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.

Wasilla musician to perform at Wildberry Theater Friday

Wasilla musician Shonti Elder will perform songs from her new CD “Bow Drawn,” at 7:30 p.m., Friday at the Alaska Wildberry Theater, 5225 Juneau St., Anchorage. She will perform with members of “Wings to Fly,” and “Jubilee.” Advance tickets are $15 or $10 for students and seniors. At the door, tickets are $17. Tickets are available online at Alaskawildberryproductions.com. For more information, call (907) 562-8858.

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.

Festival of Lights Friday

Talkeetna’s Denali Arts Council is hosting the 21st anniversary of the Festival of Lights from 7 to 8 p.m., Friday. This will be a non-denominational celebration of the holiday season complete with a forum for community members to gather, sing seasonal songs, tell stories or recite poems. The event is free, however cans of food will be accepted for The Food Bank. Anyone interested in helping out or participating in the celebration can contact Nick Condon at 355-5382.

Alaska State Fair

Holiday Ball is Friday

Alaska State Fair’s annual Holiday Ball is at 8 p.m., Friday at Raven Hall on the fairgrounds. Cost is $30 per person or $200 for a table of eight. Tickets are available online at alaskastatefair.org. For more information, or to purchase tickets by phone, call 745-4827.

Rebuilding Haiti dinner and

fund-raiser is Saturday

A silent auction fundraiser and dinner will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Babcock Fine Arts building on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway in Wasilla. All of the proceeds of this event will go directly to support Global Outreach International in their Haitian Earthquake Relief effort and the men of Trailhead Weslyan Church in their travels to Haiti. Auction items include Anchorage Concert Chorus tickets, a Kenai Fjords Wildlife Cruise, and much more. Dinner tickets are $10. For more information, visit trailheadak.org or call 357-3448.

Mee to sign copies of

new book Saturday

Longtime staffer for Sen. Ted Stevens, Barbara Mee will sign copies of her new book “Senator Ted and Mee,” from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Sunday at the Alaska Veterans and Pioneers Home, 250 E. Fireweed, Palmer. And from 4 to 5 p.m., she will sign copies at Fireside Books, 720 S. Alaska Street, Palmer. For more information, or to order a copy online, visit www.alaskabooksandcalendars.com.

Mat-Su Orchestra hosts

Christmas concert

The Matanuska-Susitna Orchestra will perform a Christmas concert at 3:30 p.m., Saturday at the Palmer United Protestant Presbyterian Church. The Matanuska Susitna Youth Orchestra will perform a short program prior to the concert. The Colony Christmas parade of lights and fireworks in downtown Palmer will follow the concert. For more information, contact Kent McMartin at kent@mtaonline.net.

Colony Christmas open

house Saturday

The Colony House Museum will open its doors from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday as part of Palmer’s community wide Colony Christmas celebration. The museum will be decked out in a style of days past and holiday treats and treasures will be found at the dining room Bake Sale table. Guests will also enjoy caroling around the 1895 Colony family piano. For more information, contact Gerry at 745-1935.

‘Moments in Alaska’ in Talkeetna

The Talkeetna Artists Guild will host Kym Swift’s “Moments in Alaska” from 4 to 7 p.m., Saturday. Her work includes an eight panel salmon run, flora and fauna, and scenes depicting moments in Alaska. This is a free family event and the work will be on display until early January.

Creamery open house Saturday

An open house is planned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday at Matanuska Creamery on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. The open house includes the creamery’s cheese, milk, ice cream and fresh local eggs. Other vendors participating are VanderWeele Farms, NonEssentials, French Oven Bakery and Don Berberich.

‘The Gallery’ to display Girard art exhibit

Mat-Su Valley artist Douglas F. Girard will be at The Gallery, 1150 S. Colony Way in Palmer, from noon to 4 p.m., Saturday. He will introduce three new giclees in miniature sizes as well as displaying other original works and prints. Girard also is the 2010 Alaska Railroad artist and he did a 75th anniversary print of the Colonists arrival in Palmer.

‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ Auditions this weekend

Valley Performing Arts will be auditioning for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 251 W. Swanson Ave. in Wasilla. Director Kevin Cochran is looking for 16 actors, men between the ages of 20-60 and women between 20-45 for various roles. Bring a recent photo of yourself to the audition. For more information, contact 373-0195 or visit valleyperformingarts.org.

Christmas gun show Saturday and Sunday

The Grouse Ridge Rangers Youth Shooters present a Christmas gun show and holiday extravaganza from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla. There will be more than 100 vendors featuring shooting, hunting and gun-related items. There will also be 30 vendors featuring craft items and gift ideas. Admission is $5 for adults, children under 10 are free. Tables are still available, contact 373-0961 for more information.

Gingerbread House Contest Dec. 11-12

The Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce is having a Gingerbread House Contest Saturday and Sunday. Categories are children, general public, business, and AVPH residents. You may deliver your house to the Alaska Veterans and Pioneer Home from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Dec. 9 and at 11 a.m., Dec. 12 for judging. Entry information is available at palmerchamber.org or e-mail director@palmerchamber.org.

‘Sing We Christmas’ is Sunday

The Mat-Su Community Chorus presents “Sing We Christmas” at 6 p.m., Sunday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 4400 E. Elmwood, Palmer. The concert is free and doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Sunday is the deadline to register for ‘Santa’s Workshop’

AMVETS Post 11, 951 Hermon Rd., is sponsoring Santa’s Workshop from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dec 17-19. Space is limited to the first 200 children ages 3 to 10 to apply by Dec. 12. Applications can be picked up at AMVETS Post No. 11 from 2 p.m. until closing.

Steak feed fund-raiser Sunday

Pioneer Amateur Hockey Association’s sixth annual steak feed fund-raiser is from noon to 8 p.m., Sunday at the Palmer Moose Lodge, at 110 S. Cobb St. The menu includes New York steak and baked potato, salad and garlic bread. Proceeds benefit the “Gear up for Hockey” program, scholarships for players and also provide team tournament fees.

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.

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.

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. 14 is the reigning Mrs. Alaska, Tracy Zeda. Dec. 21 the speaker is Dr. Stacey Lowe from Life Family Chiropractics.

King Island Christmas fund-raiser Dec. 18

Tickets to the Dec. 18 performance of King Island Christmas are on sale now at Family Promise Mat-Su. Proceeds from the Dec. 18 performance benefits 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 Dec. 18

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

A wrapping party is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, 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., Dec. 18-19 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 Dec. 19

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 through Dec. 19. 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 Dec. 19

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.

Holiday tours at the reindeer farm

The Reindeer Farm in Palmer will offer holiday tours from noon to 9 p.m., Friday to Dec. 24. Tours include Christmas lights timed to music, reindeer tours, hay rides, smores 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. 15

A boroughwide Mayors’ Ball is planned from 8 to 11 p.m., Jan. 15, 2011, at the Palmer Railroad Depot. 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.