Holiday season starts in full swing this week

Editor's notes: Anyone with upcoming holiday events they want in Havre Weekly Chronicle can email [email protected] or call Tim Leeds at 406-265-6795.

Events celebrating the holiday season get underway in full swing this week, with a community Thanksgiving Dinner and a slate of activities set for Saturday.

The Havre-Hill County Library already started, with wagon rides held last Saturday and a sling auction fundraiser for Friends of the Library that began Friday and runs through Dec. 20. A notice about the fundraiser said it has many items to choose from and people can come into the library at 402 Third St. to place their bids.

And the decades-old Community Thanksgiving Dinner is again set to run Thursday in the St. Jude Parish Center at 440 Seventh Ave., with the dining room open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"The intention of this dinner is to provide a free Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings to all who wish to participate rich, poor, young, old, singles, couples and families," a release said. "The spirit of the project is to bring our community together as one big extended family to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday."

All supplies are paid for by an anonymous donor and are prepared by volunteers and Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods.

No meals are provided to go at the dining room in the Parish Center, but home deliveries are provided to people who are unable to make it to the center.

The deadline to reserve a delivered meal is 5 p.m. today, and can be reserved by calling North Central Senior Citizens Center 406-265-5464. Meals will be delivered on Thanksgiving Day between 9 and 11 a.m. People are asked to reserve one meal per person.

Thinks kick into high gear this Saturday, with the Gingerbread House Contest going all day at Ruff Realty at 104 Third Ave. and a Holiday Stroll and Business Bingo at participating Havre businesses from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Numerous events have their start, and many their finish, at the Town Square on the 300 Block of First Street.

Chili Fritos will be sold starting at 4:30 p.m., which is the start of Scouts Hot Cocoa Sale, with both running to 6:30 p.m. or until all is gone.

The Rudolph Run check in also is at 4:30 p.m. at Town Square, with the run starting at 5 p.m .

That is also when Santa is scheduled to arrive at the Square, with the annual tree-lighting set for 5:15 p.m.

Holiday give-aways will be at the square from 5:30-6 p.m.

Activities continue throughout the season, with Santa scheduled to arrive again, this time riding on the Santa Train, at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at the BNSF train depot.

Saturday, Dec. 7, Santa continues his activities, this time at Holiday Village Mall with Cookies and Books with Santa set for 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

That is to the backdrop of the Winterfest Craft and Vendor Show at the mall from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At 2 p.m., local law enforcement and Montana Special Olympics are again holding the Subzero Superhero Polar Plunge fundraiser for Special Olympics.

And Havre-Hill County Library has a Pajama Party set for Saturday, Dec. 14, a post on its website says, with showings of "Polar Express" at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.