Around the Valley

Community submissions for Around the Valley should be sent by e-mail to news@frontiersman.com. Items run on a space-available basis. Publication is not guaranteed.

Christmas Friendship Dinner is Saturday

The 19th annual Christmas Friendship Dinner is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday at the Curtis D. Menard Sports Center. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there, along with entertainment and food including turkey, ham and dessert. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 746-1053, or e-mail CFD@mtaonline.net.

Tuba Christmas is part of Friendship Dinner

Tuba Christmas is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla. The musical event is part of the Christmas Friendship Dinner this year.

Holiday tours at the reindeer farm

Holiday tours of the Reindeer Farm in Palmer are offered today from noon to 9 p.m. Tours include Christmas lights timed to music, reindeer tours, hay rides, s’mores and photos with Santa. Open Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through the holiday season. For more information, contact Denise Hardy at hardyof5@yahoo.com, or visit reindeerfarm.com.

Learn to knit

Valley School of Creative Knitting, Hatcherview Business Park — Suite 118 Upstairs, offers a Saturday morning class on knitting mittens on double point needles. Cost is $30-$40. For more information, visit valleysock.com, or send e-mail to info@valleysock.com.

Lights, music set tone for holidays

The Mitchell family is back this year with its Christmas Light Spectacular. The family invites the community to enjoy holiday lights that dance to music and donate to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Alaska. The lights are on from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Find the house at 5270 S. Tennyson Court in Wasilla. Take Knik-Goose Bay Road to Mile 8.1 just past Settler’s Bay and turn at the first right, which is Kathlyn. Take Kathlyn to Gladstone and turn right, then an immediate left onto Tennyson. The family asks those enjoying the display not block the driveways of neighbors and turn radios to 91.5 FM to hear the music that goes with the dancing lights. For more information, visit christmasinak.com.

December pet food drive planned

Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue’s December “Pet Food Drive” ends Saturday. Donations of bags of dry dog food, dog toys and treats can be dropped off at the group’s facility at the Trinity Barn on the Palmer/Wasilla Hwy., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday. Proceeds benefit the Houston Animal Shelter and the rescue group’s community outreach program for needy families. For more information, call 745-7030.

Holiday Post Office hours

All U.S. Post Offices are closed Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and New Year’s Day, Jan. 1. On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and New Years Eve, Dec. 31, Post offices are open from 10 a.m. to noon. The Airport Post Office in Anchorage will close at 8 p.m. both days. All offices will provide parcel pick up and hold mail pick up service until their normal closing hours.

Reading room has new location

The First Church of Christ Scientist would like to invite the community to visit the new Christian Science Reading Room, formerly located at the Creekside Plaza, now located to the corner of Lamont and Wesseling Circle in Wasilla. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday Noon to 3 p.m.

Dorothy G. Page Museum presents free Fridays

Admission to the Dorothy G. Page Museum, 323 North Main St., Wasilla, is free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays for Mat-Su Borough residents. Bring a state-issued ID that shows a Mat-Su Borough address to qualify. For more information, contact 373-9071.

Wasilla Public Library holiday closures

The Wasilla Meta-Rose Public Library is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and regular hours will resume on Monday. The library also will be closed for New Years on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Regular hours resume Jan. 3.

Ahtna language classes offered

Ahtna Athabascan language classes are offered Mondays from 5 to 6 p.m. beginning Jan. 3, 2011, at the Ya Ne Dah Ah School, Mile 55.5 Glenn Hwy. For more information, call Kari at 745-0722.

Primrose Retirement Communities

Primrose Retirement Communities invites everyone to its facility at 889 N Elkhorn Dr., off Lucille Street, from 8 to 10 a.m., the first Tuesday of each month. The next community breakfast is Jan. 4.

MOMS Club open house Tuesday

Palmer MOMS Club open house is Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. at the Mat-Su Borough gym.

Kiwanis Club meets Tuesdays

Kiwanis Club of Palmer meets at noon, Tuesdays at Turkey Red in Palmer.

Mayoral forums set for Jan. 6 and 7

Two Mat-Su Borough Mayor’s candidate forums are scheduled during the first week of January. Candidates will participate in a 90-minute borough-wide forum broadcast live at 5:30 p.m., Jan. 6, 2011, at the Alaska Club in Wasilla. The Wasilla and Palmer Chambers of Commerce and the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman are sponsors for this forum. The next day, Jan. 7, the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau’s forum is at noon at Turkey Red in downtown Palmer. For more information about the Jan. 7 event, or to RSVP for the luncheon, call Justin Saunders at 746-5032 or send e-mail to Justin@alaskavisit.com.

Ski and snowboard at Alyeska

Mat-Su Ski and Snowboard Club Inc. is sponsoring a program on alternating Saturdays beginning on Jan. 8 and 15. For $300, participants receive round-trip motorcoach transportation, lift tickets and two lessons for eight outings. For more information, e-mail matsusnow@mtaonline.net or visit matsusnow.org.

VCRS open house

Valley Community for Recycling Solutions open house celebration is at 3 p.m., Jan. 6 at 9456 E. Chanlyut Circle, in Palmer. To get there, take 49th State St., turn right before entering the Mat-Su Borough Central landfill. For more information, call 745-5544.

Dealing with chronic illness classes begin Jan. 6

A free class addressing chronic illnesses of any type meets at 1 p.m. from Jan. 6 through Feb. 10 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension office, 809 S. Chugach St. in Palmer. A similar class is at 1 p.m. from Jan. 17 through Feb. 21 at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. For more information, contact the Palmer Senior Center at 745-5454.

Mayors’ Ball is Jan. 29

A boroughwide Mayors’ Ball is planned from 8 to 11 p.m., Jan. 29, 2011, at the Palmer Moose Lodge. The Bill Tull Jazz Band will perform and all proceeds benefit Valley food banks. For more information, call 745- 3206.

Better Choices, Better Health Jan. 17

Better Choices, Better Health, a six-week chronic disease self-management class begins Jan. 6 at the UAF Cooperative Extension office at the Mat-Su Regional Hospital. Please sign up ahead at the Palmer Senior Center.

Ice fishing derby Feb. 5

“Getting Jiggy” Kids Ice Fishing Derby of the year for kids 3-16 is from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Feb. 5, 2011, at Knik Lake. All proceeds go to the “Alaska Make A Wish Foundation.” For more information, contact Paul Reed at prochevy@yahoo.com, or online visit themasterangler.com/forum/showthread.php?911-Official-2011-Gettin-Jiggy-Kids-Ice-Fishing-Derby&p=2710#post2710.