Brewer pupils raise $4,500 for muscular dystrophy

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Their Community of Caring program is terrific and, for that, the Brewer Middle School pupils are to be congratulated.

This year, in one week’s time, they collected $4,500 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In the seven years since the Community of Caring program was first introduced to BMS, $25,000 has been raised for MDA.

Eighth-grade history teacher Marilyn Cyr is the program coordinator. She explained that all the money is collected in a one-week period, culminating with the school’s Super Dance, which this year was held in mid-April.

“They get their envelopes on a Friday, so they have the weekend and all the next week, then they bring the envelopes to the dance at the end of the week,” she said of the young fund-raisers.

“A representative of the MDA comes to the dance that night and sits right down at a cafeteria table, and we count the money,” Cyr said. “I was just blown away that the kids raised $4,500 because there were a couple of bad days that week,” she said of the weather, which probably curtailed some of the youngsters’ fund-raising efforts.

For the second year in a row, Anthony Puiia, an eighth-grader, was the top fund-raiser with runner-up honors going to Kira Fizell, Tyler Dunbar, Ryan Arey and Katie Hall.

About the time the school Wellness Team initiated its fund-raising Super Dance, the Community of Caring concept was introduced to the Brewer school system, Cyr explained.

“It was introduced into the elementary schools first, so, by the time these kids of the last three to four years got to the Middle School, they were very used to the concept. They were very used to doing good things for people. It has really become a very strong tradition at our school.”

A strong tradition, indeed, and one that should bode well for the future as these youngsters make their way through life with the understanding that one of the best qualities you can possess is the willingness to help others.

The invitation is open and any contribution you make will be appreciated.

Donna Wilson invites anyone who would like to take part to participate in the Neighborhood Yard Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 5, along a 10-mile route from Central Street through Bucksmills, Turkey Path and the Millvale areas of Bucksport. Those who take part can help support Bucksport Community Concerns by donating 10 percent of their profits to the organization.

For more information, call Wilson at 469-2623.

The Castine Arts Association invites the public to attend the Bagaduce Chamber Players Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 6, at the historic Castine Unitarian Church.

The principal members of the BCP, founded in 1999, are flutist Penelope Wheeler of Blue Hill, violinist Albert Stwertka of Verona Island and pianist Arnold Berleant of Castine.

Sunday’s program will include duos and trios for flute, violin and piano by composers Handel, Loeillet, Roussel, Mozart, Telemann and Vivaldi.

The suggested contribution for the concert is $8 per person for CAA members and $10 per person for nonmembers. Refreshments will be offered after the concert and CAA membership information will be available.

Before bidding University of Maine students farewell for the summer, a hearty well-done is extended to those who participated in the university’s first National Youth Service Day last month.

“The Longest Wheelchair Basketball Game” raised more than $1,000 for Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation, according to Muffy Eastman, UM coordinator of student community services.

Eastman reports the fun-packed day included the High Rollers – the local wheelchair basketball team – and volunteers, including women’s basketball Coach Sharon Versyp and members of her staff.

The game lasted 390 minutes.

Other volunteers included UMaine students, representatives of the university’s football, soccer and field hockey teams, its athletic department, campus fraternities and sororities, and the event’s 13 co-sponsors. Members of Girl Scout Troop 637 of Orland served as ball girls and Bananas the Bear made an appearance at the end of the day.

If you are confined to a wheelchair and would like to play basketball, MASR needs players for a local team that meets from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Old Town YMCA on Stillwater Avenue, and the same time on Sundays at Lengyel Gymnasium on the UMaine campus in Orono.

For more information about wheelchair basketball, or any MASR program, call executive director Dave Pellegrini at 942-1032.

One of the highlights of the 24-hour American Cancer Society’s Old Town Relay for Life fund-raiser May 18-19 at Old Town High School is its “Celebration of Life” ceremony.

Luminary candles will be lit at 9:45 p.m. Friday, May 18, at the site in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to cancer, and in honor of those who have survived the disease.

The candles are $10 each and anyone wishing to purchase a luminary candle may call ACS regional executive Mike Hart in Brewer at 989-0322.

Relay for Life is a family-oriented event in which participants walk or run during a 24-hour-period to raise funds for the ACS. For information about purchasing the candles, forming a team to participate in the Relay for Life or walking in the survivors’ lap – the first, official lap, which kicks off the event at 6 p.m. Friday, May 18, – call the ACS at 800-464-3102.

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