuals with disabilities to have fun on the water, as well as people of all ages to discover their capabilities.
DREAM Adaptive Recreation’s Stand-Up Paddleboard Program is for anyone with a physical or cognitive disability, as well as for people confined to wheelchairs. Dates are:
July 22: Somers Bay Boat Dock
Aug. 12: Whitefish City Beach
Aug. 20: Whitefish City Beach
Participants will meet from 10 a.m. to noon. Call 862-1817 or email info@dreamadaptive.org to register.
No applications are needed for these events, although an insurance waiver is required to participate. DREAM will provide several different types of paddleboards as well as life jackets. These events are free and open to anyone with a disability.
Shelter hosts ‘Spay-Ghetti’ benefit dinner
The Mission Valley Animal Shelter is hosting a “Spay-Ghetti” dinner benefit July 21 to raise money for its Community Spay/Neuter Program at the Elks Lodge in Polson.
The benefit kicks off at 5 p.m. with a social hour and bidding on silent auction items. Dinner is at 6 p.m. and winners of the silent auction items will be announced at 7:30 p.m. The dinner includes a free beer or glass of house wine.
“MVAS expects to provide in excess of $35,000 during 2016 to assist with the spay/neuter of dogs and cats in our community,” said Sharon Hawke, shelter vice-president. “During 2015, we helped approximately 500 pet owners with spay/neuter assistance, thereby preventing thousands of animals from being born and euthanized because of pet overpopulation and lack of sufficient homes.”
The animal shelter experiences dramatic increases in requests each year for spay/neuter assistance.
The shelter’s community assistance program requires a moderate co-pay for the spay/neuter of a companion dog or cat and the shelter pays the veterinary bill.
Tickets for the event cost $15 per person (or two for $25) or $8 for children 10 and under. Tickets are available in Polson at the Mission Valley Animal Shelter on North Reservoir Road, Seconds 2 Go Thrift & Gifts next to McDonald’s, the Elks Lodge and Crow’s Nest Gallery. Tickets may also be available at the door, subject to availability.
Mission Valley Animal Shelter is a privately funded animal shelter for dogs and cats. It has been in continuous operation since 1992. The shelter also operates a thrift store, Seconds 2 Go, in Polson to provide funds for its animal shelter operations. For more information, visit the Shelter’s Facebook page at Mission Valley Animal Shelter.