Burn a candle, save the planet
The Community School's Environmental Club will hold a candlelight vigil on Saturday, Dec. 12, to show support for global climate change, being discussed this week by world leaders in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The club is supporting an action initiated by 350.org, an international organization dedicated to reducing carbon dioxide in the environment. It is organizing candlelight vigils and other activities worldwide on Saturday.
The Community School's Environmental Club vigil is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Ketchum Town Plaza across from Atkinsons' Market. The public is invited to participate. Free treats will be provided.
The Environmental Club explained in a news release that a goal of 350.org is to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, a level that the organization states is a "safe limit for humanity." According to 350.org, the current level of CO2 is about 387 parts per million.
YMCA to host Middle School Mania
The Wood River Community YMCA in Ketchum will host Middle School Mania on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 6:30-9 p.m. Participants must be in sixth, seventh or eighth grade. Activities will include rock climbing, movies, a live band, dancing, billiards, and a pizza dinner.
The cost for the evening is $10, plus a small donation to the Y's current food drive. Please register in advance at the front desk of the YMCA by calling 727-9622.
Free ski demos this weekend
The Elephant's Perch, Backwoods Mountain Sports and Lost River Sports will offer free ski demos this weekend. An event Saturday will be for cross-country skiers at Galena Lodge and will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Along with free demos, the stores will also offer free mini-lessons on the hour from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Galena will charge a trail fee of $10.
An event Sunday will be for telemark and alpine touring at Bald Mountain's River Run base, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants can purchase a special $26 all-mountain pass for Baldy. This day will also include free demos and free telemark mini-lessons at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Smart Growth to hold open house
People can meet Citizens for Smart Growth's new executive director, Nathan Welch, on Wednesday, Dec. 16, from 3-7 p.m. at the Smart Growth office at 113 E. Bullion St., Suite C, in Hailey.
Enjoy hot drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and holiday cheer. For details, call 788-8813.
Galena Winter Benefit tickets on sale
The Blaine County Recreation District and the Galena Trails Advisory Council will hold the 14th annual Galena and the Trails Winter Benefit on Saturday, Jan. 16, in the Sun Valley Inn Limelight Room.
No tax dollars are used to support Galena or the trails, making the funds raised at the benefit crucial to keeping the facilities open.
Individual tickets are $85. Premier Sponsorship tables of 10 cost $1,750, regular tables of 10 are $850 and tables of eight are $650. All include dinner and wine.
The evening features a live and silent auction, plus a raffle for a combined Sun Valley ski pass and a youth pump bike donated by Scott USA. Live auction items include trips to Paris and Mexico and Nordic vacation packages.
An online auction option will be available beginning Dec. 20. More details will be coming soon at bcrd.org.
For ticket information, call the Recreation District office at 788-2117.
H1N1 vaccination clinics open to all
People of all ages and levels of health can now get their H1N1 vaccinations through clinics offered by South Central Public Health District.
The free clinics are scheduled throughout December at the district office in Bellevue, as well as those in Twin Falls, Jerome, Rupert, Gooding and Burley. To schedule an appointment in Bellevue, call 788-4335. To schedule an appointment at the other offices, call (208) 737-1137. Vaccinations are by appointment only and will be offered based upon availability of weekly vaccine shipments.
Everyone expecting a vaccination will need to fill out a brief consent form. No insurance information is required. Consent forms are available at each clinic or can be printed off the Health District Web site—www.phd5.idaho.gov—and filled out ahead of time to move through the clinic process quicker.
The H1N1 influenza virus has followed a similar path to previous flu pandemics. The numbers of people infected have dropped this month, but health officials said they believe the virus may return for a third round over the winter months. The district encouraged all people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and to slow the spread of the virus.
For information on the clinics, visit www.phd5.idaho.gov or call the H1N1 toll-free hotline at (866) 450-3594.
Bellevue lights up
The annual Light Up Bellevue holiday celebration will take place Saturday, Dec. 12, with an arts and crafts market at Oak Street Foods, 109 Oak St., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Santa Claus will visit Oak Street from 3-5 p.m., followed by the lighting of the city's holiday tree at the Bellevue City Museum at 5:30 p.m.
The celebration is being organized by local businesses in conjunction with the city of Bellevue.
Lookout Express chair to open
The Lookout Express quad chairlift on Bald Mountain is scheduled to open Saturday, Dec. 12.
Three more runs on the River Run side of the mountain—Ridge, Blue Grouse and Lower College—were scheduled to make their season debut today.
For more, go to www.sunvalley.com.
Free smoke detectors available
The Hailey Fire Department has received a donation of 30 ionization-type smoke detectors from the Idaho section of the American Nuclear Society. These smoke detectors are available to any household in the valley.
The department stated that even though the smoke detectors use nuclear technology, the amount of radiation in them is very small. However, people should not dismantle the detector or otherwise allow the americium in it to become airborne.
Anyone who would like a detector or who would like his or her current detector tested can contact the Fire Department at 788-3147.
