Weekend update

Veterans open house

The Kalispell Vet Center welcomes all veterans, service members, their families and the public to its eighth annual holiday open house from noon to 3 p.m. today. The center is located at 690 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell.

Say farewell to Dr. Jeffrey Heider, and learn more about the center’s counseling program and all the services, events and activities it offers.

For further information, contact the Kalispell Vet Center at 406-257-7308. The Kalispell Vet Center serves Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders counties.

Wreaths Across America

Kalispell Civil Air Patrol Squadron 53, together with the United Veterans of Flathead Valley, conduct their annual Wreaths Across America ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday at Depot Park in Kalispell. Guest speaker will be John Hendricks of KGEZ Radio.

The Flathead Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol will lay wreaths Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. at Glacier Memorial Gardens in Kalispell. From there the squadron will go to C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery in Kalispell and Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls. More than 1,200 wreaths will be laid. The public is welcome to assist.

Veterans Home wreath ceremony

The annual Wreaths Across America celebration at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday, starting inside the Montana Veterans Home where ceremonial wreaths recognizing the six branches of the military and POW/MIAs will be placed. Guest speaker Air Force Col. Beverly Schneider will speak about the role of women in the military. The Columbia Falls High School Choir will perform. A reception for the Veterans Home residents and attendees will take place after the ceremony.

Afterward, the public is invited to drive to the Montana Veterans Home Cemetery to help place wreaths on veterans’ graves at 10:45 a.m.

Winter survival talk

Montana State Parks hosts an interpretive talk on Winter Survival Basics from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Lone Pine State Park near Kalispell

Learn the signs of hypothermia, how to build a proper snow cave, keep a fire going or navigate through a blizzard.

Be prepared to play in the snow. Registration is required through Lone Pine’s Facebook page or on Eventbrite. The program is free for 12 and under, and $6 for 13 and older.

For more information call the park visitor center at 755-2706, ext. 2.

Pancakes with Santa

The Smith Valley Fire Auxiliary and Fire District invites the public to its annual holiday pancake breakfast with Santa from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday.

Meet the Smith Valley Fire and EMS responders and take a tour of the facilities and equipment.

The station is located at 3496 U.S. 2 W., in Kalispell.

Plant-Wise potluck

Plant-Wise Flathead has its annual Christmas potluck from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday in the Fellowship Room of Northridge Lutheran Church, 323 Northridge Drive, Kalispell.

Share nutritious plant foods. After the meal, Bronte Grooms, a local nutritionist and dietitian, will talk about “Foods that Crosstalk with our DNA.” Diana Blend will demonstrate her favorite raw holiday desert, pecan-ginger slices. A vegan bake sale will conclude the event.

Bring a plant-based dish to share and the recipe if possible. (No meat, dairy, eggs, fish or alcohol.)

To RSVP, sign up at https://www.meetup.com/Kalispell-Plant-Wise-Flathead-Meetup or call Diana Blend, 406-253-0498.

Caroling party

Somers Company Town Museum hosts a caroling party at 6:30 p.m. today at the museum in Somers, near the Rails to Trails of Northwest Montana trailhead in Somers, across from the Post Office. Enjoy Christmas cookies and hot chocolate and a child’s craft. Santa will be there to sing along with everyone. The party is free and open to the public.