Poster and songwriting contests are being held on the theme of promoting resiliency. The deadline for the poster contest is 5 p.m. Friday and for the songwriting contest is 7 p.m. Thursday. Sponsored by the Homer Prevention Project, in the contests, resiliency is defined as “the ability to overcome challenges of all kinds — trauma, tragedy, personal crises and life problems — and bounce back stronger, wiser and more personally powerful.” Artists or songwriters are invited to create a poster or song that illustrates coping skills when feeling overwhelmed, names at least five different resiliency factors and coping skills for tough times, and identifies at least three different ways to promote resiliency. Prizes will be awarded in the categories of elementary, middle school, high school and adult. Pick up entry forms at school offices or the Homer Prevention Project, 1230 Ocean Drive. Works should be labeled with creator’s name, address, email, phone number and age group. Drop off poster entries at the Homer Prevention Project office and song entries at the Homer Council on the Arts.

The Kachemak Bay Birders’ next trip is 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Seaside Farm, Mile 5 East End Road.  Park at the top of the hill at Seaside Farm. This is the best habitat for songbirds in the whole area, with many species possibly seen, including recent reports of white-throated sparrows and ruby-crowned kinglets that have wintered over.  Many songbirds are beginning their songs and nests, like chickadees and varied thrush.  There might be some sandhill cranes here by then. There is no charge and everyone is welcome. Bring binoculars, field guides and scope if you have them.  All trips are cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

The 10th annual Homer Recycling event is 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at Spenard Builders Supply. The event is sponsored by Cook Inletkeeper. The types of electronics that can be recycled include: computers (CPUs), monitors (CRT or LCD); laptops; printers;  servers, routers and hubs; televisions; VCRs and DVD players; stereos and audio components; video and digital cameras; iPhone, iTouch and iPad devices; copiers, scanners and fax machines; cell phones and telephones; electronic scales; PDAs; alarm clocks; handheld games; communications equipment; other miscellaneous office machines, and batteries. New this year is most recycling is free. For households there is free e-cycling of everything except computer monitors ($15), LCD TVs ($15), and CRT TVs ($15-$35, depending on size). 

For businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and tribes, there is free e-cycling of everything except TVs and computer monitors, which are 30 cents per pound. There is a suggested $10 donation to Cook Inletkeeper to offset costs. 

For more information, or to schedule a drop-off time (businesses and nonprofits), leave a message for Dorothy at 235-4068, ext. 34 or dorothy@inletkeeper.org. Also, check out the website at inletkeeper.org/clean-water/electronics-recycling for more information.

Burn permits are required year round inside Homer city limits and can be picked up at the Homer Volunteer Fire Department during normal business hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Burn permits are required from April 1-Sept. 1 anywhere outside Homer city limits and can be acquired by the Alaska Division of Forestry at www.forestry.alaska.gov/burn.

Anchor Point Alcoholics Anonymous offers meetings at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays and at 2 p.m. Sundays above the Anchor River Inn Store. For more information, call 299-3317.

The Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival seeks volunteers to help with registration during the event from 8 a.m.-7 p.m., May 6-9. Gratitude, snacks and a fun work environment provided.  Please call Robbi at 235-7740 or email shorebird@homeralaska.org

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.

Angie Nelson holds an Equine Assisted Learning and Natural Horsemanship Clinic with July 25-26 at Cottonwood Horse Park. Bring your horse and come for a great time of fun, learning, and connection with your horse and other horse savvy people. This clinic will give you resources to bring your horse-human partnership to a new level. You will also gain new understanding of horse behavior and communication, while learning what your horses’ behavior could be telling you about yourself. Angie Nelson has a master’s in education and is Equine Assisted Learning. certified through the OK Corral. She has many years of experience studying natural horsemanship, and her influences include horse trainers such as Pat Parelli, Monty Roberts and Mark Rashid. To sign up or for more information, contact Angie at 949-294-3702.

Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST)

The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team, or COASST, will deliver a free training session from noon-5 p.m. May 2 at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. 

To reserve a spot, call COASST at 206-221-6893 or email coasst@uw.edu. The website is www.coasst.org.

COASST volunteers help make a difference for the environment by collecting data on beach-cast carcasses of marine birds on a monthly basis to establish the baseline pattern of beached bird mortality on North Pacific beaches. Data collected helps address important marine conservation issues and protect marine resources.

Through an interactive, hands-on workshop, trainees will become acquainted with the custom COASST field guide, “Beached Birds,” and have a chance to try out their newly acquired identification skills on seabird species common to the North Pacific. The COASST training provides volunteers with the tools to monitor for potential changes in the marine environment and promote stewardship of local marine resources.

COASST is a citizen science project of the University of Washington in partnership with state, tribal and federal agencies; environmental organizations and community groups. 

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 turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy; Friday, coriander cod; Monday, baked chicken pasta marinara; Tuesday, pork paprika; Wednesday, beef tacos; next Thursday, country style roast pork.

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 Culinary Arts: Desserts with Kirsten Dixon, May 2; Boating Safety/NASBLA with Capt. Chris Lopez, May 2-3; 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.

An opening reception of student art is 5-6:30 p.m. Friday.

Pratt Museum

Gallery hours are noon-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Faith Revell’s exhibit, “Bird Dance,” is now on exhibit. The annual Jubilee student art showcase is on exhibit in the lower museum gallery.

The Pratt shows a series of prototype exhibits in the lower galleries. These are works in progress and opportunities to collect feedback on text, design and interactive components. There are questionnaires available to provide direct input. Currently, visitors can see a small prototype, “Community Connectors — Radios, Telephones and Pathways.”

“Creating a Story of Place” is presented at 6 p.m. today by Dr. Tony Burgess, an environmental scientist and ecologist whose work includes the Biosphere2 project. He explores the idea, “How can we thoughtfully participate in creating a story about the past, present, and possible futures of this place?”

Safe & Healthy Kids Fair

The Annual Safe & Healthy Kids Fair will be Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Homer High School. This free event for kids 14 years and younger includes:  Bike Safety Rodeo from 10 a.m.-noon; loads of demonstrations and hands-on activities to promote safety and wellness; water safety activities in the pool and more. Awesome door prizes will be given away by local donors all through the event, and plenty of activities will be happening. There will be lots of sign ups for summertime activities as well. For more info, go to www.sphosp.org or call Haven House at 235-7712.

SVT Health & Wellness

SVT Health & Wellness offers classes covering all aspects of wellness every Thursday at 6 p.m. Today’s class is “Mindfulness to Ease Stress and Improve Health, Part 2,” with Skywalker Payne. Learn about how mindfulness can help control stress, manage pain and improve recovery from disease.