The American Legion Auxiliary offers Christmas gift wrapping from noon-5 p.m. today through Wednesday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Christmas Eve at Ulmer’s. There is no charge for this service, but donations to support veterans programs are gratefully accepted.
Bear Creek Winery celebrates the season with its Garden of Lights from 5-7 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 60203 Bear Creek Drive. Stroll through a winter wonderland and warm up at the winery firepit with a cup of hot cocoa.
St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 619 Sterling Highway, holds a Labyrinth Meditation walk at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Please bring a flashlight and wear warm clothing and boots. Following the walk at about 5 p.m. is a sung Compline service.
The Homer Public Library presents “Aging to Perfection,” a series of conversations celebrating the challenges of living a long life and loving it. The next conversation is 3:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday in the library meeting room. Topics discussed include “When are we old?”, “What’s good about getting there?,” “What are our fears?”, “What inevitably does change?”, “Cultures and Aging” and “Leaving a Legacy.”
Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, holds a Town Hall Open House from 4-6 p.m. today at the Homer Legislative Information Office, 270 W. Pioneer Ave. Stevens also speaks at the noon meeting today of the Kachemak Bay Rotary Club at the Best Western Bidarka. Appointments can be made with Stevens by calling Teri Robl at 235-0690.
Dave Erikson teaches a Winter Bird Identification Class from 6-7 p.m. today in the Seminar Room at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Learn more about the birds wintering over in Homer, brush up on identification skills and get ready for the Christmas Bird Count on Saturday. This class would also be appropriate for beginning birders or newcomers from other places who want to learn about our resident winter birds. The class is free and everyone is welcome to attend; it’s cosponsored by the Kachemak Bay Birders and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. For more information, call Dave Erikson at 235-3487 or Lani Raymond at 399-9477.
Suburban Propane has several locations in Alaska where residents in the community can stop by to drop off donations for Toys for Tots through Friday. In Homer, donations can be dropped off at 60970 East End Road. For more information, visit http://toysfortots.org and http://suburbanpropane.com/.
Kachemak Bay State Parks is currently recruiting for membership on the Kachemak Bay State Parks Advisory Board. This advisory board provides Alaska State Parks with recommendations and input on the management of Kachemak Bay State Park, Eveline State Recreation Site and Diamond Creek State Recreation Area. Board members meet the second Wednesday of the month, September through May, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.. If you are interested in applying for this advisory board, please fill out an application at dnr.alaska.gov/parks/misc/boards.htm under State Park Advisory Boards. Please mail or email applications to the South District Office at P.O. Box 3248, Homer AK, 99603. Applications are due by Dec. 31. For more information, contact South District Ranger Jason Okuly at 435-7595 or email jason.okuly@alaska.gov.
The 2016 Homer Winter Carnival and Homer Events seeks people to participate in the Outhouse Races and the Mr. Homer Pageant. The Outhouse Race is a great way for any family, group, business or organization to have some laughs as a team. The entry fee is $100 which goes to defraying costs involved, with any extra given to a local charity. The Mr. Homer Pageant is open to men and women. People can nominate any amazing personalities to enter by submitting a paragraph or two explaining why that person is qualified to represent Homer as an “exemplary example of extraordinary-ness.” The entry fee is $25. The carnival also seeks businesses or organizations to sponsor events. To register for either event, or to sign up as a sponsor, s go to Homer Events on Facebook or call Dax Radtke of Homer Events at 299-0319.
Anchor Point Senior Citizens
The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Road is open for winter hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-noon Friday. The center serves Thursday night dinners starting at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Bingo is at 6 p.m. with play starting at 7 p.m. on Friday nights. The Helping Hands Thrift Store is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Exercise sessions are at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Senior Center is closed from Dec. 21-Jan. 1 and reopens on Jan. 4. For more information, call the senior center at 235-7786.
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. Call 235-4556.
Homer Senior Citizens
Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served noon-1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The lunch menu for this week is: today, baked ham with scalloped potatoes; Friday, battered cod; Monday, beef stroganoff; Tuesday, chicken piccatta; Wednesday, seafood enchiladas; next Thursday, pulled pork.
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 for members, $6 for nonmembers.
Duplicate Bridge meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Tai chi classes are Thursdays at 3 p.m. The cost per class is $3 for members and $6 for nonmembers. Call Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.
Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday in the senior center conference room. Call Jacquie Thaute at 299-2924 or Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.
Kachemak Advocates
of Recycling (KARe)
Here are some tips about recycling plastic. Plastic can be recycled at the Homer Transfer Center on Baycrest Hill, also known as “the dump.”
• Plastic is not all made with the same components and so it needs to be separated for recycling. At the dump there are areas for no. 1 and no. 2 plastic containers. Check the number.
• PETE (the numeral 1 inside a triangle) is used for soda, juice, water, fruit, and others. It often has a dimple on the bottom and usually, but not always, is clear plastic.
• HDPE (the numeral 2 inside a triangle) is used for milk, cat litter, detergent, soap and other items and often has a seam on the bottom.
• Lids can be left on. Containers need not be sparkling clean, just rinsed out.
• Empty car oil containers and empty antifreeze bottles may be recycled if they are no. 1 or no. 2.
• Some containers, like most yogurt, cottage cheese, etc., cannot be recycled because they are not no. 1 or no. 2 — so check the symbol
• No. 5 plastic and Styrofoam cannot be recycled at the dump.
• Bags and stretchy wrap can be recycled if it’s flexible. The test is “Can you pull on it and have it stretch or change shape?” Recyclable plastic sually does not make a crinkly noise when crumpled or squeezed — recycle quiet plastic only. The material doesn’t have to be perfectly clean, just no bags with food in them.
• This category would include many items such as grocery and shopping bags; newspaper sleeves; stretch wrap; baggies and other plastic bags; plastic wrap that covered fruit, vegetables or meat; dry cleaner bags; bags that new clothing comes in; some plastic pet food bags; some potting soil bags. If it will stretch or change shape you can recycle it.
For more information, call Borough Solid Waste at 907-262-9667.
Kachemak Bay Campus
Registration for winter and spring classes has now begun for community education, job training, recreation or degrees. Classes include Beginning Spanish, Drawing, Creative Writing, Ceramic, Woodworking, Political Science, Business, Yoga, Tai Chi and more. Sign-up now; pay later.
Check out KBC opportunities at www.kpc.alaska.edu/academics/schedule/?text=&subject=&location=R&semester=201601.
Interested in a degree or training programs for jobs like certified nursing assistant? Make an appointment soon with an advisor at 235-7743. For GED, ESL and ABE classes, call 235-7743.
KBC will be closed Dec. 24-Jan. 4.
Pratt Museum
Winter gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday through December. Admission is free through December. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
South Peninsula Hospital
South Peninsula Hospital is accepting applications for a seat on the board of directors. Experience in health care, finance, leadership or community service is helpful. To apply, call 235-0325 or visit sphosp.org and click on “about SPH” for more information.
