Frequent-flier miles can help make dream a reality

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Individuals who have accumulated frequent-flier miles with either Northwest Airlines or United Airlines can help make the dream of a dying woman come true.

Mary Helen Cyr, 40, of St. David has terminal breast cancer.

Her wish is to take her family to Walt Disney World, something The Dream Foundation is working to make a reality.

Cyr and her husband, Jim, are the parents of 10-year-old Krystal and 9-year-old Jamie.

If all goes well, the family and Mary Helen’s sister, Diana Sylvain, will leave Aroostook County on June 20 for the dream trip.

Bill Duke of Orlando is the Florida Area Satellite Office dream coordinator working to make this trip possible for the family.

The Dream Foundation was created in 1994 and has headquarters in Santa Barbara, Calif. Its primary focus is to grant final wishes of adults ages 18 to 55 who have a special dream they would like to fulfill before their death, but who lack the resources to make that happen.

The foundation provides hotel accommodations plus tickets to Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios, flying the family to the location using United or Northwest frequent-flier miles.

Since its inception, The Dream Foundation has granted more than 1,500 requests to adults and families nationwide.

Duke said it will take a lot of miles to fulfill this particular request – about 125,000 – and that, because of the increased number of requests, the fund is running very low.

In this instance, other donations are also being sought to help fly the family from Presque Isle to Portland, since frequent-flier miles are not applicable for that flight.

United frequent-flier miles can be donated in any increments, so if you have any of those you are willing to donate, that would be wonderful.

Northwest frequent-flier miles, however, may be donated only in increments of 5,000.

To make a Northwest or United frequent-flier donation to help people such as Mary Helen Cyr, call The Dream Foundation at 805-564-2131, call Bill Duke at 352-728-5498, fax him at 352-314-2345 or donate through the Web site at dreamfoundation.org.

The University of Maine Class of 1971 is hosting a reunion dinner beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 8, at the home of Larry and Lorna Willey, 27 Howard St., in Bangor.

John Haskell, ’71, of Angelica’s in Hampden will prepare the meal, which will be served under a canopy at the Willey home.

Entertainment will be by the popular local group the Jazzmen.

Reservations are being accepted by the University of Maine Alumni Association at 581-2586.

While this invitation is specifically for members of the UMaine Class of ’71, anyone who is in town for UMaine Alumni Weekend is invited to attend.

All you need do is call with your reservation.

The Hampden Children’s Day Committee has announced that Children’s Day, which would have celebrated its 23rd year in August, has been canceled for 2001.

The committee decision hinged on two major reasons: the lack of volunteers and fact that the Earl C. McGraw School would be undergoing construction work during the summer, causing doubt as to whether the facility would be available.

Since a majority of committee members felt it could not host its usual event under these circumstances, several options were discussed, but the majority felt it was best to cancel the event this year in the hope new individuals would join the committee and make the 2002 HCD better than ever.

To that end, a special community meeting will be held in September to gauge the level of interest in continuing Hampden Children’s Day.

For more information on how to become a member of the committee, or about Hampden Children’s Day, call the HCD information line at 862-3333, choose option 1 and leave a message, or contact HCD chairman Carl Pease at cpease61@adelphia.net.

Need help with your Camp Bangor work?

The United Way of Eastern Maine is hosting a Camp Bangor Help Night from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 7, in the Children’s Room at the Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St., Bangor.

If you are having trouble finding a camp, filling out forms, or dealing with any camp-related issues, this is where you can get the help you need.

UWEM Camp Bangor scholarships are offered Bangor pupils in grades three to six.

Funded by the Libra Foundation, the program offers pupils who meet certain guidelines a $1,000 scholarship to attend the Maine summer camp of their choice.

The Brianna Rachel Koncinsky Fund for Kids Tournament begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, June 17, at Kenduskeag Valley Golf Course.

The cost is $20 per person, and tee times continue at 10-minute intervals until 5:30 p.m.

Prizes will be awarded in several categories, along with longest drives and nearest the pins. Refreshments will be served.

The Koncinsky Fund honors Brianna Koncinsky of Bangor, who died of brain cancer last August at age 6.

The fund was created to help with nonmedical needs of chronically ill and hospitalized children with everything from travel to out-of-state medical facilities, toys and telephone cards, to holiday and birthday packages for hospitalized children.

The tournament is a nine-hole scramble. You can register or receive more information by calling KVGC at 884-7330.

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