Sandhill crane colts are starting to fly. Please report sightings of fledged colts to Kachemak Crane Watch. Include location, date, time and number of colts when first seen to reports@cranewatch.org or 235-6262.
The VA Volunteer Services of the Kenai Peninsula invites all veterans and their immediate families to the seventh annual Southern Kenai Veterans Free Picnic from noon-4 p.m. Saturday at the American Legion Post 16, Mile 2.5 East End Road. The picnic includes a barbecue, door prizes, children’s games and music from Hillary Arwen and the 8-Mile Band. Representatives from the VA Medical Clinic in Kenai and American Legion service officer Craig Forrest will be there to answer questions. Bring your VA card or DD214 and sign up for VA services. All veterans are welcome; you do not need to be a member of a veterans organization to attend. For more information, call Post 16 at 235-8864 or Darlene at 235-6789.
The Kachemak Bay Birders meet at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. For information, contact Lani Raymond at lani67@alaska.net or 399-9477.
Maria Valle, a visiting World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms worker, presents “An Icelandic farm: producing food in an organic sustainable way” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Homer United Methodist Church. Valle manages a farm in Iceland. In her talk she will discuss the similarities and difference between Homer and Iceland, how Iceland’s geothermal energy works in agriculture, how Icelandic farms produce food oil and the Icelandic beef and dairy industry.
The Contra and Square dance season kicks off on Wednesday, Aug. 27, when guest fiddler Cedar Stanistreet of the Boston based band Nor’easter joins Homer’s own China Pooters for a night of live music. Local callers Laura Patty, Rich Kleinleder and David Stutzer will teach and call the dances. Beginners are welcome; the cost is $7 at the door with youth under 16 free. The dance starts at 7:30 p.m. at West Homer Elementary School and is sponsored by Homer Community Recreation.
Cooperative Extension Service
It’s summer and the garden is looking great, except what is eating holes in the leaves of flowers and vegetables alike? Those slime trails will lead to the answer — slugs. It is the season to start looking for and removing these hungry molluscs from gardens before they lay eggs for next year’s crop. Learn more about slugs in a free publication from the Cooperative Extension Service. For more information, call 907-262-5824 or visit the Cooperative Extension Service from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road.
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 beef; Friday, grilled sockeye salmon; Monday, turkey meatloaf; Tuesday, chicken pot pie; Wednesday, sloppy Joes.
Strong Women classes are 1-2 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
Kachemak Bay Campus fall semester registration is open for the general public and those seeking a degree. Sign up now and pay later. Many classes begin the week of Aug. 25. For a schedule, visit kpc.alaska.edu/KBC/searchableschedule. Call 235-7743 for information.
Award-winning poet Carolyn Forche does a reading at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 4 for the KBC Visiting Writers Series.
Pratt Museum
The museum galleries are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Karen Evanoff, cultural anthropologist at Lake Clark National Park, and a Dena’ina tribal member of Nondalton, will discuss Dena’ina subsistence, fish camp and traditional knowledge from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 29 downstairs in the Stewardship Gallery.
A closing reception for “Dena’ina q’ Huch’ulyeshi, the Dena’ina Way of Living,” follows Evanoff’s talk. The reception is in the southwest parking lot, with music by Yada Di — musicians Yngvil Vatn Guttu, Lena Lukina and Allison Warden (AKU-MATU). The exhibit closes Sept. 1.
Artist Jo Going’s exhibit, “Reliquary,” is on view through Sept. 21.
South Peninsula Hospital
South Peninsula Hospital offers an American Heart Association First Aid Class from 1-5 p.m. Sept. 12. The course is $50 and preregistration is required via the SPH Education Department at 235-0258.
SVT Health & Wellness
SVT Health & Wellness offers a series of classes covering all aspects of wellness every Thursday at 6 p.m. Today’s class is “Handmade Products, Part 2,” with Melody Barrett, licensed massage therapist. A $5 donation covers materials. For more information, call 226-2228 ext. 660.
