Idaho Public Television

Idaho Public Television will kick off its annual fundraiser know as “Festival” on Saturday March 4th. We spent the morning with the team of volunteers who will spearhead the drive this year. Public Television relies on the community donations to exist and “Festival” is the way they receive donations. The 16-day event will feature special program and requests for help. Public Television receives funding from the State but it only covers the costs of broadcasting the signal to a statewide audience including all the rural areas. The program and overhead costs are paid by private donations and sponsorships. You can learn more about Idaho Public Television on their website at: http://www.idahoptv.org/

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Stagecoach Theatre

Stagecoach Theatre will open its latest show this weekend. The show is “Empty plate at the Café du Grand Boeuf”. It’s a comic tragedy with may twists and lots of laughs. Stagecoach Theatre is located in the Hillcrest Shopping Center in the covered portion of the center off Overland and Orchard. The show will play this Friday and Saturday the 3rd and 4th. Then it also runs next week Thursday through Sunday with a matinee on Sunday at 2:00. It wraps up the following week on the 18th of March with performances Thursday through Saturday. Show times are 8:15 pm on Friday and Saturday and 7:30 on Thursday nights. Call the box office at 342-2000 to get your tickets in advance.

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Riverglen Junior High Jazz Band

The Riverglen Jazz Band will be holding a fundraiser next Tuesday February 28th at the School. We spent the morning listing to what is probably one of the best Junior High Jazz bands in the state. They will be performing along with the Capital High Jazz Band and the Hewlett Packard Jazz Band. The special guest artist is Patrick Sheridan a world renowned Tuba Soloist. He is talented and funny at the same time. The event is perfect for the family and is a Mardi Gras Jazz Celebration on “Fat Tuesday”. The cost is $7.50 for dinner and show or just $5.00 for the music. Dinner is from 5 pm to 7 pm and the whole event is from 5 pm to 8 pm at Riverglen Junior High. The school is located on Gary Lane just south of Hill road. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 322-3870 extension 156 or by going to the web site at: http://www.riverglenjazz.com

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Nampa Christian; Country Fair and Auction

Nampa Christian School is holding its annual “Country fair and auction” this weekend. We were at Nampa Christian High School this morning. It’s located on Orchard Avenue in Nampa. The event kicks off with a breakfast tomorrow morning (2/24/06) with a Steak dinner tomorrow night and the first phase of the auction right after dinner. Saturday morning there is another breakfast and the rest of the second phase of the auction will start at 10:00 am. There is no charge to attend the auction and fair but you will have to pay for food or anything else. The funds raised will go to the continued operation of the school and to help keep the cost of a private Christian education down for the students and families. The fair features old style booths and games, but the auction is the highlight of the event.

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Blockfest

Blockfest was the subject of today’s morning location. Blockfest is actually a fundraising event for Idaho Parents as Teachers. The group provides information and resources to parents to help their children learn in their developmental years. In other words before they ever go to school. Parents are the first teachers for their children and simple things like reading a book or sitting down to play blocks with the children is actually educational for the little ones. This program just provides more materials for parents to help make sure the children are ready for school by the time they reach kindergarten age. They plan to make Blockfest an annual event. The Governor and First Lady Dirk and Patricia Kempthorne will hold a gala at the Statehouse tonight. The activities will move to Boise State this weekend where everyone will get a chance to have some fun building with blocks. For more information you can contact Idaho Parents as Teachers at 336-1070 extension 118.

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Lunch for Literacy

The Boise Centre on the Grove was the location for our Live remote this morning. The Learning Lab will be holding their big annual fundraiser the Lunch for Literacy on Friday at the Centre. The event features a guest Idaho author who will address the luncheon and have several books including one that is not yet in print and it will be up for silent auction. Several other “First Edition” books will also be auctioned off. The author has signed each of the books. Included in the list are children’s books by Madonna and Katie Couric of the “Today Show”. Tickets are available from the Learning Lab in advance by calling 344-1335 then dial “0” to reach the operator. The cost is $45.00 per person.

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