Canyon bike trail

Organizers for the Gateway to Glacier bike trail along U.S. 2 will meet at the Stonefly Lounge in Coram on Monday, Jan. 2, at 6 p.m. The group hopes to raise more than $100,000 as the match for grants to build a trail away from U.S. 2 from Coram to West Glacier. A grant opportunity will exist by October 2012, and the group will need to have half the matching funds by that time. The group hopes to meet monthly to press forward with their fundraising goal. For more information, e-mail Val Parsons at valannparsons@yahoo.com.

Little guys

Registration for Little Guy Wrestling will be held in the Columbia Falls High School gym foyer on Thursday, Jan. 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Forms are available online at www.cflittleguywrestling.com. The season will officially start on Monday, Feb. 13, and run about six weeks. For the Peewees (5 and 6 year olds) it will be a three-week season.

BNSF grant

The Glacier National Park Fund recently received a $55,000 grant from the BNSF Foundation to support free educational programs in Glacier National Park. With reports of possible National Park Service budget cuts, public-private partnerships have become even more important. The Glacier National Park Fund is the official fundraising partner for Glacier Park. The donation will be used to support interns for the winter ecology school program; a Girl Scouts of the USA centennial service program; an online citizen science program; half of the Park Happens After Dark astronomy program; the Discovery Cabin and Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program; creating Going-to-the-Sun Road podcasts; and a wildlife sighting notebook.

First Night

First Night Flathead will celebrate its 13th year of alcohol-free entertainment on New Year's Eve with 19 performances at venues across Kalispell. Music will range from Scottish bagpipes, fiddle contests and gypsy jazz to marimba, blues and cowboy songs. Admission buttons are $12 in advance, available in Columbia Falls at Bad Rock Books and Montana Coffee Traders, or $15 at the door at each venue. Children under-6 are admitted free. For more information, call 253-2471 or visit online at www.firstnightflathead.org.

Free meals

Free hot and delicious meals will be served by the Columbia Falls Community Kitchen in the basement of St. Richard's Catholic Church from Wednesday through Saturday, Dec. 28-31, beginning at 6 p.m.

Books needed

Literacy Volunteers of Flathead County will collect donated books dropped off at local food banks across the valley. For more information on book donations and volunteering as a tutor, call 257-7323 or visit online at www.literacyflathead.org.

Answer book

The 2012 edition of The Answer book, a comprehensive guide to services in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders counties, is now available through the United Way at the Gateway Community Center, in Kalispell. The Answer Book is also available online at www.montana211.com. People in need can find information about a variety of agencies, programs and service clubs and support groups that provide basic human needs such as food, clothing, rental assistance, transportation or gasoline. For more information about the local United Way, call 752-7266.