Announcements

Kachemak Bay Birders hold a birding trip to the mouth of the Anchor River on Saturday. Meet at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center at noon to carpool or at the boat launch parking lot near the mouth of the Anchor River at 12:30 p.m. for this afternoon walk on the beach. Birders will be looking for returning shorebirds as well as various species of sea birds near the time of high tide. This trip will be led by Michelle Michaud and Michael Craig. All trips are cosponsored by the Kachemak Bay Birders and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Call Michael Craig at 235-0631 for information. There is no charge and everyone is welcome.

Shoreline Golf holds its annual 18-hole Best Ball Scramble at 10 a.m. Saturday. Sign up is at 9 a.m. Teams are four to five members each, with nine maximum. The entry fee $40 per player, with golf, food and prizes. Proceeds benefit the Homer Hockey Association Scholarship Fund Prizes. To reserve a spot, call 360-820-4762.

The VA Volunteer Services of the Kenai Peninsula invites all veterans and their immediate family to the Southern Kenai Peninsula Annual Veterans free picnic from noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 18 at the American Legion Hall, Mile 2.5 East End Road. The event includes a barbecue with hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs and all the trimmings, door prizes, children’s games and music.  

Representatives from the VA Medical Clinic in Kenai will be present to answer questions, do blood glucose screenings, give flu shots if available and take blood pressure. Bring your VA card or DD214  for services. Veterans also can sign up for VA services. All veterans and their families are welcome. The event is supported by monetary donations and volunteers from veterans and service organizations of the Kenai Peninsula. For more information, call the American Legion Post at 235-8864 or Darlene at 235-6789.

The 19th annual Breast Cancer Run is at 11 a.m. Sunday at Bishop’s Beach. Day-of registration and bib pick-up will start at Bishop’s Beach at 9:30 a.m., and go until 10:30 a.m. The race starts at 11 a.m. The 5K fun run/walk/stroll is the Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic’s annual fundraiser to support breast cancer screening and women’s health services in Homer. Runner registration is a suggested $35 donation. Runners are encouraged to generate sponsors, which will enter them into a raffle for a host of prizes. Shamwari Marimba provides musical entertainment, with food after the event. Runners also will be eligible to win a huge variety of prizes donated from local businesses. Register to run online at kbfpc.org or email a form to kbfpc@ak.net. You also can register to run or sponsor by contacting the clinic at 3959 Ben Walters Lane, or call 235-3436. 

To become a business sponsor call 299-4018. Businesses receive a pink flag to hang outside their business for each $100 donated. All participating businesses will be mentioned and thanked for their support at the event. 

The Anchor Point Fire and Emergency Medical Service Area board holds its regularly scheduled meeting on at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Anchor Point Fire Station, Milo Fritz Avenue. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Upcoming speakers for the Rotary Club of Homer Downtown are Sept. 4, Paul Dauphinais, executive director Alaska Public Offices Commission, Introduction into what APOC does and how the public can access the data that the agency gathers; Sept.12, Noko Yoshida and Jane Little: Rotary travels and interactions; Sept. 19, Jessica Lawmaster, executive director, South Peninsula Haven House Green Dot Program. All talks are at 6 p.m. at the Homer Council on the Arts building, 355 W. Pioneer Ave.

Sandhill crane colts are growing up. Please report any observations of sandhill crane colts to Kachemak Crane Watch at 235-6262 or reports@cranewatch.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. The lunch menu for this week is: today, roast beef; Friday, breaded cod; Monday, baked ham; Tuesday, corned beef and cabbage and potatoes; Wednesday, zesty Cuban pork.

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. Aug. 22 at the Homer Senior Center Friendship Terrace. Amy Lower, speech therapy, South Peninsula Hospital, presents “Memory Book.”

Kachemak Bay Campus

Registration for all fall workshops and classes is now being held. Register now, pay later. Classes start Aug. 26. Call 235-7743 for an advising appointment for earning a degree. See schedule and course listing at www.kpc.alaska.edu/KBC. New classes and programs are offered in Fisheries Technology and AutoCADD Technology. Classes offered include oceanography, Spanish, karate, yoga, marine biology, Natives of Alaska, drawing, global climate change, poetry-writing, ceramics, welding, Tai Chi, MS Excel, Access, Quickbooks, introduction to writing nonfiction, Certified Nurse’s Aide (CNA) training, art appreciation, history, psychology and introduction to literature.

Pratt Museum

Summer hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. “Inspired by Place,” selected art from the museum collection, is on exhibit downstairs in the Contemporary Art Gallery through December.

“Beneath the Surface,” featuring paintings by Rebecca Crowell that are inspired by archaeological maps of sediment layers beneath the earth, is on exhibit upstairs in the Special Exhibits Gallery through
Sept. 29.

The Pratt holds two book signings from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Former Homer resident Cherry Jones will sign and read excerpts from her new book, “Myths and Mysteries of Alaska: True Stories of the Unsolved and Unexplained.” From hair-raising stories of the Hairy Man to the unsolved Cache Creek murders, the book examines 12 compelling Alaska stories. Jones also will read from “More than Petticoats: Remarkable Alaska Women.” This book profiles the lives of 12 spirited women who arrived in territorial Alaska by birth, choice or chance with a remarkable determination and independent spirit that still inspires new generations.

Homer author Marianne Schlegelmilch and aritist Maggie Winston of Homer also will appear for their book, “Slugs Forever!” It’s a lighthearted  tale of challenges and hopes, problems and solutions, conflicts and resolution. It offers the lesson that no matter how small or insignificant you are, everyone matters. All proceeds from book sales go to the Independent Learning Center in Homer.

Tamamta Katurlluta, a Gathering of Native Traditions, is Aug. 30 and 31. It brings together hundreds of Native elders, as well as other Native and non-Native participants. Artists, dancers, drummers and story tellers come to experience a weekend of culture sharing and community building. Events include a welcome reception, traditional landing ceremony of kayaks, storytelling, Native Youth Olympic demonstrations plus an evening of culture and dance at the Mariner Theater.

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 “Sharing Salmon Recipes and Preservation Methods” with Jenifer Dickson, certified nutritional therapist. For more information or to suggest topics for future classes, call Amy Rattenbury at 226-2228, ext. 660.

Student News

Alivia Erickson of Homer and Aranda Koch of Anchor Point made the spring Dean’s List at Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, Calif., for earning a 3.5 grade-point average or better.