Fall is in full swing on the island.  While colors are past peak in much of the north, they are just peaking out here on the island.  The ferry brings hunters and those looking for fall color to the island every day.  For them (and all of us), there is plenty to do on the island, including here at the BIC Center.

Time is quickly running out on our Kubota raffle.  Only 2 weeks left to buy tickets and only 1,200 will be sold.  You can buy tickets at the BIC center  on Monday through Friday from 1-5pm and on Saturdays from 9am-9pm.  They’re also available from any PABI board member.  Something to remember:  the Preservation Association of Beaver Island, which runs WVBI and the BIC Center, is 100% non-tax payer funded.  We rely on fundraisers to provide services to the island, and all proceeds from the Kubota go to help continue to provide services for our wonderful and unique community.

Movies continue at the BIC Center every Saturday.  This week the 3:00 p.m. matinée is Free Birds.  Two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history, and get Turkeys off the Thanksgiving menu for good.  Rated PG, it’s a great animated family film with plenty of inside jokes for mom and dad. At 7:00 p.m. our evening feature is an award-winning film about growing up.  Eighth Grade is about an introverted teenage girl trying to survive the last week of her disastrous eighth grade year before leaving to start high school. It’s rated R.

Next weekend, we’re setting aside our traditional movie times for on all day marathon. On November 10th, the eve of Armistice Day (Veterans Day) the BIC Center will be showing all ten episodes of “Band of Brothers” all day, from 11am-9pm.  Stop in at any time to catch some of this 10 HBO drama that tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Based on interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers’ journals and letters, this 10-part series chronicles the experiences of these young men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear.

We’ve switched to our off-season hours, so on Mondays through Fridays the BIC Center is open from 9am-5pm and 9 to 9 on Saturdays.  Regular events include the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program upstairs in “Carol’s Hangout” on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 to 11, Pickle Ball on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 to noon and Games Galore on Thursdays from 1 to 4.  And, throughout the winter, with Dawn from the Council on Aging (COA) will be providing arthritis services and senior meal coupons from her office upstairs from 9am-2pm (weekdays).

And finally, there is a rumor that Santa and Mrs. Clause will be in town, and possibly stop by the Community Center to chat with the Island’s young ones. If we find this rumor to be true and when this could happen, we’ll be sure to let you know!