What is becoming one of the state’s most sought-after marching bands has a wonderfully full schedule for 2001.

The Governor’s Restaurants All Maine Marching Band has 55 members, but more musicians are needed.

That’s the word from old friend Leith Wadleigh of Veazie, otherwise known as “The Gov.”

Leith said recently that the band he founded in 1998 to fulfill what he viewed as a major drawback in our local parades – the lack of marching band – needs more people to meet its commitments.

It is, after all, “a volunteer band,” he wrote.

Which means that “25 to 30 show up for a parade. So we need to increase our membership to 80.”

“The Gov” believes a marching band of at least 40 members on any given day “will be a good-looking band.”

The band practices 1-3 p.m. the second and fourth Sunday of each month at Old Town High School, until the parade season begins.

“Our oldest member is 74 years young,” Leith wrote. “Our youngest member is 15.”

This year’s schedule is certainly a most impressive one.

The band will appear in the State of Maine Parade on Saturday, May 5, in Lewiston; the Old Port Festival, Sunday, June 3, in Portland; Special Olympics, Friday, June 8, in Orono; the French Festival, Friday, June 22, in Biddeford and the Millinocket birthday celebration Wednesday, July 4.

The band then appears in Pioneer Days on Saturday, July 14, in Presque Isle; the Lobster Festival, Saturday, Aug. 4, in Rockland; Riverfest, Saturday, Sept. 15, in Old Town; the Veterans Day Parade, Sunday, Nov. 11, in Bangor and the Christmas Parade, Saturday, Dec. 10, in Bangor.

“The Gov” invites anyone interested in joining this band to call the Old Town Governor’s Restaurant, 827-7630, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and ask for Cheryl McNerney who provide all the details.

“Connections and Change: Exploring Domestic Violence In our Lives and Communities,” is a 10-session educational group program for women who have been directly or indirectly affected by domestic violence.

Sponsored by Spruce Run of Bangor, the meetings will be conducted in two-hour sessions each week, and participants should be committed to attending all 10 sessions.

Limited to 20 women, there is no charge for this service.

The meetings will be held in Bangor beginning this month. Today is the deadline to learn the exact times, dates and locations of the meetings. To receive that information and to register call 945-5102 or (800) 863-9909.

Are you a young resident of Aroostook County, the northern part of Penobscot County that includes Millinocket and Medway, or from Danforth and points north?

Are you between the ages of 9 and 16?

Would you like to be in the Soap Box Derby?

First Citizens Bank of Presque Isle is searching for someone to drive in the stock class of this year’s Northern Maine Soap Box Derby Race.

The bank is sponsoring an essay contest to choose the driver, and the winner will assemble and drive the First Citizens Bank car in the June race.

The winning entry will be determined on the basis of information contained on the contest application.

That application will include a short essay describing why you want to drive the First Citizens Bank Soap Box Derby car.

Applications and more information can be obtained at all bank locations, and should be submitted no later than Friday, March 23.

First Citizens Bank has offices in Presque Isle, Caribou, Lincoln, Fort Kent and Houlton.

People living in communities with students who attend Brewer High School, and who are getting ready to do some spring cleaning, should know the high school’s Outdoor Education program is preparing to hold a yard sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 31, at the school.

Believed to be the only such program in the state, “we have to earn all of our own money, and we spend more than $10,000 each year,” said BHS outdoor education teaching assistant Amanda Hamm.

BHS outdoor education students are working with students at other schools to help establish similar programs.

Meanwhile, BHS students hope you will set aside your potential yard sale treasures for them.

What the young people are looking for are “the types of things, anything, really, that you would find when you are cleaning out the house,” Hamm said.

“If people have items just lying around that they can no longer use, we would appreciate having them.

“We are willing to pick them up,” Hamm said of your yard sale contributions.

“If people need us to pick up things, we will pick them up any time that is convenient, even at 6 a.m.”

The pickup dates are Monday, March 26, through Friday, March 30.

If it is more convenient to drop off yard sale items, you can do so between 3 and 7 p.m., Friday, March 30, at the high school.

If you would like to have someone pick up your contributions, call Hamm at 843-6080 and leave your name and telephone number. She will return your call to make the necessary arrangements.

Members of the Bangor High School Class of 1952 are really getting a head start on planning their 50th reunion.

Yovanne Stevenson will play host to an organizational meeting for the BHS Class of ’52 50th reunion at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, at her home, 153 Fifteenth St. in Bangor.

“Anyone who is interested in helping plan this reunion is invited to attend the meeting,” she said.

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