Military News

Air Force Airman Justin Petersen has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Petersen is the son of David Petersen of Kasilof and Mona Petersen of Homer. He is a 2003 graduate of Homer High School.

Student News

The Gen. Buckner American Legion Post 16 invites high school students in grades 9-12 to compete in the National High School Oratorical Contest. The subject is on some phase of the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing the duties and obligations of being a U.S. citizen. An oratorical information sheet is due to the Legion commander before Jan. 9. Each contestant must have an oration prepared of 8-10 minutes long, and be ready to speak on one of the 3-5 minute assigned topics. The Homer contest is Jan. 14, the Kenai district contest is Jan. 28 and the state contest in Anchorage is Feb. 25. Prizes range from $50 at the local level to $18,000 at the national level. For more information, call Bill Sheldon, Post 16 commander, at 235-6789, or contact school guidance counselors or government teachers.

Announcements

Alaska State Parks seeks volunteers for the Southern Kenai Peninsula State Parks Citizens Advisory Board. To apply for appointment, residents must live or work in the Ninilchik or Anchor Point area. For application information, visit the Web at www.alaskastateparks.org or call (907) 262-5581.

The Homer Middle School eighth grade class is raising money for its trip to Washington, D.C. by selling 2006 calendars and a quilt raffle. Calendars can be purchased for $15 online at www.homercalendar.com. Donations also can be made at Wells Fargo to account 8224014905.

Kachemak Heritage Land Trust holds its fourth annual gourmet dinner and auction Dec. 17 at the Homestead Restaurant. Tickets are $100 and available at the KHLT office, 313 Klondike. Call 235-5263.

Share the Spirit seeks volunteers for its holiday activities. Gift trees are at Wells Fargo Bank, First National Bank, Safeway, Ulmer’s, Kachemak Gear Shed, Captain’s Coffee and Espresso Express. Choose a gift for a needy household member. People can adopt a family for the Holiday Basket program by picking up applications at Wells Fargo. Non-perishable food donations can be dropped off at Safeway, Kachemak Wholesale, Smokey Bay Natural Foods and Fritz Creek General Store, or at food drives run by schools.

Volunteers are needed for the Share the Spirit Spaghetti Feed. The food preparation day is Dec. 12, and the feed itself is 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Homer Elks Lodge. To help prepare food or volunteer to deliver meals, call 235-7466. To-go spaghetti orders can be placed on Dec. 13 by calling 235-2127 from 8 a.m.-noon. The gift wrap and basket packing day is Dec. 17 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Bring your own labeled scissors and a roll of tape. People verified to receive baskets can pick them up at the theater entrance to Homer High School from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 19. Monetary donations are always welcome. For more information, call Shari at 235-7466.

The Salvation Army seeks volunteer bell ringers for its annual Christmas kettles. Donations of non-perishable food or a new unwrapped gift for a child are also needed, as well as monetary donations. To apply to be a bell ringer or to make donations, stop by the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Pioneer Avenue.

Senior Citizens lunch is served 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Homer Senior Center. The menu this week is chicken breast with sautéed tomatoes, Dec. 8; Italian sausage rigatoni, Dec. 9; roast beef, Dec. 12; baked chicken, Dec. 13 and tacos, Dec. 14. A full salad bar and dessert is served with each meal. Call 235-7655.

The National Alliance of the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Homer affiliate holds a weekly support group, NAMI CARES (Consumers Advocating Recovery through Education & Support) for individuals facing the challenges of recovering from serious and persistent mental illness. Facilitated by trained NAMI members, the group meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursday evenings at the Circle of Wings Drop-In Center, 601 E. Pioneer Ave, Suite 110. Depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety disorder are only a few of the diagnoses of people who have found a supportive place within NAMI CARES. Call Jean at 235-5284 for information. A potluck dinner precedes the meeting from 3-6 p.m. Call Scott or Ron at 235-5284 or e-mail namihomer@alaska.com.

Community School

Scrabble is at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 in the Homer High School library. Homer’s first Pictionary Palooza Party Championship is 2 p.m. Dec. 11 in the high school commons. There is a $10 entry fee. CPR/First Aid is 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at the high school. The fee is $90 for the all-day class or $55 for the half-day class. Call 235-8341 for information. Homer Community School closes Dec. 17-Jan. 2 for the school break. Catalogs are mailed out the week of Dec. 12. Call 235-6090.

Kachemak Bay Campus UAA

The spring semester schedule is now online at www.homer.alaska.edu. Upcoming classes include Beginning Sculpture, Intermediate ASL, Global Climate Change, Grant Proposal Writing, Calculus, EMT I, Quilting, AutoCAD, 6-pack License Preparation, CNA, Wire Welding, Arc Welding, Master Gardener and Biology of Fish. Registration for degree-seeking, admitted students has begun. Online registration for the general public begins Dec. 13.

The student art show opens 5-7 p.m. Friday in the east campus commons.

The foreign film series continues, with shows at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday at the east campus. This week’s film is “The White Dawn.” The last film of the semester is “Character,” Dec. 16.

Ferry Schedule

The M/V Kennicott returns to Homer Dec. 17. The M/V Tustumena returns to Homer April 16. For last-minute changes, more detailed schedules and information about fares, visit www.akmhs.com or call 235-8449 or (800) 382-9229 outside of Homer.

Births

A boy was born at 6:47 a.m. Nov. 29, 2005, to Arseny and Anfisa Polushkin. His grandparents are Ilarion and Evdokiya Polushkin and Arteman and Fedosia Basargin.

Cody Roberts Henley was born at 2:45 p.m. Dec. 2, 2005, to Nicole Jones and Harold Hanley. His grandparents are Robert and Lind Jones of Homer and Shannon Shrader of Anchorage.