The Kenai River Brown Bears, Junior A Hockey Team, holds an exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Kevin Bell Arena as a benefit for the Homer Food Pantry. From 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Jan. 25 is a free public skate with the Kenai River Brown Bears at the Kevin Bell Arena. Admission to each event is a donation of two nonperishable food items or monetary meal donation. Rental skates are available for loan.
The fifth annual Christian Sportsman’s Banquet, sponsored by Greatland Worship Center, Anchor Point, is at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Chapman School Gym. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The event includes a wild game potluck and Sportsman’s Warehouse Wall of Guns raffle. Special guest speaker Randy McPherson of Matthews Bows does a presentation. All are welcome. Free admission. Raffle tickets are $10 and proceeds benefit the Anchor Point Food Bank and Centershot Youth Archery program. For more information, contact Rick at 299-4750.
The Kachemak Bay Birders meet at 4:30 p.m. Monday in the auditorium at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Following the meeting there will be a presentation by Erick Paulsrud, “The Island of the Little Adventure.” Erick, a high school senior, did a least auklet nesting-box project last year on St. George Island as a volunteer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He included children and adults from the village to assemble the boxes and place them in the appropriate nesting areas. Erick also will share his breathtaking photos of the area, including the huge rookeries. There is no charge and everyone is welcome; cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.
The District 30 Democrats meet at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Homer Real Estate Office, 1529 Ocean Drive. For more information, call Liz Diament at 914-588-0332.
The Homer Winter Carnival Committee is seeking volunteers for a variety of jobs. It also is seeking more Mr. Homer contestants. The winter carnival is Feb. 6-9. For more information, call Terry Reed, volunteer coordinator, at 235-6699.
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources is revising its Kachemak Bay State Park and Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park Management Plan. The public is encouraged to complete the Recreational, Use, Facilities and Access Questionnaire to help the planning team get a feel for how the park is being used. The deadline for submitting the questionnaire is Jan. 31. To view the existing park plan, fill out the questionnaire and learn more about the process, visit dnr.alaska.gov/parks/plans/kbay/kbayplan.htm.
The Homer Foundation announces that application forms for the 2014 City of Homer Grants Program are now available. The grants program is funded through an annual allocation from the city of Homer in addition to the earnings from the city of Homer Fund and the Kachemak City Fund at the Homer Foundation. The intent of the City of Homer Grants Program is to support locally based non-profit organizations that provide services within the city of Homer. The applicants must be IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations, in existence in Homer a minimum of three years, with their primary facility and core programs, activities and services offered within the Homer city limits. The organization must be administered locally with a local policy-making board of directors. The organization may have no other financial or in-kind support from the city of Homer. The funding is for general operating support. This is a competitive grants process. Application forms are available online at www.homerfund.org or from the Homer Foundation office. For more information, contact Joy at 235-0541.
South Peninsula Haven House seeks nominations for its eighth annual Women of Distinction awards. Nominations are sought for the categories of woman of distinction, young woman of distinction and elder woman of distinction. To nominate, contact Haven House at 235-7712 or visit its offices at 3776 Lake St. The deadline is Feb. 10. The Women of Distinction awards celebration is at 5:30 p.m. March 21.
The public is invited to the kick-off for Relay for Life of Homer 2014 from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at K-Bay Caffe on Pioneer Avenue. This free event is a chance to learn about Relay, sign up your team, register for the event and connect with others in the battle against cancer. No commitment is required to attend this fun, informational gathering. Door prizes and tasty treats will be provided. For more information, contact Michelle Geagel at 399-1359 or Michelle Drake at 399-5262 or visit relayforlifeofhomer.org.
Cooperative Extension Service
It’s a New Year and houseplants are hoping for some help surviving the long dark winter. The Cooperative Extension Service has a free publication, “Air Layering to renew indoor plants,” a good guide for your leggy tropical plants. If you suspect your houseplants are suffering from pests, check out “Houseplant Pests and Control,” with identification guides and ideas for control. Your local Cooperative Extension Service is your year round resource for a variety of topics. Visit it at www.uaf.edu/ces/districts/kenai/ to find these publications and more, or stop by in person at the Doors and Windows Building, 43961 Kalifornksy Beach Road, Soldotna, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Friendship Center
Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday with extended hours for special situations. Special programs are offered daily, including story time, crafts and musical performances. For more information, call 235-4556.
Homer Senior Citizens
Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday. The lunch menu for this week is: today, roast pork tenderloin; Friday, battered cod; Monday, turkey meatloaf; Tuesday, chicken pot pie; Wednesday, baked pork chops.
Strong Women classes are 2-3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Homer Senior Center. The cost is $3 for members and $6 for nonmembers per class.
Zumba Gold classes with Maria are 11 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Homer Senior Center. The cost per class is $4 members, $6 nonmembers.
Tai Chi classes are Thursday at 3 p.m. The cost per class is $3 members and $6 nonmembers. Call Daniel at 235-7655.
Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. every other Thursday in the senior center dining room. For this week, Seldovia Village Tribe presents “Programs available for Elder Care.” Call Pam Hooker at 299-7198 or Mary Jo Gates at 235-7655.
The AARP Foundation offers free tax assistance and preparation for taxpayers with low to moderate income through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. Tax assistance is offered 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays by appointment only at the Homer Senior Center. For an appointment, call 235-7655. Individuals also can visit www.aarp.org/findtaxhelp or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669).
Kachemak Bay Campus
The winter/spring semester has started. Registration is now going on for the upcoming five-week classes: Scuba Diving, Yoga, Bears of the Kenai Peninsula and Film Studies. Register as soon as possible as space may be limited. Call 234-7743 for more information. At 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31 is a public reading and book signing by Anchorage writer Sherry Simpson featuring her new book, “Dominion of Bears.” From Feb. 21 to 23, visiting poet Sean Hill holds a poetry workshop. Registration is now open. He also does a public reading on Feb. 22.
Pratt Museum
The museum galleries are closed all of the month of January. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
R.E.C. Room
The REC Room (a Youth Resource and Enrichment Co-Op) offers activities for the 2013-2014 School Year. Free programs include instruction on software installation and customization, digital music production, fresh and organic cooking, gardening and slam poetry. The REC Room provides teens ages 12-18 with a safe space to hang out after school and connect with positive resources, activities and programs available in our community. It offers computers and Wi-Fi for homework, guitars, XBox Kinect, games, darts, rave gloves, movies, art supplies and more.
A program of Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic, the REC Room is always staffed by a program manager. Homer Middle School students can now ride Bus 65 for drop off at the REC Room. Call for details. Hours are 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3957 Nielsen Circle, off Ben Walters Lane. For more information, call 235-6736, e-mail recroom@kbfpc.org or visit facebook.com/rec.room7 or HomerRECroom.org.
Seldovia Village Tribe Health & Wellness Center
The SVT Health & Wellness Center offers wellness classes every Thursday at 6 p.m. Today’s class is “Kick Those Sugar Blues, Part 1,” with Hilery Daily, naturopathic doctor, and Amy Rattenbury, licensed acupuncturist. For more information, call Amy Rattenbury at 226-2228, ext. 660.
