Wonderful news came from Nancy Craven of Bangor, mother of Maine’s only NASCAR Winston Cup driver, Ricky Craven, when she wrote me last week that the fifth annual Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity not only met its ambitious goal, but actually surpassed it!

After raising $82,000 for charity last year, the organizers had hoped to raise $100,000 this year.

The ride, which benefits Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Marrow Foundation, the Travis Roy Foundation and the Give Kids the World Foundation, took place on Saturday, Jan. 26, in Greenville.

Wondering whether they would meet, and surpass, their goal, Nancy Craven wrote, “we got a tremendous boost, at the end of the day, to realize we had raised $114,640! I can’t begin to tell you how good it felt to hear the happy response from the riders, sponsors, volunteers and everyone present in the Greenville High School auditorium.”

Craven recognizes that “the people who made this all possible” deserve recognition and praise for their efforts.

“Without the sponsors’ help, this goal would never have happened,” she wrote.

Included in that amount, she said, was more than $67,000 from the sponsors alone.

Sponsor support accounted for 59 percent of the total, individual riders 22 percent and sale of raffle tickets 14 percent.

Darrin and Sheri Martin of Economy Motors in Hermon also accounted for a big portion of the total with their successful bid of $4,500 for a plow that was donated by Fisher Engineering of Rockland.

Nancy Craven wants to be sure that she reaches “all the generous people, who have provided money, gifts, pledges, material supplies, volunteering their time and other ways, to help our charity ride.”

“We extend our thanks to them all,” she wrote. “They are the ones who gave our five charities a helping and caring part of themselves.”

Additionally, the Snowmobile Ride for Charity was able to present a check for $10,000 to Mary Lyons of Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital in Greenville “towards their new expansion,” Craven wrote, adding that Lyons “is also a very helpful volunteer all year long.”

Plans are already under way for the sixth annual Snowmobile Ride for Charity.

“Each year gets a little tougher to outdo the year before,” Craven wrote, “but we seem to come through with everyone’s generosity and help.”

Next year’s ride is planned for Jan. 25 in Greenville.

For information about participating in this event, in any way, call 941-9364 or 338-0700 or write Ricky Craven Charity Ride, P.O. Box 2223, Bangor 04402-2223.

Nancy Craven wants all who took part to remember how much your help is needed and appreciated.

“We know these funds go to several needy people, and that’s what the day is all about,” she wrote. “We need to remember how lucky we are.”

Members of the public are invited to “Stump the Keepers” at the second annual “What Is It?” Night at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Little Red Schoolhouse in Brooklin.

According to Joyce Barr, secretary of the sponsoring Brooklin Keeping Society, you can bring something old from home or work that you are unable to identify, or an item for which you think no one else would know the use or who, what or where it is.

Such items could include old, unmarked photographs, an old tool or implement, or something from your barn, basement, attic or kitchen drawer.

In addition to identifying the unidentifiable, you also will enjoy listening to stories of old Brooklin told by members of the Brooklin Keeping Society.

For more information, or if you would like a ride to the meeting, call 359-2753.

Jonathan Henry of Hampden, a member of the McGraw School PTO, invites you to attend a Super Supper beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer.

Admission to the event, which includes dinner and dancing, is $100 per couple.

A number of cash prizes will be awarded, including a $1,000 grand prize.

The event is a fund-raiser to help the McGraw School PTO replace the facility’s aging playground.

Register by visiting McGraw School on the Main Road in Hampden or by mailing a check to McGraw PTO, Box 391, Hampden 04444.

If you do make a reservation by mail, be sure to include your preference for dinner by choosing either prime rib or chicken.

According to information provided by Tom Fodor of The Salvation Army Northern New England Division in Portland, it was a record year for kettle collections for The Salvation Army, Hannaford Bros. Co., and the WGME 13 “Joy of Sharing” program.

Those “drops in the bucket” outside Hannaford-Shop ‘n Save supermarkets that you all made amounted to more than $100,000!

Additionally, more than 8,000 toys were collected at Maine stores and through WGME 13 in Portland.

All proceeds from the program help support more than 3,500 needy families in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

The Manpower MS WALK 2002 is planned for Sunday, April 7, at 16 sites in Maine, and the MS 150 Bike to the Breakwater is Saturday, Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 4, beginning at St. Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish.

The events benefit the Maine chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Information about forming an MS WALK team or MS 150 cycling team will be available during a TeamMS Breakfast 7:30-9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Black Bear Inn in Orono.

The public is invited to attend this special breakfast, which features this year’s honorary TeamMS chairman for Bangor, Daniel Lafayette, owner of Lafayette Hotels.

One new addition this year to the MS 150 Bike to the Breakwater, which is sponsored by Blue Rock Industries, is a 25-mile Family Fun Ride.

Other cyclists can choose 50- or 75-mile routes for one or both days.

The team concept has been steadily growing in popularity.

Last year, 67 percent of walkers and 70 percent of cyclists participated as members of teams.

Four individuals are needed to form a walk team, but only three are needed to form a bike team.

For information about the informational breakfast, or about TeamMS, call the MS Society at 761-5815 or (800) 639-1330.

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