Smart Moves Challenge underway
The 11th annual Smart Moves Challenge, sponsored by Mountain Rides, runs through Friday, Aug. 19. Prizes include a 2012 Sun Valley season ski pass.
All that's necessary to enter is to get out of your car—walk, bike, carpool, bus, skateboard, rollerblade or unicycle. Trips can be logged on Trip Trackers, available at Hailey or Sun Valley/Ketchum visitor information centers, or on online forms available at www.mountainrides.org.
Participates are eligible for a raffle ticket for every 10 trips. Winners will be drawn at The Wicked Spud Back Alley Benefit Party on Wednesday, Aug. 24, from 6-9 p.m.
Breast cancer group to meet
St. Luke's Center for Community Health will hold a breast cancer information and networking group on Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 5:30--6:30 p.m. at St. Luke's Center for Community Health, 1450 Aviation Drive, Suite 200, in Hailey. This group provides a supportive, informative and networking venue for cancer survivors.
Call St. Luke's Center for Community Health at 727-8733 for more information.
Free blood pressure checks
St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center will offer free blood pressure checks at the Hailey Post Office from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month through October. No appointment is necessary.
Sign up for language exchange
The second session of The Hunger Coalition's Language in the Garden, a language and culture exchange bringing English- and Spanish-speaking community members together weekly, begins Monday, Aug. 8.
Participants engage in light garden work while conversing on predetermined topics in both languages. Topics range from cooking and nutrition to planting and harvesting. Vocabulary lists are available.
Interested participants are asked to register online by Aug. 5 at HYPERLINK "http://www.thehungercoalition.org"www.thehungercoalition.org, and commit to attend three consecutive classes held on Mondays from 5:30--7 p.m. at The Hope Garden in Hailey. Maximum class size is 12. Additional information is available by calling 788-0121.
Ketchum project nominated for award
Northwood Place, an affordable housing project in Ketchum, has been named as a finalist in a trade magazine's readers' choice awards.
Affordable Housing Finance highlighted Northwood Place and three other projects in the rural finalists category in its July/August issue.
"Careful insulation and other energy-efficiency measures keep the energy costs low—one resident reported utility bills averaging just $20 a month this past winter, a fifth of the typical cost to heat and power a comparable apartment," the magazine states.
The complex, on Saddle Road just north of the Wood River Community YMCA, is the first affordable-housing project developed by the Ketchum Community Development Corp.
"With 100 percent occupancy since February and the largest noncommercial solar installation in Idaho, we are very proud of what we have been able to accomplish in conjunction with the city, " said Jon Duval, executive director.
Foundation reaches $500,000 mark
The Wood River Women's Charitable Foundation will give more than $92,000 to local nonprofits at its Aug. 9 annual meeting, which also will mark a much larger milestone.
As of the meeting, the foundation will have given half a million dollars to the Wood River community.
The meeting will be held from 3-5 p.m. at the Valley Club. Grants will be presented to The Hunger Coalition, Senior Connection, the Advocates for Survivors of Domestic Violence, Planned Parenthood, Blaine County Education Foundation, Wood River Fire & Rescue and the Wood River Community Orchestra.
The foundation was founded in 2005 to engage women of Blaine County in the power of collective giving. Each member donates $1,000 plus a $75 administrative fee. Today they are 117 members.
Anyone interested in attending should contact Carole Schiefele-Holmes at 726-6826 or HYPERLINK "mailbox://C|/Users/splasse/AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/5vvj45u1.default/Mail/pop3.mtexpress.com/bencarol@aol.com" bencarol@aol.com. More information is at www.wrwcf.org.
BC Transportation Plan
Blaine County is kicking off its transportation planning process today with an open public meeting with engineering firm Keller Associates.
The county has received a $50,000 grant to evaluate the improvement needs of all county roads.
Keller Associates has teamed with local firm Galena Engineering.
The meeting will be held from 5-7 p.m. tonight, Aug. 3, at the Old Blaine County Courthouse in Hailey.
Foundation sets photo contest
The Croy Canyon Ranch Foundation has launched a photo contest seeking portraits and photographs that focus on the "Circle of Caring" theme. The contest is centered around photos depicting people sharing with and caring for each other.
"The summer vacation period is full of photo opportunities to catch that magic moment shared between family members and friends," said Executive Director Kathleen Eder.
Photographers may enter up to three photographs.
Model releases are required for photographs in which a person is recognizable. Informational flyers may be picked up at Flolo's Imaging Center in Hailey and F-Stop Camera and Video in Ketchum. Details, application forms and prize announcements are available on the Croy Canyon website; www.croycanyonranch.com under the photo contest tab.
Land, water, wildlife projects proposed
On Thursday, Aug. 4, the Blaine County Land, Water and Wildlife Levy Advisory Board will consider applications for two conservation projects to be completed through levy funding.
The first is for $108,151 to protect 721 acres of the Bar B Ranch with a perpetual conservation easement
The Flat Top Sheep Co. is requesting $300,000 to protect 1,114 acres of land with a perpetual conservation easement. Both easements would be monitored and enforced by The Nature Conservancy.
The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. upstairs in the Old Blaine County Courthouse in Hailey.
$25,000 for SV Adaptive Sports
Sun Valley Adaptive has received a $10,000 Quality of Life grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
Sun Valley Adaptive Sports will use the funds for its Higher Ground Flight School, which will allow veterans with spinal cord injuries to experience paragliding.
The award was one of 77 grants totaling more than $508,000 awarded by the Reeve Foundation to nonprofit organizations nationwide that aid people living with paralysis, their families and caregivers.
Tony Furtado to play at Mahoney's
Tony Furtado will play at Mahoney's Bar and Grill in Bellevue on Sunday, Aug. 7.
One of the valley's favorites, Furtado is described as an "extremely skilled musician with a riveting voice who blends rock music with Americana, folk and pop.
The free, family-friendly outdoor show will start about 6:30 p.m.
