A Kachemak Bay Birders’ road trip up to the Captain Cook Recreation Area (north of Nikiski) will be Saturday, June 23. Meet at the Stormy Lake boat ramp parking area up there at 10 a.m. or at Islands and Ocean Visitor Center parking lot to car pool at 7 a.m.
George Matz will lead this trip and if you’d like more information or a map of the area, please contact him at geomatz41@gmail.com or 235-9344. He would also like to know if you intend to make this trip. He suggests bringing a scope if you have one and also be prepared for some mosquitoes.
All Kachemak Bay Birders’ trips are cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. All trips are free and everyone is welcome to attend.
There will be a Solstice Poetry Reading with Erin Coughlin Hollowell, Peggy Shumaker and James Englehardt tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Homer Public Library. Homer’s own Erin Coughlin Hollowell will read from her second poetry collection “Every Atom,” which explores the ways her mother’s memory loss changes not only how mother and daughter relate to each other, but how they relate to the past.
Peggy Shumaker, a well-known teacher and poet, will present her new collection “Cairn: New and Selected.” This is her eighth book of poetry, and it spans 40 years of poetry informed by the Sonoran desert where she grew up and the subarctic desert of Interior Alaska where she now lives.
James Englehardt lived for five years in Fairbanks and his collection “Bone Willow” depicts his experiences of life in the Far North, and how living close to the Article Circle transformed his understanding of the world.
The Eighth Annual Kachemak Bay Scottish Highland Games will be on Saturday, July 7 at Karen Hornaday Park. Organizers are looking for vendors, merchants, athletes, sponsors and volunteers. For more information, check out the Kachemak Bay Scottish Club website at www.kachemakbayscottishclub.org.
Central Peninsula Landfill and Transfer Facilities and Sites are open on Sundays. All facilities will be open seven days per week. For more information, call the Kenai Peninsula Borough Solid Waste Department at 907-262-9667.
Kachemak Crane Watch asks that residents report crane sightings. Sandhill Crane colts will be hatching in the next few weeks. These colts are small and very susceptible to predation by dogs and cats. If you see crane colts, please keep your pets under control.
Report observations of Sandhill Cranes colts to Kachemak Crane Watch at reports@cranewatch.org or by calling 235-6262.
Include date, time, location, number of colts, and your contact information so Crane Watch members can call for more information.
Anchor Point Senior Citizens
The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Road is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Friday. The center serves Thursday night dinners starting at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
Bingo is at 6:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. on Friday nights. The Helping Hands Thrift Store is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Exercise sessions are at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. For information, call 235-7786.
Friendship Center
Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday with extended hours for special situations. Programs are offered daily, including story time, crafts and musical performances. Call 235-4556.
Homer Senior Citizens
The Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday in the senior center conference room. Call Pam Hooker at 299-7198 or Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.
Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served noon-1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The menu for this week is: Thursday, turkey; Friday, shrimp; Monday, stuffed shells with meat; Tuesday, teriyaki chicken; Wednesday, spaghetti with Italian sausage; and next Thursday, walnut crusted pork.
Strong Women classes are 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Homer Senior Center. Zumba Gold classes with Maria are 11 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Homer Senior Center.
Tai chi classes are Thursdays at 3 p.m. Duplicate Bridge meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Call Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.
Duplicate Bridge is $3 for members and $5 for non-members. Strong Women, Zumba and Tai Chi are $5 for members and $7 for non-members.
Pratt Museum
Galleries are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Ongoing activities: Fish Feedings have resumed from 4-5 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays in the Marine Gallery. Fish Feeding is fun and all are welcome.
Kachemak Bay Campus
Registration is open for special July art workshops: “Crash Course in Oils” with David Pettibone for $85, July 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and “Mug Making” with David Kaufmann, for $125, July 21, 22 and 28. Information and advanced registration at www.kbcnoncredit.asapconnected.com. Call 235-7743.
Registration for all fall credit courses is now open at https://www.kpc.alaska.edu/academics/schedule/
Sign-up now, pay later. Degree-seeking students: Call 235-7743 for an advising appointment for fall classes.
South Peninsula Hospital
The next Safe Sitter course is scheduled for June 28-29 at South Peninsula Hospital from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on both days. Designed to prepare students in grades 6-8 to be safe when they’re home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting, this instructor-led class is filled with fun games and role-playing exercises. Students even get to use manikins to practice rescue skills like choking rescue and CPR. Students must attend both days to complete the program. The program free is $50. Please contact 907-235-0970 or wellness@sphosp.org to register.
Join South Peninsula Hospital and Jill Rife, Adult Nurse Practitioner from Homer Medical Center at SPARC (600 Sterling Hwy next to Homer Middle School) for our next “Walk with a Doc.” All are welcome Saturday, July 7 from 9-10 a.m. for Jill’s brief talk on shingles and the new shingles vaccine, Shingrix. Spend the rest of the hour walking at your own pace, chatting and asking any questions. This is a free event, open to all ages and abilities. There is parking up at the SPARC and down below in the Homer Middle School Parking lot. There will be free blood pressure screenings, prizes, and refreshments. Please bring clean indoor walking shoes.
Email wellness@sphosp.org, or call the Health & Wellness Department at (907) 235-0970 with questions or for more information.