Central Maine Street Rods vice president and former Bangor Daily News colleague Pete Pelletier of Brewer stopped by the office with some information about an important event.

In conjunction with Sam’s Club, Central Maine Street Rods is hosting a charity auction to benefit My Choice, a division of Maine Adoption Placement Services of Bangor.

The auction to benefit My Choice begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Eastern Maine Snowmobile Clubhouse on the Levenseller Road in Holden.

Pelletier said CMSR members were searching for a charity to assist and were pleased to find an organization that teaches young people parenting skills and helps with whatever needs they have.

My Choice is a pregnancy resource center in Bangor that provides safe transitional housing with supportive services for homeless, pregnant or parenting teens and young women.

Pelletier had a wonderful explanation of the services received by those who take advantage of the opportunities at My Choice.

“It’s like teaching them to fish rather than giving them a fishing pole and telling them to go do it,” he said.

Among the volunteer auctioneers will be CMSR president Maurice “Smitty” Smith of East Holden, John Jones of Orland, Mike Bamford of Eddington and Mike Rose of Holden.

Sam’s Club will match any funds raised up to a certain amount, “so that’s a nice incentive for us to raise as much money as we can,” Pelletier said.

CMSR welcomes donations for the auction and wants you to know a concession stand will be set up.

For more information about the benefit or to make a donation, call 843-7768.

Celebrating a quarter century of service to its community, the Old Town Museum opens for its 25th year from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, April 20, and at the same time Sunday, April 22.

The museum will be open for those same hours each Friday and Sunday until its official opening in June, when the museum’s regular Wednesday-through-Sunday schedule takes effect.

The Old Town Museum is located in the former St. Mary’s Church at 138 South Main St. in Old Town.

This year’s exhibits will highlight the museum’s 25-year-history and the people who were part of its development.

Free public programs will be offered weekly. The museum phone number is 827-7256.

Down East Hospice of Calais needs caring individuals with some free time to serve as volunteers for the terminally ill, the grieving and their families.

A 30-hour training program is scheduled for May, with classes to be conducted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. once a week for five weeks at sites in Machias, Calais and Dennysville.

Enrollment is open to anyone interested in becoming a hospice volunteer.

Those who choose this particular volunteer work may be asked to provide nonmedical care and support for terminally ill people in their homes, hospitals or nursing homes.

Your work can be as simple as being a good listener, offering your companionship and emotional support, providing respite care or helping with errands and transportation.

Some volunteers offer one-on-one support or lend their assistance at grief support group meetings.

Registration and an informal interview are required, as is a registration donation of $20 to help defray expenses.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer for DEH, call program directors Barbara Smith at 853-2640 or Barbara Barnett at 726-5087.

It’s always nice to hear that youngsters in Maine communities are studying the history of their towns, which is why it’s also nice to congratulate some special pupils at Brownville Elementary School.

BES pupils in grades three through five recently participated in the 15th annual Brownville History Contest directed by local historian Bill Sawtell.

The contest is sanctioned by the Brownville Historical Society under the leadership of president Reuben Lancaster.

According to Sawtell, the pupils present projects on aspects of Brownville’s history This year they followed the theme, “Brownville Then and Now.”

Among fifth-graders, Kelli Heath was the winner; the team of Kayla Goodine and Rachel Blake finished second; Arianna Bickford was third; and honorable mention went to the team of Cody Andrews, Chris McCleary and Brian Zwicker.

The fourth-grade winner was Elias Twitchell with Aaron Herbst in second place; Hillary MacDonald and Asa Sproul tied for third; and John Clement received honorable mention.

The third-grade winner was Jesse McLaughlin; Sachia Kearns finished second; John Weston third; and Ashley Burch was the runner-up.

Of projects such as these, one thing is certain. Those who took home the top prizes, as well as all the youngsters who took part, now have knowledge of the history of their town, and that history will live on through them.

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