District 30 Democrats meet at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Homer Real Estate office, 1529 Ocean Drive. The meeting was originally scheduled for today but has been postponed. Call Liz Diament at 914-588-0332 for more information.
The Alaska Salmon Alliance holds a meeting 6-8:30 p.m. Friday at the Homer Elks Lodge to discuss how Cook Inlet salmon fisheries can be a sustainable part of everyone’s future. This meeting will feature a facilitated discussion to talk about problems in Cook Inlet salmon fisheries, including king returns and a recent ballot initiative to eliminate setnetting from Cook Inlet. This meeting is free and open to the public, including all user groups and all gear types. Light refreshments will be served. The Alaska Salmon Alliance promotes science-based salmon management and inclusive, community-based dialogue between user groups. Learn more at aksalmonalliance.org.
Zak Holschen holds a pancake breakfast fundraiser from 8:30 a.m.-noon Saturday at the Anchor Point Senior Center, Milo Fritz Road. A suggested donation of $5 is requested. Help support his efforts in joining a teen mission to Madagascar.
Saint John’s Catholic Church holds a Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the church, 255 Ohlson Lane.
The Kachemak Bay Birders hold its regular monthly meeting at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Following the meeting is a video on birding. Anyone who is interested in birding, birds and their habitats, citizen science or who would just like to know more about the organization is welcome to attend. It is free and is cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. For more information, contact Lani Raymond at 399-9477 or email lani67@alaska.net or Lori Paulsrud at 235-6769.
The Christian Science Society holds a Thanksgiving Day service from 10-11 a.m. Nov. 28 at its building, 3774 Bartlett St. The Golden Text is from Psalms 107:1: “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good.” There will be readings from the King James Bible, and passages from “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” written by Mary Baker Eddy as well as time for sharing testimonies and expressions of gratitude. All are welcome.
The Sugar Plum Holiday Fair, a benefit for South Peninsula Special Olympics, is 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 6 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Homer United Methodist Church. Vendors are wanted for this event, including home consultants, handmade vendors and others. Space is still available. For more information, Joyce Shuler at 907-398-6712 or email joyce.shuler@yahoo.com. Also needed are kid vendors for face painting, balloon tying and a photographer for the families or children.
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, ham and mashed potatoes; Friday, breaded cod; Monday, beef stroganoff; Tuesday, baked chicken parmesan; Wednesday, seafood creole.
Strong Women classes are 2-3 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 is $4 for members and $6 for nonmembers per class.
Tai Chi classes are Thursday at 3 p.m. The 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
Registration for the winter/spring semester has started for degree-seeking students and begins Nov. 25 for the general public. Winter/spring class listings are now posted online at kpc.alaska.edu/KBC/searchable_schedule. Stop by the campus to sign up; the payment deadline is in January. Classes include welding, nonfiction creative writing, painting, yoga, marine boating safety, medical assisting, ceramics, Supiiaq-Alutiiq culture, bears of Alaska, history of Alaska, public speaking and biology of sharks. For more information, call 235-7743.
Pratt Museum
The museum is open noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays.
The Stocking Stuffer Party is 1-4 p.m. Nov. 30. Children of all ages are invited to join the Pratt Museum for its annual event with activities like building graham cracker houses, exploring seasonal art activities, decorating cookies and visiting with Santa Claus in the Homestead Cabin.
“Inspired by Place,” selected art from the museum collection, is on exhibit downstairs in the Contemporary Art Gallery through December.
“When Crab was King” is on display in the Special Exhibits Gallery. The special exhibit combines the Kodiak Maritime Museum’s exhibit, “When Crab Was King: Faces of the Kodiak King Crab Fishery 1950-1982,” with stories of the commercial king crab fishery in Kachemak Bay. The Kodiak exhibit features portraits of 24 individuals who fished during the boom years of the Kodiak king crab fishery, with oral histories presenting each of their stories. In the Pratt Museum’s presentation, visitors also will view historic films, hear stories from local fishermen, and learn about the biology of the crab fishery and recent efforts to re-establish king crab in local waters.
In conjunction with the crab exhibit, there also will be two special events during December. A Community Conversation is 5-7 p.m. Dec. 5. Bring stories and perspectives on crab fisheries of Kachemak Bay. Later in December at a time and place to be announced is the presentation, “A Crabby Colloquium: Recent Research and Fishery Management Perspectives,” featuring Megan Murphy and representatives from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
R.E.C. Room
The REC Room (a Youth Resource and 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 “Make Your Own Potions and Lotions for the Holidays” with Hilery Daily. There is a $5 fee. Make and take home two lip balms, one salt scrub and one chest salve. For more information or to suggest topics for future classes, call Amy Rattenbury at 226-2228, ext. 660.
South Peninsula Hospital
South Peninsula Hospital offers two Heartsaver CPR/AED classes on Friday. The 8 a.m. session is for health care providers in the community and is $75. The 1 p.m. session is for the general public, and is $50. To register or for more information, call 235-0258.
The SPH Employee Bazaar is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday through the first floor entrance in conference rooms 1 and 2. Vendors sell handmade crafts and seasonal treats. The bazaar is open to the public.
Effective today, the date of the Great American Smoke Out, South Peninsula Hospital will join the six other hospitals in southcentral Alaska as a tobacco-free healthcare campus. This means tobacco-use will no longer be permitted by anyone on hospital-owned or occupied grounds, parking lots, or lawns, including in private vehicles. Tobacco is defined as cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco.
To help ease nicotine withdrawal symptoms, all in-patients will be offered nicotine replacement therapy at no cost during their stay. All other visitors will be offered information and education, including referral to the Alaska Tobacco Quit Line, if they so choose. As part of the Great American Smoke Out campaign, free tobacco quit-kits will be available through Thursday, at SVT Health Center, South Peninsula Hospital and Homer Medical Center. Free smoking cessation support groups for the community will begin the first week of December. Check www.sphosp.org for additional information, or contact Derotha Ferraro, public relations, at 235-0397.
South Peninsula Haven House
Homer Thrift, South Peninsula Haven House’s second-hand store, will add Friday hours to its schedule. Starting Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving commonly called “Black Friday,” Homer Thrift is open 2 to 6 p.m. It also is open 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. On Nov. 29, all items in the store are 50 percent. The store is located on Lake Street just south of Homer Electric Association.
Thanks to the generosity and hard work of volunteers from Wells Fargo, Homer Thrift now has two structures for dropping off donations any time of the day. Wells Fargo staff members gave time to build two donation collection sheds during the United Way Days of Caring initiative. The sheds are behind Homer Thrift.
Donations are passed on to people and families with an immediate need, and other donations are sold at Homer Thrift. Proceeds benefit Haven House. The store also provides an opportunity for job training and economic empowerment for women dealing with domestic violence and sexual assault.
“Wells Fargo has been a longtime supporter of Haven House and was instrumental in the development and opening of Homer Thrift,” said Haven House Executive Director Jessica Lawmaster. “We are so appreciative of Wells Fargo staff volunteering their time and effort.”
South Peninsula Haven House is a nonprofit agency supporting and empowering people impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault and promoting healthy families. The Haven House Child Advocacy Center unites agencies to protect and promote children’s wellbeing. For more information, call 235-7712.
