The Pitiful Players Present Alice and Wonderland
The Pitiful Players proudly present “Alice in Wonderland”. Shows will be in Troy Friday March 10, 7pm, at the Lincoln Theatre, Saturday March 11th, 7pm, in Libby at the KW Maki Theatre, and also Sunday March 12, 2pm at the KW Maki Theatre. All shows are Free and Fabulous Fun, , so bring your sense of Wonder and join Alice in her Great Adventure!!
For more information, call Keith Meyers at 406 293 9277.
Submitted by Keith Meyers
In The Know: Glaucoma
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By Karen Morrissette of The Montanian
Risk factors other than age include a family history of glaucoma, diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, sickle cell anemia, thin corneas, extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness, history of eye injury or previous surgery, and long-term use of corticosteroid medications. Often there are few or no symptoms of glaucoma until it is relatively advanced. Symptoms may come on very gradually, but they can include blurry vision and patchy blind spots in the peripheral vision. More acute forms of glaucoma can cause severe headache and eye pain, eye redness, sudden blurred vision, and halos around lights. If you develop signs of acute glaucoma, you should be seen by an eye doctor or emergency department as soon as possible. Blindness can develop quickly in these cases.
Diagnosis usually involves measurement of the intraocular pressure, a visual field test to check for blind spots, measurement of the corneal thickness, and dilation of the pupils for examination of the inside of the eye, often both manually and with imaging. Treatment, unfortunately, can not reverse damage already done to the optic nerve, but early intervention can help prevent further damage and blindness. Treatment may include various eye drops, oral medications, and sometimes surgery or laser therapy.
Because symptoms of glaucoma are often insidious, regular eye exams are especially important. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends a comprehensive eye exam every 5 to 10 years if you’re under 40 years old; every 2 to 4 years if you’re 40 to 54 years old; every 1 to 3 years if you’re 55 to 64 years old; and every 1 to 2 years if you’re older than 65. If you do notice changes in your vision, don’t hesitate to seek care from an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Big Sky Reads Program Awards $2,500 To Public Book Clubs Across The State
The Montana Center for the Book’s Big Sky Reads program recently awarded $2,500 to book clubs in five rural Montana communities. The Montana Center for the Book is a program of Humanities Montana and the state affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Its Big Sky Reads initiative supports public book clubs by providing groups with $500 stipends in addition to suggested reading lists and discussion questions for participants and facilitators.
“Literature brings people together,” said Kim Anderson, Humanities Montana interim director and the creator of the Montana Festival of the Book. “Public book clubs are the perfect place to inspire reflection, spark conversation and nurture the imagination. We are honored to serve remote communities as far west as Troy and as far east as Scobey through this intimate and impactful program.”
The Montana Center for the Book’s mission is to promote awareness of books, writing, reading, the book arts, publishing and literacy in the state. This winter, the five public book clubs to receive its Big Sky Reads stipends included:
Troy Library Second Thursdays Book Club: Focused on women’s social justice issues, this book club takes place at the Lincoln County Library Troy Branch on the second Thursday of each month at 4 p.m. To learn more, contact Sharee Miller at smiller@lincolncountylibraries.com or 406.295.4040.
Wedsworth Memorial Library Book Club: Led by retired University of Great Falls English education professor Dr. Penny Hughes-Briant, this book club will take place at the Wedsworth Memorial Library in Cascade at 5 p.m. on August 14, 2023, September 18, 2023, October 16, 2023, November 13, 2023, February 19, 2024, March 11, 2024, April 8, 2024, and May 13, 2024. To learn more, contact Nancy Royan at 406.468.2848.
Daniels County Library Book Club: This book club meets on the third Thursday of each month at the Daniels County Library in Scobey at 6:30 p.m. To learn more, contact Val Landeraaen, Daniels County Library Director, at 406.487.5502.
Rosebud County Book Club: Hosted at Forsyth’s Rosebud County Library, this book club convenes the last Tuesday of each month at 3 p.m. To learn more, contact McCamey Hanhe at 406.346.7561.
Thompson Falls Public Library Book Club: This group gathers at the Thompson Falls Public Library in Thompson Falls at 4 p.m. on the third Friday of every month, with the exception of December. To learn more, contact Crystal Buchanan at 406.827.3547.
The Montana Center for the Book funds up to ten Big Sky Reads book clubs each year. Libraries, schools and other organizations with established book clubs that are open to the public are invited to apply for $500 stipends at humanitiesmontana.org/big-sky-reads. There is no deadline to apply.
Submitted by Megan Torgerson