People with special needs who believe curling is something one does to one’s hair are in for a surprise.

The Belfast Curling Club is sponsoring a curling clinic to introduce this sport to people with disabilities.

Weston Smith, the independent living specialist with the Brewer office of Alpha One, is inviting people with all types of disabilities to take advantage of this wonderful offer and, as one who has tried this sport, I can guarantee you’ll have fun.

The clinic begins at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Belfast Curling Club on Route 3 in Belfast.

The clinic, sponsored by the BCC and Alpha One, is open to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, sight impaired, physically challenged or developmentally challenged.

An interpreter will be available at the clinic.

Smith, who uses a wheelchair, tried curling for the first time recently and he expects everyone else will enjoy the opportunity as much as he did.

BCC member Douglas Coffin is heading the program, which Smith describes as “fantastic.”

Alpha One is a center for independent living that works with people with disabilities to help them live independently. The organization has four offices in Maine.

The clinic is one of several similar programs associated with Rink Link, a grant program of the Department of Education, which promotes adaptive ice sports for adults and children with disabilities.

Those sports include hockey, figure skating, recreational skating, sled hockey and, now, curling.

This is, by the way, a very special opportunity, since the Belfast Curling Club is the only curling club in Maine.

The sport of curling involves sliding a 42-pound stone on ice toward a target circle at the other end of the rink. One person shoots the stone and others help “sweep” it on its way.

Those who attend the clinic will know more about curling than most Mainers once they’re finished taking the clinic, since Saturday’s program will be a basic introduction to the sport.

Smith is very impressed with the effort put forth by the BCC members.

“They’re going all out to make things to help the people” play the sport, he said of the plans by this group to introduce a new sport to people with disabilities.

If you are interested in participating in this first-of-its kind opportunity, call Smith at (800)-300-6016 or 989-6016.

We know you’ll be awfully glad you did. This is an opportunity not to be missed!

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We received a call Tuesday morning with a request we hope some readers may be able to grant.

Ruth Hatch of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services works with a 38-year-old Brewer man with disabilities who wants to compete in the Winter Special Olympics this month at Sugarloaf/USA in Carrabassett Valley.

According to Hatch, he “desperately needs a ride for him and his helper” in order to participate in the event, which runs from Sunday, Jan. 28, through Tuesday, Jan. 30.

“Basically, he needs a ride to Sugarloaf for him and his helper, and then a ride back on Tuesday, the 30th,” she said.

Hatch added that the “people and organizations I have contacted so far have not been able to supply that, but I know there are people out there going to the Special Olympics, who might have room in their car for one or the other.”

The irony is that Hatch has been able to secure a ride for one person, but not for the other. she said, “It would be preferable if the two could travel together,” she said.

Hatch hopes “somebody will contact me so that we can be able to find the ride that he and his helper so desperately need.”

You can call Hatch on Wednesday and Friday at 794-1018; or at 941-4370 on Thursday.

You also can call 941-4370 any time and leave a message.

Hatch will gratefully return your call.

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Friends of the Orono Public Library are collecting books for their Annual Book and Bake Sale, to be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at the library located at Orono High School on Goodrich Drive.

Dorothy Pratt reports that she, Judy Sucec and Ken and Barbara Nichols “will oversee the sale of the books,” and that Alice Smith and Carol Mower “will manage the bake sale.”

Books are donated to the Friends of the Library “for the purpose of funding library programs,” Pratt said.

All book donations are welcome up to the day of the sale and can be left at the library.

The snow date for this event is Saturday, Feb. 3, and Pratt requests “Please, no early birds!”

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.