Millennium fest plans begin> Bangor Chamber seeks public’s help in developing program

BANGOR — The Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce has begun initial planning for a Millennium-Centennial Celebration. The coordination of such an event is not easy, and the Chamber has turned to the public for help in developing and implementing the program.

“This is something that our ancestors have only dreamed about and our predecessors will only read about,” said Candy Guerette, executive director of the Bangor Chamber. “There is no precedent for this event.”

Little more than a month ago, the Chamber began discussing events including dances, fireworks, time capsules and boat rides to celebrate the time period. Catherine Pullen, who works for the Chamber, said it will strive to provide a celebration that is a unique community effort.

To address this concern the Chamber developed a survey designed to determine which events will take place, when the celebration should begin and how long the festivities should last. “We want this to be a strong community effort without a duplication of efforts,” Pullen said.

Guerette said that in addition to multiple festivities marking the millennium, efforts would be made to focus on the historical aspects of the event, involving children in the process.

One such project would involve locating Boston Post canes and interviewing those who hold them. According to Guerette, the canes were distributed to the oldest residents in each community by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Many of the canes have been lost, but in some cases a few remain and Guerette feels that with them lies a treasure-trove of life experiences.

A second project involves the construction of a millennium time line, to be created by students at the University of Maine and Eastern Maine Technical College, and officials at local historical societies.

The Chamber is soliciting aid from community members to provide information, assist in preparations and sit on planning committees. The Bangor Daily News has offered the use of its Web site to the Chamber in order to help gather and provide information surrounding the event.

The NEWS Web site address is www.bangornews.com.

The Chamber will hold a community meeting regarding the celebration at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at EMTC’s Rangeley Hall. The deadline for submission of the surveys to the Chamber is Aug. 22.