Community briefs

Talk focuses on sandhill cranes

West Valley Naturalists have resumed monthly presentations at West Valley School, located at 2290 Farm to Market Road, in Kalispell.

On Wednesday, Sept. 28, Laura Katzman, land protection specialist with Flathead Land Trust, will talk about the hundreds of sandhill cranes, which stop in the valley each fall to refuel at a staging area in the West Valley on their migration. Flathead Land Trust helped conserve a portion of this staging area in 2018. These impressive birds depend on wetlands and agricultural lands as they travel from their breeding to their wintering grounds.

The program begins at 7 p.m. in the Middle School Commons area. Guides will help you find your way. For more information, email lindardekort@gmail.com.

Fall bazaar Oct. 1

Bigfork Community United Methodist Church Bazaar has its annual fall bazaar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 1.

Purchase beautifully wrapped homemade jams, jellies and baked goods, plus frozen homemade fruit pies ready for the holiday dinner table.

Shop for unique gifts of jewelry, wood and leather products, pottery, baby goods, crafts and more. Vendors will also be on site.

A Sloppy Joe lunch will be available.

The church is located at 750 Electric Ave., Bigfork

Free meals in October

Community Kitchen-Feeding the Flathead offers the following free meals in Kalispell during October. All meals are served at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted and everyone is welcome.

Central Christian Church, 248 Second Ave. E. — Oct. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 15, 17, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 3013, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30

Calvary Lutheran Church, 2200 U.S. 2 E. — Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28

Samaritan House Auxiliary Center, 1110 Second St. W. — Oct. 12, 16, 19

Presenation focuses on vikings

The public is invited to attend the Sons of Norway meeting at the Northwest Montana History Museum in Kalispell at 1 p.m. Oct. 1 for Tim Christenson’s fun and factual presentation titled “Bet on the Vikings!” about the year 1066.

In that era King Edward the Confessor was dead, and it was a three-way battle royal for England’s throne. Harold of England was Edward’s brother-in-law, and he grabbed the throne for himself. But Harald of Norway held that Edward promised him the throne, so he sailed south with a big fleet and army to stake his claim.

Meanwhile, over on the French coast, William, the Duke of Normandy and Edward’s cousin, claimed Edward promised him the throne, and he was waiting for a fair wind so he could sail to England and take it.

Despite their bitter rivalry, all three of these claimants are Viking royals leading Viking armies.

Sons of Norway Golden member Francie Patton will also be honored at the meeting.

Quilt and Craft Market

The Mountain Brook Craft Cooperative will hold its 12th Quilt and Craft Market in the Mountain View Mennonite Church on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The market will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 pm Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

This year’s market will include hand-and machine-quilted quilts and wall hangings, fine art, book fold art, jewelry, knitted and crocheted accessories, bags and totes, holiday and home décor, handmade soaps and candles, classic needlework, children’s quilts and accessories and felted wool and fiber items. The Market will feature themed areas including Patriotic/Fourth of July, Fall/Thanksgiving and Christmas. The pantry will feature crafts for the kitchen, as well as baked goods and sweet treats.

The Mountain Brook Craft Cooperative was formed more than 12 years ago by a group of quilters and crafters living in the Mountain Brook area near Creston. Every item sold in the market is carefully crafted by hand by members and features mostly made-in-Montana items.

The Mountain View Mennonite Church is located at 795 Mennonite Church Road, off Montana 35 in Creston.

Rotary book sale

Bigfork Rotary is hosting a book sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 1 at The Ark, future home of ImagineIF Library Bigfork, behind Bethany Lutheran Church. Members of the community have donated gently used books over the past few weeks to sell as a fundraiser for the new library. Most books will be sold by the inch.