The pupils of the “2 East Pod Family” of Benton Elementary School are hoping to raise $5,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in honor and memory of two classmates, but they need your help to reach that goal.

The Benton pupils well understand the difficulties and challenges caused by illness, having lost schoolmate Isaiah DesRosiers to leukemia and actively supporting fourth-grader Evan Klane, who has cerebral palsy.

Make-A-Wish Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with a state chapter based in Camden that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Both Isaiah and Evan have had their wishes granted by the foundation, so, in honor of Evan and in memory of Isaiah, and for their families, the Benton pupils want to make a wish come true for another Maine youngster by raising the $5,000 it takes to grant one wish.

To help raise this money, the school will hold its first “Make-A-Wish Longaberger Basket Bingo” in which people will purchase tickets for $20 to play 20 games of Bingo in hopes of winning a theme-filled Longaberger basket for each game.

Doors open for The “Make-A-Wish Longaberger Basket Bingo” at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 26, at the Fairfield Community Center. The games begin at noon. You can also purchase a baked-bean lunch at noon for $3.

The event will offer door prizes, raffles, and food provided by Benton pupils, staff, parents and supporters.

School nurse Anne Doan said the planners are actively seeking donations from businesses, individuals or professionals to sponsor a theme-filled Longaberger basket either with cash donations or gift certificates.

A typical Longaberger basket ranges in price from $50 to $200, and the baskets had to be ordered by April 1, so the pupils hope those who have not already done so will make a donation to help pay for or fill the baskets.

Doan said gift certificates to make theme-filled baskets for golf, gardening or workout opportunities are examples of what they are looking for.

“The staff and students have been working very hard to raise the money for Make-A-Wish,” Doan said of a recent series of bake sales.

The pupils “were so touched by what it did for these children and their families,” that the youngsters and staff hope to be able to help another child and family receive a dream come true from Make-A-Wish.

If you would like to purchase tickets, in advance, you can call Doan, at the school, 453-4240, or Lisa Roy at 453-7234. If you pre-pay, the tickets will be held for you at the door. Otherwise, you can purchase them at the event.

If you wish to make contributions, either cash donations or gift certificates, send them to Benton Elementary School, 68 School Drive, Benton 04901.

Following the death of 27-year-old Greg Baker in 1997, his family established The Second Chance Fund at the Bangor Humane Society.

And although the fund is small and often not used by members of the general public, BHS executive director Bev Uhlenhake called to say the BHS has learned of a dog with a torn ligament and a cat with a broken leg that require immediate surgery, for which their owners cannot pay.

It is Uhlenhake’s hope that anyone who believes in saving animals will immediately make a contribution to the Second Chance Fund so the BHS can help these pet owners help their animals.

The Baker Fund is a euthanasia-alternative fund that provides necessary medical care to shelter animals and potential shelter animals in an effort to give that animal a second chance at life.

Uhlenhake reports that Baker was “a great lover of animals who was known to have saved a cat or two in his time. The family hopes the fund will offer a second chance to many animals who would otherwise be euthanized.”

And while she doesn’t have the “exact numbers of how many animals have been assisted through the fund, many dogs and cats adopted to folks in the Bangor area in the last couple years got their second chance from the Baker Fund.”

If you can help, send a donation to the Bangor Humane Society, 693 Mount Hope Ave., Bangor 04401, call 942-8902, fax 942-1223 or visit www.bangorhumanesociety.com.

Writing on behalf of the Bucksport Fire Department Auxiliary, Corinne Bowden thanks “all the businesses, citizens, family and friends who donated their time, food, drinks and money to ensure that the firefighters from Bucksport and surrounding communities were kept hydrated and fed” during the wind-swept forest fire along Route 15 on May 14 in Bucksport.

Here’s a delightful community project people in the Dover-Foxcroft area are invited to participate in.

As part of her requirement for community service for the master gardeners course of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, Joan Shapleigh is overseeing the cleanup and restoration of an old pine grove in her town.

Located across from the Pine Grove Cemetery at the intersection of the Notch and French roads in Dover-Foxcroft, the pine grove is on Brann’s Pond in the area known as Dover South Mills.

Shapleigh invites all who are interested to join her there from 6 to 8 tonight.

Last week, Shapleigh and 14 volunteers began cleaning up the pine grove, clearing it of debris and branches. She is now ready to fill the area with hosta and other plants to help reclaim this shady garden under the century-old pines.

Shapleigh plans to continue the work on Tuesdays and Thursdays until it is completed.

If you want more information about this project, call Shapleigh at 546-2776.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News,

P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.