The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies invites Alaskans to take part in the Wynn Nature Center 50-mile Challenge. The Kick-off for this challenge is at the 30th Annual Rotary Health Fair, held Saturday at Homer High School. The Challenge will run through June 7, 2014, with grand prizes awarded at the Wynn Nature Center season opening potluck on June 14. Snowshoe, ski, walk or run. Bring a friend or family member. The 140-acre Wynn Nature Center has miles of trails suited for all ages and abilities. Spending time in the forest improves health, is a great way to spend time with friends or family and it is simple. According to studies, exposure to plants and trees seems to benefit health. Take a “forest bath” — the trails are waiting. Times on other Alaska trails may also be logged. Group activities during the challenge will include celebrations at local pubs or coffeehouses, costume events and organized night-time walks. Monthly prizes will be awarded. Sign up and get a Challenge Kit at the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies booth at the Health Fair or call 907-235-6667 or email info@akcoastalstudies.org to sign up for the event.
The Kachemak Bay Birders’ next birding trip will be on Saturday. It will be leader’s choice. Meet at noon in the parking lot at Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Michael Craig will probably lead the walk down the trail to Beluga Slough/Bishop’s Beach, with an alternative if the weather or trail is bad. All trips are cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. There is no charge and everyone is welcome.
An account has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank for the Afonasiev family, the family who lost their home in a fire in Nikolaevsk on Oct. 3. The family had no insurance on the house. Set up through Bridges Community Resource, a nonprofit organization, donations are tax deductible. The account number at Wells Fargo is 6402637687.
The Christian Motorcyclists Association is forming a Kenai Peninsula chapter. A meeting is planned for 3 p.m. Saturday at 350 West Endicott Street in Soldotna. For more information or directions, call Josh at 907-727-4839, or Jon at 907-688-3983.
The Seldovia Fish & Game Advisory Committee holds an election meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 in the Community Multi-Purpose Room. The agenda will include preparation of comments on Lower Cook Inlet Board of Fish proposals. For more information, contact Robert Purpurra at 299-1806.
The Kenai Watershed Forum holds its Spirit of Our Rivers gala fundraiser at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska, Kenai. Tickets are $150 a person or $250 a couple and includes live music, dancing, wine and cocktails and the presentation of the Watershed Champion Awards. Kenai Watershed Forum supports watershed education, restoration and research programs. For tickets, call or email Josselyn O’Connor at 907-260-5449, ext. 1201, josselyn@kenaiwatershed.org.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Kenai Peninsula holds its annual gala and auction at 6 p.m. Nov. 16 in the old Carrs Mall, Kenai. Tickets are $40 each, $600 for a table of eight and $1,000 for an executive table of eight with dinner service and wine. To purchase tickets, call 907-283-2682.
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. The lunch menu for this week is: today, baked ham; Friday-Wednesday, to be announced.
Homer Senior Citizens celebrates its 40th anniversary from 12:30-4 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Homer Senior Center. The event includes live music, food, a silent auction and a tour of the facilities.
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. every-other Thursday in the senior center dining room. For more information, call Pam Hooker at 299-7198 or Mary Jo Gates at 235-7655.
Kachemak Bay Campus
Call 235-7743 for an advising appointment for information on earning a degree and taking classes. Check out new programs in Fisheries Technology and AutoCAD Technology as well as programs in psychology, anthropology, art, history, welding, nursing and more. Registration for the winter/spring semester begins Nov. 11 for degree-seeking students and Nov. 25 for the general public. Winter/Spring class listings are now posted online at kpc.alaska.edu/KBC/searchable_schedule/.
As part of the visiting writers’ series, novelist David Abrams, author of “Fobbitt,” speaks at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7.
From noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, the Kenai Peninsula College’s Veteran’s Services Coordinator holds an information meeting for vets on veteran educational benefits, training and college opportunities.
Interested in becoming a teacher? Come hear about education and early childhood degrees and teacher certification from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday to meet with KPC Education professor, Pete Snow.
At 5:30 p.m. Monday, the KBC Advisory Board meets in the Pioneer Hall Conference Room. At 6:30 p.m. Nov. 11, there is a Veterans Day public presentation and National Parks Service exhibit, “Kiska and Adak: War in the Aleutians,” with Col. John Cloe, military historian, Poppy Benson from the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and Michael Hawfield, KBC History professor.
Pratt Museum
The museum is open noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays. “Inspired by Place,” selected art from the museum collection, is on exhibit downstairs in the Contemporary Art Gallery through December.
Trick or treat at the Homestead Cabin from 4-6 p.m. today. All ages are welcome, especially children in grades kindergarten through sixth.
Art for “Ritz at the Moulin Rouge” is on display 5-9 p.m. at Wasabi’s. The Ritz Art and Experience Auction is the Pratt Museum’s annual gala fundraiser, to be held Saturday at Wasabi’s. “Ritz at the Moulin Rouge” features French cuisine with music provided by the Moulin Rouge Diamond Dogs. The band, coming together just for the Ritz, is fronted by jazz trumpeter Yngvil Vatn Guttu and Anchorage Symphony violinist Lena Lukina. Tickets are $100 and on sale at the Pratt Museum and Homer Bookstore.
R.E.C. Room
The REC Room (a Youth Resource & Enrichment Co-Op) offers new activities for the 2013-2014 School Year. Free programs include instruction on software installation and customization, digital music production, fresh and organic cooking, gardening and slam poetry. The REC Room provides teens ages 12-18 with a safe space to hang out after school and get connected with positive resources, activities and programs available for youth in our community. It offers computers and Wi-Fi for homework, guitars, XBox Kinect, games, darts, rave gloves, movies, art supplies and more.
A program of Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic, the REC Room is always staffed by a program manager. Homer Middle School students can now ride Bus 65 for drop off at the REC Room. Call for details. Hours are 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3957 Nielsen Circle, off Ben Walters Lane. For more information, call 235-6736, e-mail recroom@kbfpc.org or visit facebook.com/rec.room7 or HomerRECroom.org.
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 “Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fundraiser,” with Cassandra Chwialkowski, certified trainer. For more information or to suggest topics for future classes, call Amy Rattenbury at 226-2228, ext. 660.
South Peninsula Hospital
The 30th annual Rotary Health Fair is 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Homer High School. The fair is sponsored by Homer Kachemak Bay Rotary Club, in partnership with South Peninsula Hospital. The purpose of the fair is to promote individual wellness and provide free and inexpensive information and screenings related to health.
