The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies holds activities at its headquarters on early school release days. From 1:30-3:30 p.m. Nov. 26, the program will be “Birdfeeders and Garlands.” Participants will create natural garlands and feeders for our friends with feathers. For more information, call 235-6667.
Linda Willard and the family of the late Bruce Willard are encouraging donations in his memory to the Alaska Farm Bureau Scholarship Fund. A pioneer rancher and farmer at the head of Kachemak Bay, Bruce Willard served on the Alaska Farm Bureau board of directors and had been an advocate of agriculture. The Alaska Farm Bureau awards $2,000 scholarships to applicants seeking to improve their skill levels to work in an agricultural or natural resource field through college, trade school or vocational training. Donations can be mailed to Alaska Farm Bureau Scholarship Program, Amy Seitz, executive director, 37075 Nicholas View Lane, Soldotna AK 99669.
The 2015 Bearded Ballet Show is Feb. 20 at the Mariner Theatre. Produced by Homer Events, the Bearded Ballet is a comedy/variety evening and competition with celebrity judges. The ballet seeks teams, entries and acts of any size, each representing a local charity or fraternal organization, to compete. The funniest team will win a $1,000 donation to add to what their charity raises in connected fundraisers before and during the event. Nonprofit organizations are invited to hold a silent auction booth or table in the high school commons before the show. Register nonprofit groups by posting email on Facebook at “Homer Bearded Ballet,” emailing homerevents@gmail.com or calling Dax Radtke at 299-0319.
Friendship Center
Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday with extended hours for special situations. Programs are offered daily, including story time, crafts and musical performances. For more information, call 235-4556.
Cooperative Extension Service
Alaska has been free of many pests common to warmer climates, but change is inevitable. Cockroaches are becoming a bit more widespread. Learn about pest life cycles, how to avoid introduction, detection and more with a free publication, “Cockroaches,” from the Cooperative Extension Service. Visit today at www.uaf.edu/ces/districts/kenai. Or, stop by the extension office from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday in the Doors and Windows Building, 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Soldotna.
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: Wednesday, Cuban pork; Thursday, closed for Thanksgiving; Friday, ahi tuna; Monday, baked chicken teriyaki; Tuesday, lasagna; next Wednesday, curried chicken; next Thursday, roast pork loin.
Strong Women classes are 1:30-2:30 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 for members and $6 for nonmembers. Call Daniel Weisser at 235-7655.
Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday in the senior center dining room. Call Pam Hooker at 299-7198 or Kathy Hedges at 235-4556.
Kachemak Bay Campus
A student art show with work by students in this semester’s painting class is on exhibit in the commons, Pioneer Hall.
A student recognition reception for Certified Nurse Assistants is at 2 p.m. Dec. 8 at South Peninsula Hospital Long Term Care.
The upcoming Winter/Spring Class and workshop schedule is now online at www.kpc.alaska.edu/KBC/searchable_schedule. Registration for next semester’s classes has started. Stop by the campus to sign-up or register online.
Classes include gourmet cooking/culinary arts, marine technology, bookkeeping, cultures of Africa, polar bears, creative writing, intermediate yoga, 6-pack boat license preparation, pilot ground school, fisheries technology, oil painting, intermediate Tai Chi, ceramics, welding and more. Register now, pay later. Call 235-7743 for advising information for winter/spring semester classes.
Pratt Museum
The museum winter hours are noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; the museum is closed Monday. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The galleries and offices are closed on Thanksgiving.
The People’s Choice Art Exhibit features artwork people voted on to display in the downstairs museum art gallery. Many of these pieces from the Pratt’s permanent collection have not been on exhibit in some time, and this input provided a diverse and refreshing selection of works. Among the most popular selections were Tamara Schmidt’s “Alder Crane,” Annette Bellamy’s “Mending Tools” and Alex Combs’ “Caribou.” The show is up through Dec. 31.
“Women Who Run with the Tides: New Work by 29 Women — 25 years” includes works by women artists who lived and work in the Kachemak Bay area at least 25 years ago. The exhibit was curated by Kim Terpening and Nancy Wise.
The annual Stocking Stuffer Party is 1-4 p.m. Nov. 29. Held the Saturday following Thanksgiving, it includes activities for the whole family, such as graham cracker houses, craft stations and photos in the Homestead Cabin with Santa.
Thanks to individual donors and the city of Homer, the museum offers free admission all December. From 1-3 p.m. Dec. 14 is the Holiday Recital and Quilt Raffle, the Pratt’s annual community recital and raffle drawing for a locally handmade quilt.
South Peninsula Hospital
South Peninsula Hospital offers free help with certified application counselors to anyone wanting to sign up for health insurance made available through the Affordable Care Act. Appointments are available on select Saturdays through February. Appointments are at the hospital and are strongly encouraged to avoid a wait. Additional dates for assistance include Dec. 6, 13; Jan. 10, 24; and Feb. 7, 14. Call 235-8101 to make an appointment.
SVT Health & Wellness
SVT Health & Wellness offers a series of classes covering all aspects of wellness every Thursday at 6 p.m. There is no class Thursday because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The Dec. 4 class is “Homemade Holiday Gifts” with Hillery Daily, naturopathic doctor.
Learn to make healthy, all natural, homemade gifts. Make and go home with whipped body butter, body-face-lip brown sugar scrub, and ginger mint foot and body polish. A donation of $5 for supplies is appreciated. Please call 226-2228, ext. 660, to RSVP. The class is limited to 20 participants.
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace has started. Certified application counselors are available to meet for a one-on-one appointment. Please call 226-2228 to make a free, confidential appointment.
