The Kachemak Bay Running Club is hosting a 5K fun run beginning and ending at Alice’s Champagne Palace, starting at 5:30 p.m. today. Come run or walk with friends in this non-timed event, followed by the club’s membership meeting. It’s the perfect time to renew your membership, learn about upcoming club events, vote for new board members, win door prizes and enjoy some tasty Alice’s food. For more information, visit the Kachemak Bay Running Club on Facebook or the web.

The Alaska Bible Institute will hold its graduation ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday. Due to space constraints, guests are limited to high school age and above, with no child care available. This celebration will be held at ABI campus, 1295 Mission Road in Homer. Contact 235-8648 for more information. 

The Paul Banks Elementary School Parent Teacher Association holds a Spring Fling Festival Saturday at the school with door prizes and a donut eating contest. Vendors are open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Easter Egg Hunts with a visit from the Easter bunny are at 11 a.m. for children ages 4 and younger and 11:30 a.m. for ages 4 and older. A bounce house is 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with admission of $5 a child. A marimba band plays 3-4 p.m. Proceeds support Paul Banks Elementary School.

Motivational speaker Steve Diggs presents his “No Debt No Sweat” seminar, part one, at 7 p.m.  April 1 and part two at 7 p.m. April 2 at the at the Anchor Point Church of Christ. He presents a leadership training event at 7 p.m. April 3 at the East Homer Church of Christ. For more information on Diggs, visit his Facebook page or www.stevediggs.com. For more information on his visit, call 235-7606.

Martin Renner, a local seabird ecologist and lifelong birder, presents a program on Shorebird identification at 7:30 p.m. April 2 in the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center auditorium. Learn what to look for to identify the shorebirds likely to be found in Homer and around Kachemak Bay during the coming spring migration. Renner’s presentation includes visual clues to help distinguish the species which are easily confused, habitat differences as a help for identification and calls to listen for. Also learn what equipment to use and where to likely find shorebirds. Shorebirds begin to arrive by mid-April, the Shorebird Monitoring Project begins on April 16, and the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival starts May 7. Renner’s presentation is co-sponsored by the Kachemak Bay Birders and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. It is free; everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, call Lani Raymond at 399-9477.

The Parkinson’s Support Group meets 1 p.m. April 3 at the Homer Senior Citizens Center Conference Room. The speaker is Bette Seaman, dietitian and nutritionist for South Peninsula Hospital. For more information, call Daniel Weiser at 235-4555.

The Kachemak Bay Equestrian Society holds its eighth annual Cowboy Cabaret at 5 p.m. April 4 at Alice’s Champagne Palace. Tickets are on sale at the Homer Bookstore, or you can pay at the door. The cost is $25 per family and $10 per individual. To make a reservation call Jackie at 299-1851, or, for more information, questions or to preregister to entertain call Tim at 299-2780.

The Homer Farmers Market holds a film night fundraiser of “Seeds of Time” at 7 p.m. April 9 at the Homer Theatre. There will be a door prize giveaway and theater concessions for purchase. Admission is by donation.

The Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council (CIRCAC) holds its board meeting at 9 a.m. April 17 at Cook Inlet Aquaculture, 40610 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Kenai. The public is welcome to attend. For more information or an agenda, call 1-800-652-7222 or 907-283-7222. Board materials will be available online just prior to the meeting.

Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover comes to Homer from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. April 18 at the Mariner Theatre. Sponsored by the Homer Ministerial Association, Ramsey personality Chris Hogan will host this one-day, live event. Tickets can be purchased by preferred method at cotrhomer.org/totalmoneymakover for $90 per couple, $50 per individual and $45 per student. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $55 per person. For more information, email office@cotrhomer.org, visit cotrhomer.org/totalmoneymakeover or call 235-2689.

The Halibut Cove Lagoon Dock ramp and gangway are closed indefinitely to public use until repairs can be made to a rusted piling. The piling was discovered on a recent spring minus tide. If the piling should fail, it could collapse the entire gangway and ramp. Boaters may use the end of the dock at the top of the “T” portion. When dropping off or picking up people from the lagoon, use the beach to the east of the dock at the stairs. The Alaska Department of Parks and Recreation also asks the public to stay away from the pilings on the west side of the ramp and gangway.

Registration for the 23rd Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival has begun. The quickest way to register is online. Alternatively, register by fax, email or by calling the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center at 235-7740. View events and speaker descriptions at www.kachemakshorebird.org. Printed guides are available at the chamber visitor center and can be mailed by request by emailing shorebird@homeralaska.org or calling 235-7740.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reminds beach walkers to be alert for sea otters and pups that might show up on local beaches. Sea otters are a protected marine mammal. If you find an unattended pup or an injured or dead sea otter, contact the Alaska Sea Life Center Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline at 1-888-774-SEAL (7325).  

Sandhill cranes will begin arriving soon. Please report sandhill crane sightings to Kachemak Crane Watch at 235-6262 or reports@cranewatch.org. The date, time, location and number of cranes seen is helpful. Leave a name and number in case more details are needed.

Cooperative Extension

The University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service has a free publication, “Learn How to Spend Less.” This publication shares 10 ways to help cut spending. Other publications on budgeting include “Your Spending Plan,” “Finding Money to Save” and “Living on an Irregular Income.” Pick up these publications at the Cooperative Extension office at 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Suite A, Soldotna. For more information, call 907-262-5824. 

Friendship Center

Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open between the hours of 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday with extended hours for special situations. Programs are offered daily, including story time, crafts and musical performances. Call 235-4556.

Homer Senior Citizens

Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served noon-1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The lunch menu for this week is: today, roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy; Friday, shrimp scampi; Monday, baked ham; Tuesday, closed for Seward’s Day; Wednesday and Thursday, to be announced.

Strong Women classes are 1:30-2:30 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 per class is $4 members, $6 nonmembers.

Duplicate Bridge meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Tai Chi classes are Thursday at 3 p.m. The cost per class is $3 for members and $6 for nonmembers. Call Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.

Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday in the senior center conference room. Call Jacquie Thaute at 299-2924 or Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.

Kachemak Bay Campus

Upcoming spring and summer classes include Watercolor Painting I workshop, held March 26-28 with Jan Peyton and Watercolor Painting II workshop, held April 9-11; Seaweeds of Kachemak Bay workshop with Jane Middleton, March 30-April 20; Garden Design with Brenda Adams, April 18 and 25; Boating Safety/NASBLA with Capt. Chris Lopez, May 2-3; Culinary Art: Desserts with Kirsten Dixon, May 2; and Landscape Painting with Asia Freeman, May 18-19, June 8-9, July 3-14 and Aug. 3-4.

To earn your GED or improve basic reading, writing and math skills, call 235-1606.

Pratt Museum

Thanks to support from the Seldovia Village Tribe, admission to the museum is free on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in March. Gallery hours are noon-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. 

New works are in the Art Gallery through March 28. “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Brooks Fish: 30 Years of Counting Fish at Brooks Lake, Katmai National Park and Preserve” is now on exhibit. 

SVT Health & Wellness

SVT Health & Wellness offers classes covering all aspects of wellness every Thursday at 6 p.m. Today’s class is “Building Soil Good Enough to Eat” with Kyra Wagner, founder of Sustainable Homer. Get your garden ready for a successful season and learn about composting, soil amending, when to rototill and micronutrients.