Community Calendar

Free, peer-led mental health support groups: NAMI Family Support and NAMI Connection Group.

Both held Wednesdays, 12pm at Christ Church, 430 Fair St. (See website for zoom link)

Free, peer-led mental health support: NAMI Connection Group. Held Wednesdays, 5pm Online (see website for zoom link) and at Child & Family Services, 3785 Veterans Dr.

Michigan folk singer Ben Traverse (they/them) presents an educational concert and discussion bridging the gap between traditional music, the culture which fostered it, and how it lives on today. A member of the Earthwork Music Collective, they have brought educational programming to institutions across Michigan and beyond, including the Ann Arbor District Library and Reed City Public Schools.

Join us--first thing in the morning--a new book club in collaboration with the Grand Traverse County Senior Center Network. We will talk about books, authors, read excerpts, maybe even have an author visit! Current reads: Suzanne Woods Fisher's Capture the Moment

The League of Women Voters of Leelanau County, Suttons Bay Community Church and Versiti will hold a Blood Drive on Thursday, January 8, 2026 from 12:30 to 5:00 pm in the Lower Level Community Meeting Room of the Leelanau County Government Center.

This #NationalBloodDonorMonth, we salute America's 7 million annual blood donors - the unsung heroes who save lives every day. Your generosity and compassion make a world of difference.

How to Donate
1. Donating blood takes about an hour and has the potential to save up to three lives.
2. Anyone age 16 or older in good health who meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to give. Parental consent is required for donors age 16 to donate blood. All donors should bring a photo ID that includes their birth date.
3. To schedule an appointment to donate blood, ,call (866)642-5663 or click here. Walk-in donors are also welcome.

ALSO all donors will receive a $25 gift card that will be sent to a valid email address on the donor's file within 2-3 days.

Contact: Christi Bardenhagen 231-883-0071

Enjoy the company of fellow book lovers while discussing “My Friends” by Frederik Backman.

Free Event. Sponsored by Alden District Library, 231-331-4318.

The year 2026 will mark 250 years since the thirteen colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. Among others, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams worked together to draft this founding document in American history. Their collaborative efforts shaped the nation in many ways, yet their relationship in the years following the American Revolution was complicated. Join West Shore Community College history professor Mike Nagle as he chronicles the factors that led the pair to become bitter rivals during the Early Republic, their competing visions for the nation’s future, and their eventual reconciliation in later years.

Presenter: Michael Nagle

This presentation is part of the Benzie Area Historical Society’s Benzonia Academy Lecture Series, held on the second Thursday of each month. Admission is by donation, and the recommended donation is $5.

To learn more about the January 8th lecture, visit the Benzie Area Historical Society’s website, benziemuseum.org, Instagram, or Facebook page; call the Museum at (231) 882-5539; or email info@benziemuseum.org.

Join The Kingsley Folk School at Kingsley Branch Library for a relaxed, no-prep storytelling community circle. Inspired by NPR’s The Moth, the Everyone Has a Story series invites you to simply show up and share—no scripts, no pressure. Just real moments from your life, told in the moment.

Together, we’ll listen, laugh, reflect, and connect with neighbors through the power of spontaneous storytelling.

Participants are welcome to speak for up to 5 minutes, or simply come to enjoy the stories and the sense of community.

This gathering happens on the second Thursday of every month from 5:30–7:00 p.m. at the Kingsley Branch Library.

Event is free and open to all, with no registration required.

For more information or to request reasonable accommodations, please call the Library at 231-263-5484 or follow us on Facebook.

The Glen Arbor Arts Center looks inward with its first exhibit of 2026. INteriors, an exploration of inner spaces, both real and imagined, spaces of the home and of the mind, opens January 9 with a reception from 5-7 pm.

Interiors are found both in the domestic and metaphysical spheres. Exhibitors explore what these interiors look like; and what they contain. The INteriors exhibition showcases the work of 27 artists working in a wide range of media.

INteriors runs through March 12, and enjoys the support of Golden-Fowler Home Furnishings of Traverse City.

For more information or to view the exhibit online, go to
GlenArborArt.org / EXHIBITS.

A fun, interactive exhibition showcasing artwork that makes it immediately evident that color is the major characteristic of the piece. Brochures will be provided for viewers to learn about various color schemes, the role of color in a composition, and how it affects interpretation or emotional content of the work.  

Visitors will be encouraged to move through the exhibition space slowly, considering these concepts to gain a deeper appreciation for the role color plays in art. Works on display will include a wide variety media and styles from regional artists.

This exhibit will be on display through February 6th.
Sunday 12-4
Tuesday-Friday: 10-4

Spectrum will open with a reception from 5:00 - 7:00 PM on Friday, January 9th.