COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Woody Guthrie subject of Northwest lecture Sunday on Harstine Island

Olympia actor/teacher/musician/historian Joel Underwood brings the singer and the times to life with "That Ribbon of Highway: Woody Guthrie in the Pacific Northwest" at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Harstine Island Community Hall, 3371 E. Harstine Island Road North.

The Harstine Island Community Club, in association with Humanities Washington, hosts the Inquiring Minds series. Admission is free. To get to the hall, turn left off the Harstine Island bridge and then drive 3 miles north.

Underwood taught high school history for 25 years before earning a master's degree in American history with a focus on folk and protest music. He received the Woody Guthrie Fellowship and was granted access to the Woody Guthrie Archives in Tulsa, Oklahoma to research the singer's time in the World War II Merchant Marines. Underwood continues to tour as a musician, both solo and with his daughter.

The Inquiring Minds series continues with Peter Blecha and "Stomp and Shout: The Untold Story of Northwest Rock & Roll" at 2 p.m. Feb. 25; Harriet Baskas and "Weird, Wonderful and Worrisome Objects in Washington State's Museums" at 2 p.m. March 24; and Des Moines resident and screenwriter Steve Edmiston on "UFO Northwest: How Washington State Spawned Men in Black" at 2 p.m. April 28.

Annual meeting for Hood Canal group

The Hood Canal Improvement Club hosts its 2024 annual meeting Feb. 6 at the Union Fire Hall, 50 E. Seattle St., in Union.

Everyone is welcome. Chat and enjoy refreshments from 5:30 to 6 p.m. The meeting is from 6 to 7 p.m., and includes a recap of the club's 2023 activities, a review of the 2023 budget, and a planning session for this year. Board members welcome comments from the community. For more information, email [email protected] or go to http://www.hoodcanalimprovementclub.org.

Tickets on sale for murder mystery shows

Tickets are available for Connection Street Theatre's Valentine's Murder Mystery Dinner at 6 p.m. Feb. 14, 7 p.m. Feb. 15 and 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at Faith Lutheran Church, 1212 Connection St., Shelton.

The Feb. 14 dinner and show features boneless pork ribs and shrimp skewers and tickets are $35. Tickets for the Feb. 15 dessert buffet and show are $10, and can be purchased at the door. The Feb. 16 dinner and show features a spaghetti meal and tickets for $25.

Reservations can be made http://www.atkeystonecenterartsandsci.com/acting-out.

Soup & Song benefit helps families

The Shelton-based nonprofit Love INC hosts its annual Soup & Song benefit concert at 4 p.m. Feb. 3 at Shelton Presbyterian Church, 1430 E. Shelton Springs Road, Shelton.

Tickets are $20 and are available at the Love INC office at 109 Second St., downtown Shelton, or by calling the office at 360-462-5683.

Gabe Sartori and his family will perform worship music. Local harpists Emily Hageman and her daughter Ellen will also perform.

The event includes seven homemade soups, a live auction of dozens of desserts, and the raffling of themed baskets and table centerpieces.

Love INC and its 25 partner churches provide people in need with goods and services such as clothing, blankets, furniture, backpacks for kids, diapers, medical equipment and financial help.

Annually, the nonprofit organization helps more than 1,500 families.

Create tiny art piece for North Mason library show

The North Mason Timberland Library is inviting people of all ages to create an art piece from a kit provided by the library to be displayed during February at Tiny Art Show 2024.

The art kit includes a miniature canvas, paints and a brush. Create an art piece on the 4-by-3-inch canvas and turn it in by Jan. 31. The kits are available while supplies last.

Candidate meet-and-greet

Take Back Mason County is hosting a meet-and-greet for Brad Klippert, who is running for Superintedent of Public Instruction, at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at PUD 3's auditorium at 2621 E. Johns Prairie Road. The event is free.

Contact Rebecca Bechtolt at [email protected] with any questions.