The board of directors of Homer Children’s Services and Birth 2 Three will meet on 6 p.m. May 19 at 3691 Ben Walters Lane, Suite 4. For more information please call Audrey at 235-6044 or Patti at 235-7391.

The Kachemak Bay Research Reserve Community Council invites you to their next regular meeting May 26 from noon-3 p.m. at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center.  For more information, please contact Amy Alderfer at 226-4656.

The Center- South Peninsula Behavioral Health Services will hold its monthly board of directors meeting 6 p.m. May 20 at 3948 Ben Walters Lane.

KACHEMAK BAY CAMPUS
Registration for the Kachemak Bay Writers Conference is going on now, http://writersconference.homer.alaska.edu
Registration for all fall semester classes is now going on; www.homer.alaska.edu
Registration now is being held for the summer workshop “Marine Vertebrates”, 6/25-27, held at Kasitsna Bay Lab.
Registration is being held for “Landscape Photography” to be held July 31- Aug. 14 with Taz Talley. Advanced registration required.
KBay Writers’ Conference Public Literary Readings with visiting noted authors; June 12, 8 p.m.; June 13, 8 p.m. and June 14, 7:30 p.m.
Continuing: KBC Student Art Show: Campus Commons

Kenai Peninsula Fair
The Kenai Peninsula Fair is looking for costumed story tellers to tell stories from the mini stage during the fair, Aug. 20-22.  If you would like, dress up and become a story teller for the children at the fair.
Alaska’s Got Talent and we want to see it.  The Kenai Peninsula Fair is holding semi-finals for “Alaska’s Got Talent.”
The 2010 Kenai Peninsula Fair Exhibit Guide is now online.  Check out our Web site at www.kenaipeninsulafair.com.  There you will find the complete exhibit guide and much more.  Contact the fair office at 567-3670 or kpsfair@acsalaska.net for more details.

Homer Chamber of Commerce
Chamber Luncheons:
1st Annual Alaskan Veterans Halibut Fishing Tournament, 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, May 21, 2010. Questions please visit www.akvft.org.
Chamber Mixer: Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery & Café, 5-7 p.m. May 27. Join the Chamber and The Sourdough. Location: 1316 Ocean Dr. Open to the public. Owners Kevin and Donna Maltz cordially invite you to an evening of fresh, local, organic food and bakery items. An array of tantalizing door prizes too! Spirited music by members of the Kilcher Family. For more information: Chamber 235-7740 or The Sourdough 235-7374.

Get to Know Homer
Friday, May 14th, 9:30am-1pm.  Location: Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Presentations on everything you want to know about Homer! Accommodations, dining, recreational activities, the harbor, camping areas, across the bay lodging and activities, and much much more! Snacks and lunch provided. Door prize:  free ride on the new Seldovia Ferry! This is a great event for employees who work with visitors, visitor center staff and volunteers and any one wanting to learn more about Homer!  For more information:  235-7740.

1st Annual Alaskan Veterans Halibut Fishing Tournament
Friday May 21st, 2010 starting at 6AM – 6 PM
Check in time at Derby Headquarters on the Spit to get your boat assignments before leaving the harbor.
We need your liability forms signed and proof of insurance to Paula before the Tournament.
Anyone who wants to participate we welcome you so we can get you set up and on the list.
For more information please call Paula at 907-399-2436 or Jack at 907-529-5174.
Thanks for your helping in saying Thank You to those who have put their lives to keep ours safe!
 
Chamber Luncheons (2 for May!)
Legislative Session Wrap-up
Tue., May 11, 12-1:00pm.  Presenters: Senator Stevens and Representative Seaton
This is a presentation on the recent legislative session and will include a question and answer period!  Location: Best Western Bidarka. Lunch is available:  $12 for members, $14 for non members.  Open to the public. For more information:  235-7740.
 
The Requirements of Small Business to Employees
Tue., May 18, 12-1:00pm.  Presenter: Joe Dunham of the Department of Labor
This is a presentation on the legal requirements small business owners have to their employees .  Location: Best Western Bidarka. Lunch is available:  $12 for members, $14 for non members.  Open to the public. For more information:  235-7740.
 
Chamber Mixer:  Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery & Cafe
5-7 pm, Thursday, May 27.  Join the Chamber and The Sourdough. Location: 1316 Ocean Dr.  Open to the public. Owners Kevin and Donna Maltz cordially invite you to an evening of fresh, local, organic food and bakery items.  An array of tantalizing door prizes too!  Spirited music by members of the Kilcher Family.
For more information:  Chamber 235-7740 or The Sourdough 235-7374.
 
Check Local – Buy Local: Check out the Discounts around Town!
View and download the March discounts at participating area stores by going to the Check Local page of the chamber’s website:  www.homeralaska.org .  Each of these businesses also holds a monthly customer appreciation drawing.  Businesses interested in participating in the Check Local- Buy Local program can contact Alyssa at 235-7740.
 
Kachemak Kitchens – 2nd Edition Cookbook- Order On-line!!
Celebrating the Homer Chamber of Commerce’s 60th Anniversary with the 2nd edition of Kachemak Kitchens cookbook. New recipes from local chefs and former chamber directors. Historical photos. Cookbooks now available on-line on the Homer Chamber website:  www.homeralaska.org. Cookbooks can also be purchased locally at the Homer Chamber & Visitor Center and many other local businesses! Businesses can purchase cases of the cookbook at a reduced price to sell at their own store. Contact NOMAR: 235-8363.
 
Community Events Calendar:   www.homeralaska.org/events
Advertise your Homer area community event for free on the Homer Chamber’s website event calendar. Email your information to info@homeralaska.org

WINTER HOURS THROUGH FRIDAY MAY 14
Tuesday through Sunday 12-5, closed Mondays
 
RETURN TO SUMMER HOURS
Beginning Saturday May 15, Open Every Day 10am-6pm
 
FISH FEEDINGS
Every Tuesday and Friday at 4pm in the Marine Room at Pratt Museum
Help feed the intertidal creatures in the aquaria.  Fish feeding is fun, free and all are welcome!
 
SHOREBIRD FESTIVAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER WELCOME RECEPTION 
Friday May 7 from 4-6pm
Meet this year’s Keynote Speaker Peter Harrison, as well as Festival special guest artist Patty Lekanoff-Gregory.  Enjoy refreshments and browse the current museum exhibits.  No admission.
 
FEATHERS & FOLDING
Sunday May 9 from 1-3pm
This annual Shorebird event offers kids and companion adults the opportunity to learn about bird feathers and make an origami bird.  Museum admission applies.
 
INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY
Tuesday May 18, 10am-6pm Free Admission
Pratt Museum offers free admission this day to celebrate International Museum Day.  This year’s theme is ‘Museums for social harmony’.  Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among people.
 
QUILTERS’ RECEPTION TEA
Tuesday May 18 from 10am-noon
Sponsored by the Patrons of the Pratt Society (POPS), this reception will officially unveil this year’s raffle quilts made by the Kachemak Bay Quilters Group.

 
UPCOMING EXHIBIT 
SAILING FOR SALMON:
An Exhibit Celebrating 125 Years of Commercial Fishing in Bristol Bay
May 21 through August 1, 2010, Pratt Museum Special Exhibits Gallery
This exhibit celebrates 125 years of commercial fishing in Bristol Bay, 1884-2009 
Stop by the Museum this summer and watch Dave Seaman of the Wooden Boat Society as he restores a Bristol Bay Double Ender.
Friday May 21 opening reception 5-7pm
Includes a 6pm Presentation by Melvin Munson, Sr., Tim Troll and John Branson
And bring your favorite salmon appetizer or dish to the Pratt by 4:30pm to share at the Sailing for Salmon opening reception. Get creative: Find your favorite salmon recipes – bring some to share – taste the best of Homer’s salmon . . . and put a gold star on your favorite dish!  The best salmon dish will receive a People’s Choice Award and win a gift certificate to the fabulous Pratt Museum Store! 
 
CURRENT EXHIBITS
BACKYARD, ALASKA
March 19 through May 16, 2010, Pratt Museum Special Exhibits Gallery
Michael Walsh and Asia Freeman’s exhibit explores stories, truths, myths, feats and failures memorialized in our backyards.  Since pioneering days, we Alaskans have been known to hoard a lot of stuff.  Our backyards don’t conceal as much as they reveal shared experiences and dilapidated dreams. Working with found objects, moving images and sound, collaborating multi-media artists reveal down-home Alaskan experiences for Backyard, Alaska.
 
JUBILEE! 2010: CELEBRATING YOUNG ARTISTS
April 2 through May 9, 2010, Pratt Museum Contemporary Art Gallery
This exhibit features the work of local students’ talent in the arts.
 
KACHEMAK BAY: AN EXPLORATION OF PEOPLE AND PLACE
Pratt Museum permanent exhibit
This innovative exhibit is a complete redesign of the Pratt’s main galleries, with Phase I completed in 2004. Community-based videos, photo essays, computer interactives, and visitor-controlled remote video technology take visitors beyond the museum walls to historic and contemporary life around Kachemak Bay, providing an intimate means of understanding people and place.
 
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Various education programs are taking place throughout the year at the Pratt.  Check out our website for more details at Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. and click on our calendar of events
 
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
MASST (Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training) Gallery Hosts wanted. 
Ongoing
If you’re 55 or older, sign up for the MASST program through the Job Center and come work at the Pratt’s Admissions Desk or as a Gallery Host.

Bunnell Street Arts Center
Leah Danberg, Kelp Sculptures on exhibit May 7 – June 2. Using Pacific kelp to create sculptural baskets in geometric flat-weave and round baskets with shawls of kelp bladders, Danberg has been a fiber artist and basket maker since 1984.  She studied with a number of renowned national teachers.  She constructs her vessels primarily from the abundant natural plant material she collects in Southern California, where she lives, using a variety of techniques

Karin Franzen Crane Tapestries on exhibit, May 7- June 2. Long-time Alaskan resident, Karin Franzen lives in Fairbanks. Days spent exploring the prairies and wetlands of South Dakota, where she was raised, initiated a love of the biological world that would eventually lead her to a degree in Biology with an Art minor. Franzen is now fulfilling the dream she had harbored since childhood-a life as a full-time studio artist. Franzen uses the skills honed over a lifetime-drawing, mathematics, structural design, sewing, and an understanding of biology-to create her work.

60 Artists in The Plate Project on exhibit through May 31. The 17th annual Plate Project, Bunnell’s Annual membership drive, opened April 30. Plates are premiums for arts center membership and anyone can join.  Pick a plate when you give a $100 membership or more. Coordinated by artistic dynamo, Ahna Iredale since its inception, the Plate Project is outstanding this year. The show will travel to Anchorage for a special membership party at Gina Hollomon and Ward Hulbert’s gallery in June. There are many fabulous plates to pick from and seventeen new artists participating! Plate shown painted by Michelle LaFriniere and created by Ahna Iredale.

Homer Connections Program  226-1880
Connections is currently enrolling new and returning students for the 2010/11 school year.  Please call to make an enrollment appointment.  Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by September 1, 2010.  All Kindergarten students and students new to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District must bring a photocopy of their birth certificate to the appointment.
May 24th:   The Connections Graduation ceremony will be held on Monday May 24th at 2:00pm at the Soldotna High School.

KACHEMAK BAY CAMPUS
Registration for all fall semester classes is now going on; www.homer.alaska.edu

Registration now is being held for summer workshop “Marine Vertebrates,” 6/25-27, held at Kasitsna Bay Lab.

“Landscape Photography” will be held July 31- Aug. 14 with Taz Talley. Advanced registration required.

Registration for the KBay Writers Conference is going on now; http://writersconference.homer.alaska.edu

Continuing: KBC Student Art Show; Campus Commons

Meetings
KESA Board Meeting, 7 p.m., May 13 at McNeil Canyon Fire Station (Mile 12 East End Road). The meeting agenda is posted at the Fire Station and the Borough Office, 206 E. Pioneer Homer, AK 99603.

Homer Animal Friends meeting, 5:30 p.m., May 11, Homer Library. Homer Animal Friends meets the second Tuesday of every month.

Homer Weight Watchers meets Mondays at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m., Christian Community Church. For more information, 399-4725.

The hospital auxiliary and interested membership meets the second Monday of the month to share reports financial statements and hospital news. For more information call 235-8101, ext. 1167, or members at 235-8235 or 235-7250.

South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board meets the second Thursday of the month at 6:30pm in the South Peninsula Hospital Conference room. For more information, 299-1994

The Rotary Club of Homer Downtown Meeting, 6 p.m., every Wednesday, upstairs banquet room, Best Western Bidarka Inn. Guests are welcome.

PRATT MUSEUM
Winter Hours
Tuesday through Sunday 12-5, closed Mondays

Fish Feedings
Every Tuesday and Friday at 4pm in the Marine Room at Pratt Museum
Help feed the intertidal creatures in the aquaria.  Fish feeding is fun, free and all are welcome!
 
Exhibits 
Backyard, Alaska
March 19 through May 16, 2010, Pratt Museum Special Exhibits Gallery
Michael Walsh and Asia Freeman’s exhibit explores stories, truths, myths, feats and failures memorialized in our backyards.  Since pioneering days, we Alaskans have been known to hoard a lot of stuff.  Our backyards don’t conceal as much as they reveal shared experiences and dilapidated dreams. Working with found objects, moving images and sound, collaborating multi-media artists reveal down-home Alaskan experiences for Backyard, Alaska.
 
JUBILEE! 2010: CELEBRATING YOUNG ARTISTS
April 2 through May 9, 2010, Pratt Museum Contemporary Art Gallery
This exhibit features the work of local students’ talent in the arts.
 
KACHEMAK BAY: AN EXPLORATION OF PEOPLE AND PLACE
Pratt Museum permanent exhibit
This innovative exhibit is a complete redesign of the Pratt’s main galleries, with Phase I completed in 2004. Community-based videos, photo essays, computer interactives, and visitor-controlled remote video technology take visitors beyond the museum walls to historic and contemporary life around Kachemak Bay, providing an intimate means of understanding people and place.

Homer Chamber of Commerce
Volunteers Needed at the Chamber of Commerce. Volunteers at the Chamber are needed to help greet visitors, answer phones, assist with special projects and help with a variety of office tasks.   Meeting and greeting the visitors who are so excited to be here is an absolute blast! Please call the Chamber at 235-7740 to sign up to volunteer. 

18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
The 18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival is this week: May 6-9, 2010.  Presenting Keynote speaker Peter Harrison speaking on the Albatross, and over 50 workshops, presentations and field events for all ages and all birding skill levels, as well as numerous arts and entertainment opportunities.  Complete Festival details, including the schedule of events and registration form are available at www.homeralaska.org/shorebird.htm.  Events are filling quickly, so register soon in person, by fax or mail, or online. Walk-in registration at the Chamber begins at 8 a.m. on May 6. Contact 907-235-7740 or shorebirdster@gmail.com for more information. 
 
Chamber Luncheons. Legislative Session Wrap-up
12-1 p.m. May 11, 12-1:00pm.  Presenters: Senator Stevens and Representative Seaton and The Requirements of Small Business to Employees, 12-1 p.m. May 18, Presenter: Joe Dunham of the Department of Labor. This is a presentation on the legal requirements small business owners have to their employees .  Location: Best Western Bidarka. Lunch is available:  $12 for members, $14 for non members.  Open to the public. For more information:  235-7740. 
Get to Know Homer, May 14, 9:30 a.m.-1p.m.  Location: Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Presentations on everything you want to know about Homer! For more information:  235-7740.
 
 Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby
The Derby started May 1s and goes through September 30. 
Check out www.halibutderby@homeralaska.org or call Paula at 907-235-7740 or cell phone 907-399-2436.  See you at the weigh station!
 
 Chamber Mixer:  Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery & Cafe
5-7 p.m., May 27, 1316 Ocean Dr.  Open to the public. For more information:  Chamber 235-7740 or The Sourdough 235-7374.
 
Check Local – Buy Local: Check out the Discounts around Town!
View and download the March discounts at participating area stores by going to the Check Local page of the chamber’s website:  www.homeralaska.org .  Each of these businesses also holds a monthly customer appreciation drawing.  Businesses interested in participating in the Check Local- Buy Local program can contact Alyssa at 235-7740.
 
Kachemak Kitchens-  2nd Edition Cookbook- Order On-line!!
Businesses can purchase cases of the cookbook at a reduced price to sell at their own store. Contact NOMAR: 235-8363.
 
Community Events Calendar:     www.homeralaska.org/events
Advertise your Homer area community event for free on the Homer Chamber’s website event calendar. Email your information to info@homeralaska.org

Islands and Ocean Visitor Center
Beginning Tuesday, May 4th: Visitor Center Open 10am-5pm, Daily
Brown Bag: Environmental Contaminants: Sources and Regional Trends in Alaskan Fishes
Tue, May 4, at 12:00pm
The presence of environmental contaminants in fish has been a major concern and has raised questions regarding the benefits of consuming fish as part of a healthy diet. In Alaska, there are few industrial sources for these contaminants and long range…

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
Thu, May 6 to Sun, May 9, 2010
To register stop by the Chamber of Commerce, calll 907-235-7740, or visit www.homeralaska.org
Jr. Birders Lab
Fri, May 7, 2010 from 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Learn about local birds and earn a special Jr. Birder patch. For ages 5 – 8. This is a free family event.

Kachemak Bay Birders’ First Saturday

On Saturday, May 1st, a presentation will be given on the American Dipper by Kathy Hocker at 9:30 am at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center.  This will be followed by the Kachemak Bay Birders’ First Saturday trip to Seaside Farms. Mossy Kilcher will be the leader of this trip, and we will be meeting there at 11:00. Seaside Farms is 5 miles out East End Road. There is also some parking at the top of the hill; please park so the driveways are not blocked.

This trip is cosponsored by the Kachemak Bay Birders and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Everyone is welcome to attend.  For more information, call Michael Craig at 235-0631.

War on Weeds at the Homer Public Library
from 9-5 p.m. May 1s and May 17. Come help us to beautify the library landscape by bringing your gloves, shovels or spades to dig up the various invasive weeds trying to take hold.

Homer Connections Program
Ongoing:  Reading Fluency Assessments (DIBELS/CBM) will be given by appointment for Homer Connections students in grades K – 3rd from Monday April 26th through Friday May 7th.  Please call our office for an appointment.

April 30th:  Homer Connections graduating seniors need to turn in their senior surveys and photographs to the Homer Connections office by Friday April 30th.

April 30th:   The deadline for submitting Requests for Reimbursement to the Homer Connections office is Friday April 30th.

Connections is currently enrolling new and returning students for the 2010/11 school year.  Please call to make an enrollment appointment.  Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by September 1, 2010.  All Kindergarten students and students new to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District must bring a photocopy of their birth certificate to the appointment.

A First Friday Celebration of Teen Art

The Homer Foundation Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) has selected R.E.C., a youth resource and enrichment center, as their focus this year.  The new center is run as a program of the Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic and is located in the house directly behind the Clinic at 5937 Neilson Ct., just off Ben Walters Lane.

The YAC and the Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic are hosting a First Friday Celebration of Teen Art, and are inviting the community to see the new facility, learn about upcoming programs, view art from many of Homer’s best middle and high school artists, and snack on delicious treats.

For more information please contact Brett Glidden at 299-7808 or Joy Steward at The Homer Foundation 235-0541.

Meetings

Homer Weight Watchers meets Mondays at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m., Christian Community Church. For more information, 399-4725.

The hospital auxiliary and interested membership meets the second Monday of the month to share reports financial statements and hospital news. For more information call 235-8101, ext. 1167, or members at 235-8235 or 235-7250.

South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board meets the second Thursday of the month at 6:30pm in the South Peninsula Hospital Conference room. For more information, 299-1994

The Rotary Club of Homer Downtown Meeting, 6 p.m., every Wednesday, upstairs banquet room, Best Western Bidarka Inn. Guests are welcome.

PRATT MUSEUM

WINTER HOURS
Tuesday through Sunday 12-5, closed Mondays

FISH FEEDINGS
Every Tuesday and Friday at 4pm in the Marine Room at Pratt Museum
Help feed the intertidal creatures in the aquaria.  Fish feeding is fun, free and all are welcome!

PRATT VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION
Friday April 30, two sessions:  12noon and 3pm
The Volunteer Orientation is an opportunity for past, present and future Volunteers to meet the Staff at the Pratt Museum and have a brief tour of the Museum.  This is a community based event. All are welcome!  Now is a good time to share your local knowledge with the many tourists coming to Homer this summer.  Volunteer time is a valuable donation to your community museum.

EXHIBITS

BACKYARD, ALASKA
March 19 through May 16, 2010, Pratt Museum Special Exhibits Gallery
Michael Walsh and Asia Freeman’s exhibit explores stories, truths, myths, feats and failures memorialized in our backyards.  Since pioneering days, we Alaskans have been known to hoard a lot of stuff.  Our backyards don’t conceal as much as they reveal shared experiences and dilapidated dreams. Working with found objects, moving images and sound, collaborating multi-media artists reveal down-home Alaskan experiences for Backyard, Alaska.

JUBILEE! 2010: CELEBRATING YOUNG ARTISTS
April 2 through May 9, 2010, Pratt Museum Contemporary Art Gallery
This exhibit features the work of local students’ talent in the arts.

KACHEMAK BAY: AN EXPLORATION OF PEOPLE AND PLACE
Pratt Museum permanent exhibit
This innovative exhibit is a complete redesign of the Pratt’s main galleries, with Phase I completed in 2004. Community-based videos, photo essays, computer interactives, and visitor-controlled remote video technology take visitors beyond the museum walls to historic and contemporary life around Kachemak Bay, providing an intimate means of understanding people and place.
Homer Chamber of Commerce

Homer Sign Workshop
With Dottie Harness from the City of Homer.  This workshop will explain Homer’s sign standards for sign size, sign height and temporary signs.   Date:  Tuesday, April 27th at 4:30pm. Workshops will be approximately 45-60 minutes.   Location: Chamber conference room.  You do not need to register or sign up.  Free and open to the public. Sponsored by:  Homer Chamber of Commerce and the City’s Planning and Zoning Office.
Presented by:  Dotti Harness-Foster, Planning and Zoning 235-8121 x2239.

Clean Up Day May 1st, 2010
Spring is here and let’s make Homer Shine again!  Clean-Up Day will be May 1st starting at 11am – 3pm. at the Homer Chamber of Commerce Parking lot.  Clean up Bags are available at the Chamber, Fritz Creek General Store, HHS, Fire Hall, Pudgy’s and Two Sister’s Bakery.
Kachemak Lions Club will be serving FREE LUNCH @NOON and will be giving away four bikes with helmets to some really lucky kids, Register to WIN.  Hidden prizes around town in hot spots that need help, redeem $10 with a bag of Trash and collect $10 at the chamber on May 1st.
Clothing drive for adult and kids of all sizes, help needed for Big Brothers Big Sisters.  See you May 1st rain or shine, Homer needs our help!
And it is a great way to help make our feathered friends feel welcome as they wing back into town for the Shorebird Festival!
Call Paula at the chamber to donate or to volunteer at 907-235-7740

18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
The 18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival is May 6-9, 2010.  Themed Partners around the Pacific: Common Waters, Uncommon Birds, the Festival presents Keynote speaker Peter Harrison speaking on the Albatross.  Complete Festival details including the schedule of events and registration form are available at www.homeralaska.org/shorebird.htm.  Printed programs are available in Homer at the Chamber of Commerce and the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.  Programs are available throughout the state, contact the Chamber for a list of these locations. Contact Festival Coordinator Christina Whiting at 907-235-7740 or shorebirdster@gmail.com for more information and to be added to the mailing or e-mail list.

Chamber Luncheons (2 for May!)
Legislative Session Wrap-up
Tue., May 11, 12-1:00pm.  Presenters: Senator Stevens and Representative Seaton
This is a presentation on the recent legislative session and will include a question and answer period!  Location: Best Western Bidarka. Lunch is available:  $12 for members, $14 for non members.  Open to the public. For more information:  235-7740.

The Requirements of Small Business to Employees
Tue., May 18, 12-1:00pm.  Presenter: Joe Dunham of the Department of Labor
This is a presentation on the legal requirements small business owners have to their employees.  Location: Best Western Bidarka. Lunch is available:  $12 for members, $14 for non members.  Open to the public. For more information:  235-7740.

Get to Know Homer  May 14th
Friday, May 14th, 9:30am-1pm.  Location: Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Presentations on everything you want to know about Homer! Accommodations, dining, recreational activities, the harbor, camping areas, across the bay lodging and activities, and much much more! Snacks and lunch provided. Door prize:  free ride on the new Seldovia Ferry! This is a great event for employees who work with visitors, visitor center staff and volunteers and any one wanting to learn more about Homer!  For more information:  235-7740.

Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby
Fish On!!  Halibut derby season just around the corner, let’s go fishin!
Derby starts May 1st and goes through September 30th.  New this year, don’t
Have to fish to WIN.  Just buy and derby ticket and get put into our random
Drawing at the end of our season for a chance to win $500.
Check out our web site  www.halibutderby@homeralaska.org or call Paula at 907-235-7740 or cell phone 907-399-2436.  See you at the weigh station!

Chamber Mixer:  Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery & Cafe
5-7 pm, Thursday, May 27.  Join the Chamber and The Sourdough. Location: 1316 Ocean Dr.  Open to the public. Owners Kevin and Donna Maltz cordially invite you to an evening of fresh, unbelievably delicious food and bakery items – door prizes too!
For more information:  Chamber 235-7740 or The Sourdough 235-7374.

Check Local – Buy Local: Check out the Discounts around Town!
View and download the March discounts at participating area stores by going to the Check Local page of the chamber’s website:  www.homeralaska.org .  Each of these businesses also holds a monthly customer appreciation drawing.  Businesses interested in participating in the Check Local- Buy Local program can contact Alyssa at 235-7740.

Kachemak Kitchens-  2nd Edition Cookbook- Order On-line!!
Celebrating the Homer Chamber of Commerce’s 60th Anniversary with the 2nd edition of Kachemak Kitchens cookbook. New recipes from local chefs and former chamber directors. Historical photos. Cookbooks now available on-line on the Homer Chamber website:  www.homeralaska.org. Cookbooks can also be purchased locally at the  Homer Chamber & Visitor Center and many other local businesses! Businesses can purchase cases of the cookbook at a reduced price to sell at their own store. Contact NOMAR: 235-8363.

Islands and Ocean

HOURS
Tuesday through Saturday from 12noon-5pm
Looking for Alaska’s Bats
Fri, Apr 23, 2010 from 7:00pm – 8:00pm in Auditorium
Join ADF&G wildlife biologist Marian Snively for a fascinating look at Alaska’s bats. Learn about our little brown bat, bat conservation issues, how to build a bat house, and how to participate in ADF&G’s Citizen Science Bat Program….
KBay Birders Monthly Meeting
Mon, Apr 26, 2010 from 5:00pm
Brown Bag: Environmental Contaminants: Sources and Regional Trends in Alaskan Fishes
Tue, May 4, 2010 from 12:00pm – 1:00pm in Auditorium
The presence of environmental contaminants in fish has been a major concern and has raised questions regarding the benefits of consuming fish as part of a healthy diet. In Alaska, there are few industrial sources for these contaminants…
Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
Thu, May 6 to Sun, May 9, 2010
Jr. Birders Lab
Fri, May 7, 2010 from 3:00pm – 5:00pm in Lab Classroom
This is the kick-off event and required for kids age 5 – 8 who want to earn their Jr. Birder Patch during Shorebird Weekend. This is a free family event. Second and third year returning participants will be eligible for special recognition and prizes.

Kachemak Bay Quilters Quilt Show will be May 8-9 at the Elks Lodge. Please drop off quilts at Seams to Bee, May 3, 4 and 5 from 12-5 p.m. For information call 235-6973.

The Kachemak Bay Birders’ next monthly meeting will be Monday, April 26th at 5:00 pm at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center.  Anyone who is interested in birding, birds and their habitats, citizen science or would just like to know more about our organization, is welcome to attend.
For more information, contact Lani Raymond (235-9477) or Michael Craig (235-0631).

Early Registration for Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference 8am-5pm, ongoing, KBC. Advanced registration with a reduced registration fee is now being held till April 30.

Parent to Parent Classes, 7-9 p.m., April 22, May 6, May 13, May 20 Homer Middle School. A locally presented workshop which gives parents the knowledge and necessary skills to help raise children.

Kenai Peninsula Cooperative Weed Management Area Annual Weed Workshop 9AM to 3PM, with an additional Plant Identification Workshop from 3PM to 4PM Friday, April 30th, 2010

Kachemak Bay Campus
FREE, no registration required. Talks on non-chemical methods of weed control, reed canarygrass threats to salmon habitat, controlling hawkweed species, EPA requirements for spraying, & more.

Artist in the Schools
1:00 April 30th West Homer Elementary School is pleased to announce the continuation of its Artist in the Schools program, funded by the Alaska Council of the Arts.

Homer’s Annual Electronics Recycling Event
Date: Saturday, April 24 from 10am-3pm.  Location: Spenard Builders Supply on Lake Street.  First 100 participants receive a free Compact Fluorescent bulb from HEA.  Household: $15 per vehicle with additional costs for monitors and TVs.  Business: 35 cents per pound, must schedule an appointment. Non Profits: 25 cents per pound with proof of 501 ©3 status, by appointment only. For more information contact Nina Faust: 235-6262. This event is cosponsored by the Homer Chamber, Cook Inletkeeper, and other local and statewide organizations.

Pratt Museum

WINTER HOURS
Tuesday through Sunday 12-5, closed Mondays
 
FISH FEEDINGS
Every Tuesday and Friday at 4pm in the Marine Room at Pratt Museum. Help feed the intertidal creatures in the aquarium.  Fish feeding is fun, free and all are welcome!
  
Pratt Volunteer Orientation
Friday April 30, two sessions:  12noon and 3pm
The Volunteer Orientation is an opportunity for past, present and future volunteers to meet the Staff at the Pratt Museum and have a brief tour of the Museum.  This is a community based event. All are welcome! Now is a good time to share your local knowledge with the many tourists coming to Homer this summer. Volunteer time is a valuable donation to your community museum.

EXHIBITS 

BACKYARD, ALASKA
March 19 through May 16, 2010, Pratt Museum Special Exhibits Gallery.
Michael Walsh and Asia Freeman’s exhibit explores stories, truths, myths, feats and failures memorialized in our backyards.  Since pioneering days, we Alaskans have been known to hoard a lot of stuff.  Our backyards don’t conceal as much as they reveal shared experiences and dilapidated dreams. Working with found objects, moving images and sound, collaborating multi-media artists reveal down-home Alaskan experiences for Backyard, Alaska.
 
JUBILEE! 2010: CELEBRATING YOUNG ARTISTS
April 2 through May 9, 2010, Pratt Museum Contemporary Art Gallery.
This exhibit features the work of local students’ talent in the arts.
 
KACHEMAK BAY: AN EXPLORATION OF PEOPLE AND PLACE
Pratt Museum permanent exhibit
This innovative exhibit is a complete redesign of the Pratt’s main galleries, with Phase I completed in 2004. Community-based videos, photo essays, computer interactives, and visitor-controlled remote video technology take visitors beyond the museum walls to historic and contemporary life around Kachemak Bay, providing an intimate means of understanding people and place.
 
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Various education programs are taking place throughout the year at the Pratt.  Check out our website for more details at www.prattmuseum.org and click on our calendar of events
 
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
MASST (Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training) Gallery Hosts wanted. 
Ongoing 
If you’re 55 or older, sign up for the MASST program through the Job Center and come work at the Pratt’s Admissions Desk or as a Gallery Host.

Islands and Ocean Visitor Center
Visitor Center Hours
Tuesday – Saturday from noon – 5pm *Beginning May 5 we’ll be open every day from 10am-5pm

Brown Bag Talk: Hot and Cold: The archaeology of Japanese World War II military bases in Micronesia and Kiska
Tue, Apr 20, 2010 from 12:00pm
Based on Professor Dirk Spennemann’s research and site visits in both the South and North Pacific, his talk will follow the rapid expansion of the Japanese military through the Southern, Central and Northern Pacific in the opening months of WWII.
Earth Day Family Birding Walk
Thu, Apr 22, 2010 from 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Join Research Reserve staff and birders Carmen Field and Jessica Ryan to find spring migrants in and along Beluga Slough. The walk will start at the visitor center’s patio and wind up at Bishops Beach. Warm clothes and rubber boots are recommended
Homer’s Nesting Songbirds – by Mossy Kilcher
Thu, Apr 22, 2010 from 6:30pm
Free talk sponsored by the Kachemak Bay Birders. Door prizes, refreshments, everyone is welcome!!
Looking for Alaska’s Bats
Fri, Apr 23, 2010 from 7:00pm
Biologist Marian Snively will introduce AK Dept. of Fish & Game’s bat monitoring program and share how citizens can get involved in this fun, outdoor science project.
 
Homer Sign Workshop
With Dottie Harness from the City of Homer.  This workshop will explain Homer’s sign standards for sign size, sign height and temporary signs.   Dates:  Tuesday, April 27th at 5:10pm. Workshops will be approximately 30-45 minutes.   Location: Chamber conference room.  You do not need to register or sign up.  Free and open to the public. Sponsored by:  Homer Chamber of Commerce and the City’s Planning and Zoning Office. Presented by:  Dotti Harness-Foster, Planning and Zoning 235-8121 x2239.
 
18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
The 18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival is May 6-9, 2010.  Themed Partners around the Pacific: Common Waters, Uncommon Birds, the Festival presents Keynote speaker Peter Harrison speaking on the Albatross.  Complete Festival details including the schedule of events and registration form are available at www.homeralaska.org/shorebird.htm.  Printed programs are available in Homer at the Chamber of Commerce and the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.  Programs are available throughout the state, contact the Chamber for a list of these locations. Contact Festival Coordinator Christina Whiting at 907-235-7740 or shorebirdster@gmail.com for more information and to be added to the mailing or e-mail list.
 
Clean Up Day May 1st, 2010
Clean up Day is nearing and the Homer Chamber is looking for anyone interested in helping donate prizes and or volunteer for the event.  Anyone interested in being apart of this team contact Paula at the Chamber 235-7740 or email halibutderby@homeralaska.org and reference: Clean-up Day.
 
Check Local – Buy Local: Check out the Discounts around Town!
View and download the April discounts at participating area stores by going to the Check Local page of the chamber’s website:  www.homeralaska.org .  Each of these businesses also holds a monthly customer appreciation drawing.  Businesses interested in participating in the Check Local- Buy Local program can contact Jenny at 235-7740. 

Pratt Museum
WINTER HOURS
Tuesday through Sunday 12-5, closed Mondays

FISH FEEDINGS
Every Tuesday and Friday at 4pm in the Marine Room at Pratt Museum
Help feed the intertidal creatures in the aquaria.  Fish feeding is fun, free and all are welcome!

PRATT VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION
Friday April 30, two sessions:  12noon and 3pm
The Volunteer Orientation is an opportunity for past, present and future Volunteers to meet the Staff at the Pratt Museum and have a brief tour of the Museum.

EXHIBITS
BACKYARD, ALASKA
March 19 through May 16, 2010, Pratt Museum Special Exhibits Gallery
Michael Walsh and Asia Freeman’s exhibit explores stories, truths, myths, feats and failures memorialized in our backyards.

JUBILEE! 2010: CELEBRATING YOUNG ARTISTS
April 2 through May 9, 2010, Pratt Museum Contemporary Art Gallery. This exhibit features the work of local students’ talent in the arts.

KACHEMAK BAY: AN EXPLORATION OF PEOPLE AND PLACE. Pratt Museum permanent exhibit
This innovative exhibit is a complete redesign of the Pratt’s main galleries, with Phase I completed in 2004. Community-based videos, photo essays, computer interactives, and visitor-controlled remote video technology take visitors beyond the museum walls to historic and contemporary life around Kachemak Bay, providing an intimate means of understanding people and place.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Various education programs are taking place throughout the year at the Pratt.  Check out our website for more details at www.prattmuseum.org and click on our calendar of events

MASST (Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training) Gallery Hosts wanted.
If you’re 55 or older, sign up for the MASST program through the Job Center and come work at the Pratt’s Admission Desk or as a Gallery Host.

Homer College, Career and Job Fair
Friday, April 16th, 9:30am-3:30pm.  Location: Kachemak Bay Campus East, 533 E. Pioneer Ave.  Information on training and college programs, financial aid, resumes, interviewing, and employment. Free and open to the public.  For more information on the Fair, contact KBC: 235-7743. The fair is co-sponsored by:  Kachemak Bay Campus-KPC/UAA, Homer Chamber of Commerce, Homer News, Project Grad, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development / Homer Job Center and the Youth Job Training Program.

Homer’s Annual Electronics Recycling Event
Date: Saturday, April 24 from 10am-3pm.  Location: Spenard Builders Supply on Lake Street.  First 100 participants receive a free Compact Fluorescent bulb from HEA.  Household: $15 per vehicle with additional costs for monitors and TVs.  Business: 35 cents per pound, must schedule an appointment. Non Profits: 25cents per pound with proof of 501 ©3 status, by appointment only. For more information contact Nina Faust: 235-6262. This even is cosponsored by the Homer Chamber, Cook Inletkeeper, and other local and statewide organizations.

Chamber Luncheon: South Peninsula Hospital & American Cancer Society
Tue., April  20, 12-1:00pm.  Presenter:  South Peninsula Hospital and Mary Whalen from the American Cancer Society. The topic will be cancer resources and programs on the lower Kenai Peninsula.  Come learn about new physicians, technology, programs and resources available for cancer patients in our community.  Location: Best Western Bidarka. Lunch is available:  $12 for members, $14 for non members.  Open to the public. For more information:  235-7740.

Homer Sign Workshop
With Dottie Harness from the City of Homer.  This workshop will explain Homer’s sign standards for sign size, sign height and temporary signs.   Dates:  Thursday, April 22 at 12:10p and Tuesday, April 27th at 5:10pm. Workshops will be approximately 30-45 minutes.   Location: Chamber conference room.  You do not need to register or sign up.  Free and open to the public. Sponsored by:  Homer Chamber of Commerce and the City’s Planning and Zoning Office.
Presented by:  Dotti Harness-Foster, Planning and Zoning 235-8121 x2239.

Clean Up Day May 1st, 2010
Clean up Day is nearing and the Homer Chamber is looking for anyone interested in helping donate prizes and or volunteer for the event.  Anyone interested in being apart of this team contact Paula at the Chamber 235-7740 or email halibutderby@homeralaska.org and reference: Clean-up Day

South Peninsula Hospital
Two free opportunities for nursing training. All nurses welcome:
Alaska Nurse Alert System
Learning about the nurse pool and how to participate in our response to disaster
Free, no registration needed; offers 2 nursing CEU’s.
Friday, April 9; 6:30-8:30 p.m.
203 West Pioneer Avenue, SPH Training Center

Disaster Triage
Learning what’s next when dealing with mass casualties and crisis management.
A continuing education event for nurses offering 2 CEU’s.
Free, no registration needed
Saturday, April 10, 10 a.m.-12 noon

203 West Pioneer Avenue, SPH Training Center

Homer Chamber of Commerce
Homer College, Career and Job Fair
Friday, April 16, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.  Location: Kachemak Bay Campus East, 533 E. Pioneer Ave.  Information on training and college programs, financial aid, resumes and interviewing, and employment. Free and open to the public.  For more information on the Fair, contact KBC: 235-7743.

Homer’s Annual Electronics Recycling Event
Date: Saturday, April 24 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.  Location: Spenard Builders Supply on Lake Street.  First 100 participants receive a free Compact Fluorescent bulb from HEA.  Household: $15 per vehicle with additional costs for monitors and TVs.  Business: 35 cents per pound, must schedule an appointment. Non Profits: 25cents per pound with proof of 501 ©3 status, by appointment only. For more information contact Nina Faust: 235-6262. This even is cosponsored by the Homer Chamber, Cook Inletkeeper, and other local and statewide organizations.

Chamber Luncheon: South Peninsula Hospital & American Cancer Society
April  20, 12-1 p.m.  Presenter:  South Peninsula Hospital and Mary Whalen from the American Cancer Society. The topic will be cancer resources and programs on the lower Kenai Peninsula.  Come learn about new physicians, technology, programs and resources available for cancer patients in our community.  Location: Best Western Bidarka. Lunch is available:  $12 for members, $14 for non members.  Open to the public. For more information:  235-7740.

Homer Sign Workshop
With Dottie Harness from the City of Homer.  This workshop will explain Homer’s sign standards for sign size, sign height and temporary signs.   Dates:  Thursday, April 22 at 12:10 p.m. and Tuesday, April 27 at 5:10 p.m. Workshops will be approximately 30-45 minutes.   Location: Chamber conference room.  You do not need to register or sign up.  Free and open to the public. Sponsored by:  Homer Chamber of Commerce and the City’s Planning and Zoning Office.
Presented by:  Dotti Harness-Foster, Planning and Zoning 235-8121 x2239.

18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
The 18th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival is May 6-9, 2010.  Themed Partners around the Pacific: Common Waters, Uncommon Birds, the Festival presents Keynote speaker Peter Harrison speaking on the Albatross.  Complete Festival details including the schedule of events and registration form are available at .  Printed programs are available in Homer at the Chamber of Commerce and the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.  Programs are available throughout the state, contact the Chamber for a list of these locations. Contact Festival Coordinator Christina Whiting at 907-235-7740 or for more information and to be added to the mailing or e-mail list.

Clean Up Day May 1st, 2010
Clean up Day is nearing and the Homer Chamber is looking for anyone interested in helping donate prizes and or volunteer for the event.  Anyone interested in being apart of this team contact Paula at the Chamber 235-7740 or email and reference: Clean-up Day.

Check Local – Buy Local: Check out the Discounts around Town!
View and download the March discounts at participating area stores by going to the Check Local page of the chamber’s website: Each of these businesses also holds a monthly customer appreciation drawing.  Businesses interested in participating in the Check Local- Buy Local program can contact Jenny at 235-7740.

Homer Connections Program
Required SBA/HSGQE testing for all Connections students in grades 3rd -10th and HSGQE retakes for students in grades 11th -12th will be given on Tuesday, April 6, Wednesday, April 7, and Thursday, April 8 starting at 8:45 a.m. each day. Contact the Homer Connections office for testing locations.

The deadline for submitting Requests for Reimbursement to the Homer Connections office is Friday, April 30.

Connections
The SBA Science test for Homer Connections students in grades 4, 8, and 10 will be given on April 1 at 8:45 a.m., Glacierview Church.

Required SBA/HSGQE testing for all Connections students in grades 3 – 10 and HSGQE retakes for students in grades 11 – 12 will be given on April 6-8, 8:45 a.m. each day. Contact the Homer Connections office for testing locations.

The Homer Connections office has Standards Based Assessment SBA/HSGQE Practice Tests and Scoring Guides available for Connections students in grades 3-10.

Connections: The Battle of the Books K-2 group meets Wednesdays, 4-5 p.m. at the Homer Public Library, grades 3 and 4 meets Thursdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m., at the Homer Connections office.

Homer Seniors
Senior Center lunches are served to seniors, their guests and families, Monday – Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.. All lunches include full salad bar and dessert, 235-7655.

Homer Senior Citizens, Inc.’s Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Ninilchik Seniors
Events: Monday, quilting, 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesdays, scrap-booking, 12:30-4 p.m.; mens night, 6-9 p.m.; Friday, knitting, 12:30-3:30 p.m.

The South Peninsula Hospital Foundation has awarded $1,870 to students at the Kachemak Bay Campus of Kenai Peninsula College in the form of two C.N.A. scholarships and one allied health scholarship for the spring 2010 semester.

Meetings

The Center – South Peninsula Behavioral Health Services will hold its monthly board of director’s meeting on March 25, 6 p.m., 3948 Ben Walters Lane. Please use the west-side entrance of the building. Open to the public. For more information, 235-7701.

Homer Garden Club meeting, March 28, 2 p.m., Best Western Bidarka Inn. Discussion on “Easy Rock Gardening” and a photo presentation with Verna Pratt, Alaska’s renowned master gardener and author of books on Alaskan wild plants and flowers.

The Kachemak Emergency Service Area Board meeting, March 25, 7 p.m., McNeil Canyon Fire Station located at 53048 Ashwood Ave. (12 Mile East End Road). The meeting agenda is posted at the Fire Station and the Borough Office on 206 E. Pioneer Ave.

The Homer Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will meet at the home of J. Ellis, March 28, 12:30 p.m. The topic is “Happiness and the ‘Chamber of Wrath.’” All are welcome. For more information, 235-6349 

The Kachemak Bay Birders monthly meeting, March 29, 5 p.m., Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Anyone who is interested in birding, birds and their habitats, citizen science or would just like to know more about our organization, is welcome to attend. For more information, 235-9477 or 235-0631.

Homer Weight Watchers meets Mondays at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m., Christian Community Church. For more information, 399-4725.

The hospital auxiliary and interested membership meets the second Monday of the month to share reports financial statements and hospital news. For more information call 235-8101, ext. 1167, or members at 235-8235 or 235-7250.

South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board meets the second Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the South Peninsula Hospital Conference room. For more information, 299-1994

The Rotary Club of Homer Downtown Meeting, 6 p.m., every Wednesday, upstairs banquet room, Best Western Bidarka Inn. Guests are welcome.

Schools   

The Alaska Bible Institute Graduation Banquet, March 31, 6 p.m., open to adults and high school students. A free will offering will be taken to cover expenses.  Please RSVP to the ABI office, 235-8648 or email abi@xyz.net.  All are welcome to join us in this celebration. Sorry, child care not available. 

The Alaska State Employees Association, Kachemak Bay Chapter is offering a scholarship in the amount of $500 to a graduating senior from the Kachemak Bay area. This scholarship is available to a senior that wants to further his/her education at an accredited college, university of technical school. The deadline for submitting the application is April 1, 2010. Applications are available through your school counselor or can be picked up at Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game front desk.

Connections

The SBA Science test for Homer Connections students in grades 4, 8, and 10 will be given on April 1, 8:45 a.m., Glacierview Church. 

Required SBA/HSGQE testing for all Connections students in grades 3 – 10 and HSGQE retakes for students in grades 11 – 12 will be given on April 6 – 8, 8:45am each day.  Contact the Homer Connections office for testing locations.