The Office of Children’s Services is conducting a resource family orientation on Thursday, May 30, from 6-8 p.m. at the OCS office, 3670 Lake Street in Homer. This orientation is geared for individuals interested in becoming foster parents and resource families for children in the foster care system. There will be application packets and a licensing representative on hand to answer any questions you might have to inquire about or to begin the process of becoming a foster or resource family home. To learn more about how to make a difference in a child’s life and in your community, please join us. For more information, call Tonja Whitney at 907-283-3136.
The Homer Garden Club’s annual plant sale is 11 a.m. to noon June 1 at the Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center. Plants donated by members sell for $1 to $10, with annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, strawberries, roses, trees, shrubs, native plants and house plants. For more information, call Karen Howorth at 235-5253.
A medical fundraiser and benefit for Dan Drake is at 4 p.m. Saturday at Sluice Way near Mile 151.2 Sterling Highway, Anchor Point. Look for “Dan Drake Benefit” signs. There will be live and silent auctions, a barbecue, a dessert auction and music by the 8 Mile Band. In the past year Drake has had a double bypass and aortic valve heart surgery and oral cancer surgery. Drake has lived and worked on the Kenai Peninsula for 45 years. His family said, “You won’t find a more honest, fair and hardworking man than him. He is always willing to lend a hand and never wants anything in return. These are just a few of the many reasons we want to help him out.” To donate auction items or monetary support, call Heidi at 399-6025.
The Kachemak Bay Research Reserve Community Council holds its next meeting from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in Homer. Presentations will be given on climate trends and future model predictions, and KBRR’s involvement in recreational shellfish monitoring. For more information, please contact Stacey Buckelew at 226-4653.
The Kachemak Celtic Club seeks artist and food vendors for its third annual Scottish Highland Games July 6 at Karen Hornaday Park. If interested, call Jewels at 235-2876 or homerart@ak.net. Vendor applications are at kachemakbaycelticclub.com. The deadline is June 20.
The sandhill cranes have arrived. Please report sandhill crane sightings to Kachemak Crane Watch at 235-6262 or reports@cranewatch.org. Kachemak Crane Watch is especially interested in information about nesting pairs for its third year of the nesting ecology study. Please leave names and phone numbers in case more information is needed.
Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic seeks interested community members to serve on its board. This is an opportunity to help preserve access to low- and no-cost reproductive health care and education for men, women and families of the Southern Kenai Peninsula. The KBFPC, now celebrating its 30th year, offers a range of confidential clinical services for men and women such as annual well-woman exams, birth control consultation and supplies, and sexually-transmitted-diseases testing and treatment. The KBFPC also operates the R.E.C Room (Youth Resource & Enrichment Co-op) that provides teens with a safe space to spend time with friends and get connected with other healthy activities and resources available for youth in our community. KBFPC’s Women’s Health Outreach Program reaches medically underserved women by combining door-to-door outreach and public events to provide education and facilitate access to health care options through the Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Check Program.
Community members with experience in event planning, teaching, health care, business, or other board experience are urged to apply. For questions or to send a letter of interest, please contact Morgan Sicilia, board president, at msicilia33@gmail.com.
The Center reminds people dealing with mental health concerns that it offers 24-hour crisis services at 235-7701, walk-in services 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 3948 Ben Walters Lane, 235-0247 (South Peninsula Hospital) or 911 evenings, weekends and holidays, or walk into the hospital ER for an on-call clinician.
Friendship Center
Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday with extended hours for special situations.
Homer Senior Citizens
Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and their guests and is served 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday. The lunch menu for this week is: today, turkey with mashed potatoes; Friday, catfish with scampi sauce; Monday to Wednesday, to be announced.
Strong Women classes at Homer Senior Citizens Recreation Room are 2-3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Cost is $3 for members and $6 for nonmembers per class.
Tai Chi classes are Thursday at 3 p.m. Cost is $3 for members and $6 for nonmembers per class. For more information, call Daniel at 235-7655.
Kachemak Bay Campus
The deadline to register for a painting workshop with Asia Freeman is May 31 The class will be from 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays June 4-July 9.
June 15-17: Festival of Literary Readings by KBay Writers’ Conference presenting writers and poets is open to the public. For the evening schedule: http://www.kpc.alaska.edu/kbc.
Registration is now being held for the KBay Writers’ Conference June 14-18 at Land’s End and the two-day post-conference workshop at KBay Wilderness Lodge with writer John Daniel. Registration continues until June 10. For more information: http://writersconference.homer.alaska.edu
Registration for all fall workshops and classes is now being held. Register now, pay later. Call 235-7743 for an advising appointment for earning a degree. See schedule and course listing at http://www.kpc.alaska.edu/KBC/.
Pratt Museum
Summer hours have started and are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. “Encounters: Whales in Our Waters” is on exhibit until July 21.
“Inspired by Place” opens with a reception 5 to 7 p.m. June 7. Guest curator Ron Senungetuk selected art from the museum collection inspired by a common theme. “It became clear that many works communicated a sense of place,” he said. The artists relate their works to daily activities like fishing, the environment and beauty of the local landscape. The exhibit runs through December 2013.
Since 1994 the Pratt Museum’s outdoor art exhibit, Facing the Elements, has been displayed along the Forest Trail from mid-June through September. Artists may register at the Pratt’s admission desk, 10 a.m. to 5:45 pm. Registration fee is $10, which is waived for students in grades K-12, but all participating artists must fill out a registration form. Artwork is installed between June 10 and June 12, with an opening reception from 5 to 6 p.m. June 14.
R.E.C. Room
The REC Room (a youth Resource and Enrichment Co-Op) provides teens with a safe space to foster healthy relationships and make healthy choices. Teens 12-18 spend time with friends and access information about the resources, activities and programs available for youth in the community — all with the guidance of a youth development staff member. The REC Room offers guitars, wifi, X-Box Kinect, air hockey, ping pong, board games, darts, rave gloves, movies, computers, art and craft supplies, and a lending library.
Staff are available to help youth connect with local resources for a variety of concerns, such as GED preparation, finding a summer job or homelessness. The REC Room, a program of Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic, is located at 3957 Nielsen Circle. Summer hours are 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friend the REC Room on Facebook at facebook.com/rec.room7 to learn about new summer programs.
Seldovia Village Tribe Health & Wellness Center
The SVT Health & Wellness Center offers a series of classes covering all aspects of wellness every Thursday at 6 p.m. Today’s class is “Get Your Gluten-free Game on for the Summer” with Jenifer Dickson, certified nutritional therapist, with information, suggestions and recipes for eating gluten free. The SVT Health & Wellness Center is located at 880 East End Road. The classes are open to the public. For more information or to suggest topics for future classes, call Amy Rattenbury at 226-2228, ext. 660.
