The River Coalition is an organization of concerned residents from the river communities of Alton, Bradley, Greenbush, Indian Island, Milford and Old Town who work to improve the lives of children and families living in that area.

This year, the River Coalition is joining forces with two youth groups for a special “Make a Difference Day” project, and they can use your help.

Doris Seger of Milford is co-facilitator of the River Coalition.

She wrote me recently that the organization and volunteers from the Old Town Public Library would make “Welcome Baby Boxes” for newborn babies whose families live in the area served by the River Coalition.

The young people working with the older members of the coalition, Seger wrote, are members of two library programs for young people.

GirlsTalk is “an ongoing mentoring program that matches middle school girls with women from the community,” she explained.

The second is a group of sophomore girls “who have graduated from GirlsTalk,” and formed a book club, the Chi Wag Society.

“These women and girls will paint and decorate the gift boxes and make personal greeting cards and baby quilts,” Seger said.

The group will work on the project from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Make-A-Difference-Day, Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Old Town Library.

Seger expects the group will complete “at least 50 boxes,” but she also thinks they will get started on many other gift boxes.

To help with the project, the River Coalition is requesting contributions from community businesses and individuals of items such as diapers, bottles and lotions that will be packed in the baby boxes.

Also needed are knitted booties and hats, receiving blankets, bibs and baby quilts.

If you don’t have any of those items to donate, but want to help and you have material to make those items, you can donate material, too. Any contributions will be gratefully accepted, Seger said.

The gift boxes will include brochures providing early infancy parenting information.

Seger said the River Coalition intends “to continue to keep in contact with recipients of the boxes as an ongoing project.”

Seger said, “That is the whole purpose of the River Coalition: To help the children and families take care of each other, and unifying the families and the communities of the coalition.”

Anyone who can help with this project by making a contribution is asked to leave the requested items at the Old Town Public Library. For information call Seger at 827-2829, or Janet Pete at the Old Town Public Library, 827-4542.

There must be something very special about Pembroke, because the Pembroke Historical Society certainly has the ability to offer interesting and unusual activities for folks in that area.

For example, the society is hosting Barbara “Toothpick” and Alan “HorseRadish” Kirschenstein of Pembroke and Philadelphia in concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at the society building on Union Square in Pembroke.

The couple will sing pieces from their new CD, “Maine Songs from a Different Head.”

The collection of 75 songs was written 30 years ago when the Kirschensteins and their family lived in Pembroke, and features Pembroke’s people, the sea, river, trees and the “optimistic exploration of ideas” that took place in the 1970s, according to information provided by Bonnie Hunter of the PHS.

Barbara sings and plays the Autoharp, the frog, recorders and drumsticks.

Alan plays the harmonica, drums, horns, bowls and other “found” instruments.

The work of the Kirschensteins, artists and performers for more than four decades, is being shown in Jim Thorpe, Pa., and has been exhibited at the University of Pennsylvania Faculty Club, the Abbington Art Center, the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Penn State University Gallery.

The concert is free, and is expected to last about one hour.

Given the times, the sixth annual Nancy Bach Memorial Conference should be especially appealing to those who work with children.

This year’s conference, “Children’s Grief,” is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, in Mason Auditorium of Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Conference speaker Donna O’Toole will provide information that will assist participants to help children grieve and grow by using stories and storytelling.

O’Toole, who has lost two children and lived with a life-threatening condition, has taught courses on loss, grief and effective communications throughout the United States.

The winner of several state and national awards, she has published many books on the subject of children’s grief.

The program is intended to be beneficial to teachers, guidance counselors, social workers, volunteers and others who deal with children’s grief issues. The registration fee is $25 and lunch is on your own.

The conference honors the late Nancy Bach, her husband, Dr. Robert Bach, and Hospice of Eastern Maine. Each year a speaker presents a topic about death, dying and grieving.

For more information, or to register, call Hospice of Eastern Maine, 973-8269.

Winners have been announced in the downtown Bangor “Be in the Loop” walking program that ran from May through October.

Sponsored by Bangor Center Corp. and Kelly Realty Management, walkers were asked to identify photos of 28 architectural features of downtown buildings.

Prize winners were Margaret Brewer, Jean Deighan, Cindy Brewer, Alyce Masters, Sheila Krautkreymer, Diane Johnson, Susan Thibodeau and Dick Cattel.

Prizes were donated by Lippincott Books, Tesoro’s Pizzeria, BookMarc’s, Montes Catering, Cafe Nouveau, Bangor Wine & Cheese, Penobscot Theatre and The Grasshopper Shop.

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