April 29 Briefly

LEA to hold negotiations meeting Wednesday

The Libby Education Association will hold a negotiations meeting on Wednesday, April 29, at 7 p.m., Libby Public Schools announced.

The meeting will be held at the Central Administration Building, 724 Louisiana Ave. A strategy session will precede the meeting at 6 p.m.

Farmer’s Market Spring Fest coming on May 7

The Libby Farmer’s Market Spring Fest is coming on May 7. The event will run from noon-6 p.m. at the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce parking lot. Activities include drawings, cookie decorating, food and drinks.

Troy Activity Center ribbon-cutting on May 3

The Troy School District invites the public to attend the ribbon-cutting event for its new activity center on Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m.

The district will provide tours of the building, as well as activities like rock climbing for children and adults. The booster club will host a barbecue, and the evening will close with two all-star high school basketball games – boys and girls – scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

School to hold annual benefit auction on May 2

Kootenai Valley Christian School’s 10th annual benefit auction is coming up on Saturday, May 2.

Bidding at the auction begins at 10 a.m. in the school’s gymnasium. Local businesses donated merchandise and purchased advertising on bid sheets. Each class chose a theme for baskets to be auctioned off. Parents and students shop at local businesses to fill each basket.

School board candidates to participate in forum

The public is welcome to attend a Libby School Board trustee candidate forum on Thursday, April 30 at 7 p.m.

Libby High School’s Senior American Government classes are hosting the forum, which will take place in the Central Administration Building’s Little Theatre at 724 Louisiana Ave.

The school board election is Tuesday, May 5.

Foundation awards grants to help students

The Nonprofit Student Assistance Foundation recently awarded $56,000 in Circle of Succe$$ Grants to students across Montana to help them cover costs associated with continuing their postsecondary education.

In Lincoln County, recipients included Brittany Vinson and Jeremy Basler.

For the past four years, SAF employees have contributed money through voluntary payroll deductions to help fund the grant program. Funds raised from last summer’s SAF Golf Scramble also contributed to the total grant amount.

Between the two efforts, SAF collected enough money to distribute 56, $1,000 grants.

Marti Johnson, grants manager for SAF, said the committee charged with evaluating the applications was greatly affected by the stories of all the grant applicants — a fact that made it particularly difficult to narrow the field and select who should benefit from the available funds.

 “It’s our privilege to provide these grants to students to help them on their path to achieving their dreams of a college education,” she said.

Archery club plans traditional 3D shoot

Libby Archery Club’s 13th annual traditional 3D shoot will be held May 2-3 at Fawn Creek Campground.

The event is for recurves and long bows with no compounds allowed. Camping is available.

For more information, call 293-3209 or 293-2900.

Grizzly bear biologist to present program

Wayne Kasworm, a grizzly bear biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will give a presentation during the Libby Chapter of the Society of American Foresters meeting on Thursday, April 30, at the Venture Inn in Libby.

The evening begins with a social at 5:30 p.m. with dinner scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and the presentation to follow.

Kasworm will discuss the grizzly bear augmentation program in the Cabinet Mountains along with other population recovery issues.

Electric fencing workshop coming

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will host a free public electric fencing workshop at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, at Homesteader’s Ranch and Feed Supply in Libby.

The workshop will feature fencing techniques that are designed to keep bears and other wildlife out of gardens, fruit trees, chicken coops, beehives, livestock and garbage.

The program will be presented by Larry Feight of High Country Ag Marketing, in cooperation with FWP and Homesteader’s.

For more information, call Kim Annis with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks at 293-4161, ext. 207, or Jamie Brebner with Homesteader’s Ranch & Feed Supply at 293-4911.

Kindergarten roundup in Libby set for May 4

Libby Public Schools is kicking off the 2009-10 school year with a kindergarten roundup for all children who will be age 5 on or before Sept. 10.

Registration is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.-noon on Monday, May 4, at the Plummer Center’s far east entrance.

Parents or legal guardians, who are required to attend, are asked to bring the child, birth certificate, child’s social security number, proof of immunizations and emergency contact information.

The school will provide Brigance Kindergarten Screening at the time of registration for children that have not already been screened.

For more information, call Asa Wood School at 293-8881.

Family Birth Services’ to hold ‘Tea and Talk’

Family Birth Services’ invites the public to its monthly “Tea and Talk” from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29.

The topic will be involve choices in natural childbirth and essential oils with guest speaker Viola Moss of Remnant Remedy.

Family Birth Services also announced it will hold its annual picnic on May 27.

For more information, call Joyce Vogel at 293-4253 or 291-3292.

Relay For Life extends invite to cancer survivors

Relay For Life is inviting all cancer survivors to participate in this summer’s event in Libby.

The relay will be held Aug. 7-8 at Asa Wood Elementary. Prior to the opening ceremony on that Friday, all cancer survivors are invited to a Celebration of Life Reception beginning at 5 p.m.

From the reception, survivors will be gathered for a photo. The opening ceremony follows at 6 p.m. and is dedicated to those living with cancer. Survivors lead the first lap around the track and the relay begins.

T-shirts and a photo will be provided to all cancer survivors at no cost. Survivors do not need to belong to a team in order to participate in the relay.

A special lap immediately following the survivors’ lap will be dedicated to all caregivers.

For anyone who would like to participate in the Relay For Life, call 406-542-2191 or toll free 877-488-7723 (option 3) and provide the American Cancer Society office with the information. Any questions can also be directed to Judi Bloomer, Lincoln County Survivor chair, at 293-3773.

Libby VFD plans live fire training exercises

The Libby Volunteer Fire Department announced that it plans to conduct live fire training exercises on April 30.

Providing air quality is acceptable on that day, the fire exercise is scheduled for approximately 7-11 p.m. at 695 Farm to Market Road. The structure (legal address is section 25, T30N R31W) is clear of any asbestos-containing material but will contain some petroleum-based products.

Comments or questions should be directed to Steve Lauer of the Libby VFD (293-9217), Kendra Lind at Lincoln County Air Quality (293-7781, ext. 220) or Dr. Brad Black, Lincoln County health officer (293-0186).

VA representative to visit Troy, Libby

A representative of the Montana Veterans Affairs Division out of Kalispell will be at Kootenai Senior Center in Troy and Libby Senior Citizens Center on Monday, May 11.

Sherry Stewart, service officer, will be in Troy from 11 a.m.-noon and in Libby from 1:30-4 p.m. She will be available to assist veterans and their dependents that have questions regarding benefits.

For more information, call 406-755-3795.

Food, diaper drive to benefit food pantry

Libby Care Center residents are sponsoring a food and diaper drive for the Libby Food Pantry.

For those who can donate, items can be dropped off at 308 E. Third St. weekdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Donations will be accepted until April 30.

For more information, call 293-6285.