Hello Harlem

Hello Harlem! By now, the extreme cold snap from a few weeks ago is a distant memory. Hope everyone made it through okay and stayed warm. The first day of Spring is March 20. That’s right around the corner! We’ll definitely take some more snow and moisture, but that polar vortex can stay up in the Arctic as far as I’m concerned.

The Big Flat Lutheran Churches will be holding a rotating Soup Supper and Lenten service during the season of Lent each Thursday at 6:00 pm. Locations: Hogeland on March 13, March 27 and April 10. Turner on March 20 and April 3. All are welcome to attend.

Stations of the Cross will be held on the Wednesdays of Lent at St. Thomas Church beginning at 6:30 pm. Dates include March 12, 19, 26 and April 2 and 9. Everyone is welcome to attend.

The Methodist/Presbyterian Church will be hosting a Lenten Bible Study at 10:00 am on Sundays through April 6. A soup lunch will follow each Sunday. Everyone is welcome to attend.

St. Thomas Apostle Church will be holding a potluck supper after 5:00 pm Mass on Saturday, March 15 in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. All are welcome to attend.

MSU Extension at Ft. Belknap will be hosting gardening classes during the month of March. Current classes include Seed Starting on Wednesday, March 12 beginning at 12:00 pm at Hays Senior Center and Friday, March 14 beginning at 10:00 am at Hays Diabetes Prevention Office. All are welcome.

Mark your calendars now! The 2025 March Madness Calcutta Auction will take place on Monday, March 17 beginning at 7:00 pm at Kennedy’s Bar. This annual fundraiser for the Harlem Civic Association will feature all 68 NCAA men’s tournament teams actioned off to the highest bidders. 4 brackets will also be actioned off. 32 teams paid from proceeds. Supper will be served at 6:00 pm and everyone is welcome to attend. This event has always been a lot of fun so plan to attend and help support the Civic Association.

The 2025 North American Indigenous Boxing Championship will take place at Ft. Belknap on March 22 – 23. For information, contact Warniky at 406-353-5185 or Richard at 406-353-5423.

Harlem Clean-Up Day, sponsored by the Harlem Civic Association, will be held Wednesday, April 22 from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Large black bags will be available at City Hall at 4:00 pm. Leave bags at your curb or boulevard for pick-up by 7:00 pm. Hotdogs and Nachos will be given out at 7:00 pm at City Hall as well as the chance to win a gift card to The Corner Hub. Let’s all pull together and help clean up and beautify our town as we enter the Spring season.

Looking for ways to give back to your community? The City of Harlem is accepting letters of interest from potential volunteers for the Harlem Fire Department. All volunteers must pass a background check and physical examination as well as complete provided annual training. Send interest letters to Mayor Chris Green, City of Harlem, PO Box 579, Harlem MT 59526.

Upcoming Meetings to attend: Harlem City Council will meet on Monday, April 8 at 6:00 pm at City Hall. Harlem Civic Association will meet on Monday, April 15 at 6:00 pm at City Hall. **Note: there will not be a Harlem Civic Association meeting in March. Upcoming holidays: Wednesday, March 12 is National Girl Scout Day, St. Patrick’s Day is Monday, March 17, St. Joseph’s Day is Wednesday, March 19, International Happiness Day is Thursday, March 20 – let’s all get happy!

Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour in case you forgot. Daylight Savings Time began on Sunday, March 9.

Parting Words: As we emerge from the recent cold snap a few days ago, I am sure we are all noticing more coughing, sneezing and runny noses. Yes, that infamous time of year known as “cold and flu season.” For the average healthy person, having a cold or even the flu, while unpleasant, is something that we live with, manage the best we can and recover from relatively quickly. But we must also be aware of those around us who can really be put in harm’s way by these diseases, especially the elderly, the very young and those who are immune-compromised. So what can we do to protect ourselves and others during this time of year? Here’s some important tips to remain healthy, recover quickly and be considerate of those around us: First, stay up to date on vaccines. Covid, flu and pneumonia vaccines are available. There’s been a lot of pseudo-science and bad information in the press lately about vaccines, but they really work (how many of us get the measles anymore). Check with your health care provider for availability and requirements. Next, stay home if you’re sick. Respiratory diseases are airborne diseases. Coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose all help spread your germs into the air that we all have to breath. Also, if you’re sick, your body needs rest to recover, so think about taking a day off and taking care of yourself. It’s also important to wash your hands often with soap and warm water. Ever think about how much we touch our face throughout the day? Well, it just so happens that the germs that cause these illnesses enter our bodies through our mouth and nose. So keep those hands clean after touching so much during your day. It goes without saying that you should cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. And don’t be afraid to wear a mask when sick. No, masks do not stop all the germs from getting out there, but yes, they prevent a good deal of them. Let’s stay healthy this winter season Harlem, and let’s do our best to take care of those around us. Have a good week everyone!

If you know of an upcoming event or have an interesting story to share from our community, please submit it to helloharlem21@gmail.com.