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.

Santa Claus is coming to town

Wasilla’s Sportsman’s Warehouse, 1901 E. Parks Hwy., will host a Christmas with Santa event from noon to 5 p.m., Dec. 18-19.

Co-sponsors of the event include Devery Prince Allstate Agency and Valley Radio KMBQ 99.7.

The festival will feature free photos with Santa Claus from 1 to 5 p.m. both days, local school choir performances singing Christmas Carols, a Iditarod dog sled team on exhibit, kids’ games and prize raffles.

Santa will arrive via the Life Med Alaska helicopter, and a free raffle will be held for rides on the helicopter as well.

December pet food drive planned

Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue will sponsor a December “Pet Food Drive.” Saturday, the group will be at the Wasilla Pet Zoo collecting donations. Proceeds benefit the Houston Animal Shelter and the rescue group’s community outreach program for needy families. 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., Saturdays in December. For more information, call 745-7030.

Homesteaders artists’ bazaar

Homesteaders Country Store’s last artists’ bazaar of the holiday season is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Meadow Wood Mall at the corner of Big Lake Road and the Parks Highway.

Avalanche training

offered Saturday

Join NAOI from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday at Fox Run Lodge, 4466 S. Glenn Hwy, to learn practical skills for safe travel in avalanche terrain. Includes classroom, field exercises and interactive games. Topics include terrain assessment and management, snow behavior, weather and human factors. Space is limited. Early registration is $25 and $30 at the door. For more information, send e-mail to info@naoiak.org, or visit naoiak.org.

Meta Rose Christmas Bazaar

Meta Rose Christmas Bazaar is open seven days a week through Dec. 24.

Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. To add information about your holiday bazaar event, send e-mail to news@frontiersman.com.

Christmas ice show Saturday

More than 60 skaters will perform at Brett Memorial Ice Arena’s free Christmas ice show, “The Polar Express,” is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday. For more information, call 376-9261.

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.

Kiwanis Club meets Tuesdays

Kiwanis Club of Palmer meets at noon, Tuesdays at Turkey Red in Palmer. The speaker Dec. 21 is Dr. Stacey Lowe from Life Family Chiropractics.

King Island Christmas fund-raiser Saturday

Tickets to the Saturday performance of King Island Christmas are on sale now at Family Promise Mat-Su. Proceeds from the performance benefit the non-profit, which focuses on helping homeless families in the Mat-Su Borough. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 357-6160.

‘Berry Fairy’ book signing Saturday

Teresa Ascone, local author and artist, will sign her books, The Berry Fairies of Alaska and Book 2, Lizzie Scarlet at Fireside Books from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 18. Come and meet the author and artist and have your book personalized. For more information, visit alaskaberryfairies, or contact Fireside Books at 745-2665, or online at goodbooksbadcoffee.com.

Santa Cop wrapping party Saturday

A wrapping party is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Wasilla Senior Center. The event is open to anyone who wants to bring a dish and help Santa Cop participants wrap gifts for senior citizens. For more information about Santa Cop, visit www.matsusantacop.org.

Holiday shopping at Espresso Café

Do some holiday shopping while sipping your favorite coffee, from noon to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at the Espresso Café, 1265 South Seward Meridian Parkway, across from Wal-Mart in Wasilla. Select from fiber art scarves, wire crochet jewelry and more. For more information, contact 746-1614.

‘King Island Christmas’ production ends Sunday

Valley Performing Art’s production of King Island Christmas is at Machetanz Theater in Wasilla at 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m., Sundays. The final performance of this holiday show is Sunday. The musical is a uniquely Alaskan holiday story based on the book written and illustrated by Alaskans Jean Rogers and Rie Munoz. The performance tells the true story of 150 residents of a tiny island in the middle of the Bering Sea overcoming adversity to achieve the impossible. The Mat-Su Special Santa Program also is collecting unwrapped toys to be distributed for the Toys For Tots Program. Toys can be dropped off during any performance of King Island Christmas. Tickets cost $16 for youth and seniors and $18 for adults. To purchase tickets, call 373-0195 or visit www.valleyperformingarts.org.

Matanuska Valley Christmas bird count Sunday

The 31st Matanuska Valley Christmas Bird Count is Dec. 19. Valley field counters will attempt to count every bird seen inside of the Matanuska Valley Count Circle, a 15-mile diameter circle centered at Four Corners on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway at Trunk Road. Valley residents who live within 7.5 miles of Four Corners and have bird feeders in their yard can participate in our local count by counting the birds that visit their feeders on Dec. 19. For more information, visit matsubirders.org.

Angel Tree returns

Wasilla Physical Therapy is again a sponsor of the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. To make a donation, stop by Wasilla Physical Therapy and get a gift tag. Purchase a gift for the child on your tag and return the unwrapped gift to Wasilla Physical Therapy before Dec. 20. For more information, call 376-7334.

U.S. Post Office mail deadlines

U.S. Post Office deadline for First Class Mail is Dec. 20. For Priority Mail, the deadline for delivery by Christmas Day is Dec. 21. And for Express Mail, the deadline is Dec. 22, and the deadline for Parcel Post mail is Dec. 15.

Service of light on the longest night

Trinity Lutheran Church, 10355 Palmer-Wasilla Hwy., will conduct a quiet, meditative worship service at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 21; the day of the year with the longest night. The service includes special music, scripture, stories, silent reflection, healing prayer and communion. For more information, call 745-0726.

Christian Science Reading Room 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.

Holiday tours at the reindeer farm

The Reindeer Farm in Palmer will offer holiday tours from noon to 9 p.m., through Dec. 24. 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 online reindeerfarm.com.

Christmas Friendship Dinner Dec. 25

The 19th annual Christmas Friendship Dinner is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 25 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.

Wasilla Public Library holiday closures

The Wasilla Meta-Rose Public Library will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25, regular hours will resume on Dec. 27. The library will also be closed for New Years on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Regular hours will resume on Jan. 3.

MOMS Club open house Dec. 28

Palmer MOMS Club open house is Dec. 28 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Mat-Su Borough gym.

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. Participants requiring rental equipment will be charged an additional $120. Students may participate in both schedules for $550. 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.

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.