Community briefs
Kalispell Women’s Connection meets
Kalispell Women’s Connection is holding a springtime tea in Victorian style on Tuesday, May 16 at 11:30 a.m. at 1830 Montana 35, Kalispell.
Cost $10 per person. The featured speaker is Rosainne Taylor, president of Kalispell Senior Citizens, poet and musician.
Reservations are essential by Thursday, May 11. Cancellations are appreciated.
Call Rosainne 257-8098 or Connie 752-5395. Complementary childcare by reservation
one week in advance.
Accepting donations for the Flathead Food Bank
Affiliated with Stonecroft International. For information, visit www.stonecroft.org
Dahlia sale
The Montana Dahlia Society will hold its annual tuber sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 6 at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in the Grandstand Building, next to the Fairgrounds office.
Society members will be on hand to answer dahlia growing questions, including how to grow dahlias in containers.
With a tuber purchase, you will receive a 15% discount card for growing supplies from a local horticulture store.
Come early for the best selection. Many colors and varieties will be available.
For additional information, contact Deann Snell David at 406-314-3155.
Flathead Democrats spring banquet May 6
The Flathead Democrats will hold their spring banquet on Saturday, May 6, at the Red Lion Inn in Kalispell from 5-9 p.m.
The keynote speaker will be Ryan Busse, author of “Gunfight.” Busse is a former firearms executive who helped build one of the world’s most iconic gun companies. Recognizing troubling extremism in the NRA that he believed was radicalizing the nation, in October 2021 he published his memoir, becoming the first insider to tell the story of the firearms industry. Busse is also an environmental advocate and has appeared on CNN, NPR, “The Daily Show,” and before the U.S. Senate.
Emcee for the evening will be Guthrie Quist, with featured music from “Les Misérables” sung by Mike Eldred, who appeared on Broadway in the role of Jean Valjean. He will be accompanied on the keyboard by Flathead musician Ross Bridgeman, thus providing the theme for the event, “To the Barricades,” which Stanley said is intended "to inspire us to prepare for a big election year next year."
"But for the steady efforts of Democrats and moderate Republicans, the extremists in the Republican-controlled Legislature have so far been held back from many of their most noxious efforts to attack our state constitution that protects our rights to privacy and a clean, healthy environment," said Lynn Stanley, chair of the Flathead County Democratic Central Committee. Even so, said Stanley, many bills have been passed attacking personal liberties, as well as families and workers in Montana, at the behest of the wealthiest individuals and corporations.
Tickets are $55 and can be purchased online at the Flathead Democrats website, www.flatheaddemocrats.com. There will be a silent and live auction, plus a raffle.
Hopa Mountain accepting scholarship applications
Hopa Mountain invites rising Montana junior and senior high school students interested in applying to college, universities, or vocational programs to apply to one of two Scholars of Promise college preparation and continued support programs. Hopa Mountain’s Indigenous Scholars of Promise application is open to rising juniors and seniors. Native American or Latino high school students in Montana with a 3.0 GPA and above. The Scholars of Promise application is open to teens in foster care, homeless teens, teens in kinship care and former foster youth in college or a vocational program. Refer to www.hopamountain.org for more information, deadlines, and to download the applications.
Hopa Mountain is a Bozeman-based nonprofit organization that invests in rural and tribal citizen leaders, adults and youth, who are working to improve education, ecological health, and economic development. For more information, please call (406) 586-2455.