Some of Homer’s favorite local businesses just completed 10 days of friendly competition and important violence prevention. On Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Homer Public Library, everyone is invited to join Green Dot Homer and the Alibi, Alice’s Champagne Palace, Bulletproof Nets, the Homer Bookstore, the Homer Public Library and K Bay Caffé for food and lighthearted fun — all while making our community safer. Green Dot Homer will announce the winning workplace in the first #greendot10in10 contest. From Oct. 10-20 the Alibi, Alice’s Champagne Palace, Bulletproof Nets, the Homer Bookstore, the Homer Public Library and KBay Caffé participated in a competition to get the most Green Dots. Each workplace asked their customers and supporters to generate points for their business by doing Green Dots: quick, easy actions that make it less likely the next act of violence will happen. The workplace with the most points will be named the Green Dot Homer Workplace of 2015 and win a free ad in the Homer News and the Homer Tribune. Participants hung Green Dots on posters at each location and posted their contributions on social media using the hashtag #greendot10in10.
The Kachemak Bay Birders’ next meeting will be Monday, Oct. 26, at 4:30 p.m. at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in the auditorium. Following the meeting there will be a presentation by George Matz, “Peru: Birds and Culture.” Matz is an avid birder and conservationist. He teaches a course in birding at the Kenai Peninsula College in the spring and organizes the Shorebird Monitoring project which tracks shorebirds each spring here in Kachemak Bay. This event is cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. It is free and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, contact Lani Raymond: 399-9477 or lani67@alaska.net.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hickory will host the annual Haunted Hickory food drive on Oct. 29. Free and open to the public, the ship will be open at two separate times so that the crew can gear the event to different age ranges and guests with different fright levels. From 4-5 p.m., the ship will be open for a less-intense tour, appropriate for younger audiences. From 6-10 p.m., the ship will be open for more mature audiences who will be treated to intense thrills. The later viewing is not suitable for children under 13 years of age and those that frighten easily. All attendees are encouraged to bring two nonperishable food items to the event. These food items are donated to the food pantry.
The Homer MakerSpace is open for 3D design and 3D printing from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. every Monday and Tuesday at 178 E. Bunnell Ave. near Two Sisters. Students in grade four through middle school are welcome to use MakerSpace computers and 3D printers. Staff will teach you the ropes, and it’s all free. For more information, contact HomerMakerSpace@gmail.com.
Arvell Dinwiddie, a longtime resident of Homer, turns 90 on Nov. 11. His family is requesting a “card shower” for him. Greetings and cards may be sent to him at 8740 S. Tyler Road, Clearwater, KS 67026.
Homer is turning pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink flags are flying at homes and businesses around town this month in honor of those whose lives have been affected by breast cancer. The Pink Flag Campaign is a project of Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic in recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each flag is a $100 donation that helps local families by supporting access to screening, treatment, education and other support services provided at no cost through Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic. To learn how you can become a pink flag sponsor or to learn about breast cancer screening, call 235-3436 or email info@kbfpc.org.
Anchor Point Senior Citizens
The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Road is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-noon Friday. The center serves Thursday night dinners starting at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Bingo is at 6 p.m. with play starting at 7 p.m. on Friday nights. The Helping Hands Thrift Store is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Exercise sessions are at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Annual Holiday Bazaar is Nov. 7 with tables available. To sell items, stop by the office or call 235-7786.
Cooperative Extension Service
Many young children are picky eaters. This is a normal stage of development at a time when children cling to the familiar and new experiences, including foods, can be intimidating. As long as your child is healthy and growing well, he or she is likely getting necessary nutrients. If your child is exceptionally picky and you feel his health is at risk, discuss your concerns with your child’s pediatrician. Here are some ideas for encouraging your picky eater to try new foods: 1) Have your child help select fresh produce at the store. 2) Allow your child help prepare a dish. 3) Invite your child to give that food a special name. 4) Try serving raw veggies to your hungry child as an on-the-go or pre-dinner snack. 5) Serve the same food to the whole family without preparing something else if your child refuses to eat. Kids are more likely to try new foods that they have helped prepare. Don’t be discouraged if your child doesn’t care for a food immediately. It can take up to a dozen tries for them to accept a new item. Most importantly, be a good role model by eating a variety of nutritious foods yourself. For more information on good nutrition, stop by our office at 43961 K-Beach Rd., Suite A, Soldotna, AK 99669 or call us at 907-262-5824.
Friendship Center
Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 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, baked ham; Friday, shrimp scampi; Monday, plum-glazed Cornish game hens; Tuesday, spaghetti and meatballs; Wednesday, Cuban pork; and next Thursday, roast turkey.
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 Thursdays 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
There will be a craft talk and reading by visiting writer Allen Gee at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 26. New classes and workshops include Navigating Using GPS, Radar and Sonar, Nov. 19, 5:30 p.m., $30; Vessel Navigation Using Electronic Charts, Dec. 1, 5:30 p.m., $25; Aluminum Fabrication, Oct. 30-31, Nov. 7-8, $250; Global Climate Change, Oct. 22-Nov. 19; “Flash Fiction” writing workshop, Oct. 22-Nov. 19; Art Activities and Techniques for all Classrooms, Saturdays, Nov. 7-21. For information about GED, ESL and ABE classes, call 235-7743. There will be an information meeting on fisheries technology and allied health (radiology tech, medical assisting, phlebotomy, dental assisting, etc.) programs at noon and 5 p.m. Nov. 9.
Pratt Museum
Fall gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday through November. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. A series of prototype exhibits are featured in the lower gallery. These are “works in progress,” and opportunities to collect feedback on text, design and interactive components. The public is invited to come by the gallery and give feedback. There are questionnaires available to provide direct input.
On exhibit through Oct. 31 is “Museum Macabre: Darkest Secrets of Kachemak Bay.” Some stories from Kachemak Bay have been lost to common knowledge, swept under the rug and into collections storage at the Pratt Museum. Now is your chance to learn about the dark days of our past through original artifacts and rare images, including silver bullet casting molds from the werewolf outbreak of 1934; a taxidermy mount of the now-extinct native scorpion forest squirrel; various and frightening specimens preserved stuffed (fanged hare and parasitic fish crab) or in alcohol (giant huntsman spidermoose and assorted viscera); relics from the vampire wars of the 1970s, including impaling stakes, fangs, and desiccated vampires (in bat form); the brain (cast) of a three-legged land whale; and a Kandorian “siren” eel extracted from Homer Pennock’s leg.
The Ritz 30th anniversary art preview is now on exhibit. Preview art for the annual art and experience auction, to be held Nov. 7 at Wasabi’s. The evening includes a live and silent auction featuring art and items donated by artists, businesses and individuals. The theme for the 30th anniversary Ritz is “Havana Nights! Ritz at the CopaCabana.” The theme evokes the 1940s and 1950s that was Cuba in its heyday. Ritz includes Cuban food, music, dancing, diamonds, pearls, bright lights, rum and cigars (enjoyed outdoors).
Road Construction
Expect delays on this lower Kenai Peninsula road project: Sterling Highway Mile 135 to 137 improvements: Road construction continues through October. Expect single-lane traffic, 10-minute delays, flagging and pilot car operations on the Sterling Highway from 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, visit AlaskaNavigator.org.
Rotary Health Fair
The 32nd annual Rotary Health Fair is 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 7 at Homer High School. “It’s Your Life … Take a Day to be Well” is the theme of the fair, sponsored by Homer Kachemak Bay Rotary Club in cooperation with South Peninsula Hospital. The fair will feature more than 50 exhibitors with various health screenings, information and services related to health and wellness.
As part of the health fair, comprehensive blood analysis is available for only $40, a sizeable discount from the average cost of a comparable test. In addition to the basic wellness test, additional tests available for purchase include prostate, thyroid, cardiac, vitamin D and hemoglobin A1C.
These tests are offered by appointment at the fair, or before the fair at the hospital with the results available for pickup at the fair. Appointments are offered from Oct. 19-Nov. 6 in the hospital conference room on the hospital’s lower level. Payment must be made by cash or check at time of the test, and checks can be made to Rotary.
Appointments for both the day of the fair or at the hospital can be made at www.sphosp.org or by calling the health fair hotline at 399-3158. Book early as appointments fill up the closer it gets to the Health Fair date.
South Peninsula Hospital
The October monthly board meeting for the South Peninsula Hospital Inc. board of directors has been changed to Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. in the hospital conference room. The meeting is open to the public. For more information contact hospital administration at 235-0325.
SPH will again host the Great Candy Exchange. Kids 10 and under can weigh and trade in their Halloween candy for fabulous prizes at the Pediatric Therapy booth at the Rotary Health Fair at Homer High School on Nov. 7. The candy collected will be sent in holiday care packages to U.S. troops overseas. While at the health fair, make a personal greeting card to send with your candy. More information can be found at www.sphosp.org.
