Sandhill crane eggs have started to hatch. Please report any observations of sandhill crane colts (chicks) to Kachemak Crane Watch at 235-6262 or reports@cranewatch.org. 

The Kenai Peninsula Orchestra holds a Garden Party fundraiser and Summer Music Festival starting at 2:30 p.m. July 28 at the former Fritz Creek Gardens, Mile 8.5 East End Road. Hors d’oeuvres and champagne will be served, with music by The Areté Trio. Tickets are $30 and available at the Homer Bookstore and River City Books, Soldotna. Door prizes will be drawn throughout the afternoon. Attire will be Alaska elegant; this is an opportunity for ladies to wear their hats. For more information, contact Mary at 252-4236 in Soldotna or Linda at 235-8650 in Homer.

The Homer High School class of 1988 holds its 25th alumni reunion July 19-20. The reunion starts with a meet-and-greet at AJ’s Old Town Steakhouse at 7 p.m. July 19. A family picnic and pig roast is noon-4 p.m. July 20 at Karen Hornaday Park. For more information, call Lara at 299-6688 or Marta at 206-372-2459.

The Green Dot program seeks people to submit ideas for a Green Dot Alaska poster to be used in statewide training materials. The Green Dot program gets its name from the idea that “if one act of personal violence is a red dot, what would it take to prevent that violent act and change the dot to green?” Green Dot violence prevention strategies encourage individuals to intervene and makes choices for a safer community. Designs should include the words “Green Dot Alaska” and a visual graphic which captures the spirit of Alaska and the message of Green Dot. Submit ideas electronically in PDF format to: Dorothy Edwards, edwards@livethegreendot.com (put “Alaska poster” in subject line), or submit a “paper copy” of your idea by mail to: Dorothy Edwards, 7505 Oriole Ave., Springfield, VA 22150. For more information about Green Dot, visit www.livethegreendot.com.

The Kachemak Bay Birders hold a birding outing Saturday along the North Fork Road and the Anchor River. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center to carpool or at the bridge over the South Fork of the river at 8 a.m., the end of the road closest to Homer on the North Fork Road off the Sterling Highway. Birders will walk and drive in the area looking for warblers, flycatchers and other birds. Lori Paulsrud and Michael Craig lead the trip. There is no charge and everyone is welcome. Bring binoculars and field guide if you have one. Expect mosquitoes.

Former Homer residents Dr. Erin Cline and Dr. Kelly Cline present lectures this summer on their visit to Homer. Erin Cline will present “Guanyin, Giver of Sons and Mother of Daoist Goddesses” at 7 pm. July 23 in the Homer United Methodist Church Sun Room. Erin Cline is assistant professor of theology at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where she specializes in Chinese and comparative philosophy and religion. Dr. Kelly Cline presents “Discovering the Higgs Boson” at 7 p.m. July 30, also in the Methodist Church Sun Room. Kelly Cline is associate professor at Carroll College in Helena, Mont., where he teaches in the areas of physics, astronomy and math.

The Cottonwood Horse Show is at 10 a.m. July 20 at Cottonwood Horse Park. English and Western classes will be judged by Beth Austin from Fairbanks. Go to www.kbayequestrian.org for more details and entry forms.

Cook Inletkeeper holds its 16th annual Splash Bash with live music by Burnt Down House, food and drink from 6-8 p.m. July 17 at Bishop’s Beach picnic pavilion. The event celebrates the community’s dedication to clean water and healthy salmon. For more information, call Rachel at 235-4068, ext. 29, or visit www.inletkeeper.org.

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-Friday. 

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.

The Caregiver Support Group meets from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Homer Senior Center Friendship Terrace on these dates and about these subjects: today, to be announced; July 25, “Alzheimer’s,” with Lisa Wawrlorek; Aug. 8, “Questions and Answers on Dementia,” with Dr. Eneboe; Aug. 22, “Memory Book,” with Amy Lower, speech therapy, South Peninsula Hospital.

Kachemak Bay Campus

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 www.kpc.alaska.edu/KBC.

Advance registration is required for the “Oil and Wax” art workshop with nationally recognized visiting artist Rebecca Crowell, to be held Aug. 9-11. Limited enrollment; register now.

Kenai Peninsula United Way

 Kenai Peninsula United Way is preparing for its Fox Island Dinner Cruise and Auction. The day will include a three-and-a-half hour Kenai Fjords sightseeing cruise to Fox Island, dinner, a no-host bar and an outcry and silent auction to benefit KPUW. The ship departs at 3 p.m. Aug. 17 and returns at approximately 9:45 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person or $500 for a corporate-sponsored table for six. To reserve tickets or for more information, call KPUW at 907-283-9500. 

Pratt Museum

Summer hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. “Encounters: Whales in Our Waters” is on exhibit until July 21. “Inspired by Place,” selected art from the museum collection, is on exhibit through December.

From 5-7 p.m. Friday, author Jean Meaux presents a talk and slide show based on her book, “In Pursuit of Alaska: An Anthology of Travelers’ Tales, 1879-1909,” about the men and women who helped shape a national vision of Alaska that persists today. This event is held in partnership with the Homer Bookstore.

From 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, author and photographer Tom Reed signs copies and reads excerpts from his new book, “Moved by a Mountain, Inspiration from an Alpine View in Alaska.” It features black-and-white photos of mountains and glaciers taken from the author’s cabin, while the text describes pondering why humans are so inspired by mountain views.

R.E.C. Room

The R.E.C. 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 R.E.C. 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 can help youth connect with resources for a variety of concerns, such as GED preparation, finding a summer job or homelessness. The R.E.C. Room, a program of Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic, is located at 3957 Nielsen Circle. Summer hours are 2-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friend the R.E.C. 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 program is “Daily Green Smoothie Challenge Part 1,” with Jennifer Dickson, certified nutritional therapist. She offers tips on why green smoothies are beneficial, good tasting and immune system boosting. The second part of the program is July 18. For more information or to suggest topics for future classes, call Amy Rattenbury at 226-2228, ext. 660.