For a rousing evening filled with feel-good patriotic music and favorite American music classics, you can find no better place to be than at the “Spirit of America” concert beginning at 7 tonight at Hampden Academy’s Skehan Gymnasium.

The Hampden Academy Symphonic Band, Hampden Academy Concert Band and the Hampden Academy Jazz Ensemble will play some of your favorite tunes, and all they ask from you, in exchange, is a donation at the door to help defray costs of their many activities.

For those who don’t know, for example, the HA Jazz Ensemble is competing in Musicfest Orlando, a National Music Festival, and will make an appearance at Walt Disney World, during April vacation.

The musicians, their families and supporters have been very busy raising funds for this trip.

And the HA Concert and Symphonic Bands have been invited to represent Maine in April 2003, in the National Festival of States. They and their supporters also are in the process of raising money for that trip.

Tonight’s performance includes selections such as “America the Beautiful” and “Songs of America” by Irving Berlin.

Under the direction of Patrick Michaud, you will also hear “Ballad for Peace,” “An American Elegy,” “Fate of the Gods” and “We the People,” narrated by Col. Ray Dupere, state chaplain of the Maine Army National Guard.

The Jazz Ensemble will perform such swing classics as “Ol’ Man River, “In a Sentimental Mood” and “Sing, Sing, Sing.”

Nominations are now open for the 2002 Noyce Award for Non-Profit Excellence offered by the Maine Community Foundation.

The award, which honors late Maine philanthropist Elizabeth Noyce, includes a $5,000 unrestricted grant, and is intended to recognize a nonprofit organization that exemplifies the best practice in one aspect of building social capital: strengthening the connections between groups and organizations that have not, traditionally, worked together successfully.

Eligible organizations include those with programs that have created new ties and higher levels of trust between diverse groups and then used those relationships to benefit the community.

Nomination forms can be obtained at www.mainecf.org; by calling Amy Pollien at (877) 700-6800; or e-mailing apollien@mainecf.org.

Completed nomination forms and attachments should be mailed to the Maine Community Foundation, 245 Main St., Ellsworth 04605.

Donna Stanhope of Carmel, the wife of a volunteer firefighter, is a member of the Carmel Firemen’s Auxiliary.

She wrote the Bangor Daily News recently to offer her appreciation to the Cole Foundation of Bangor, which is working with Viking Lumber and WVII ABC-7, on a new campaign called “A Camera for Every Community.”

Stanhope encourages residents of all Maine communities “to take advantage” of the opportunity offered by this project to ensure that all our fire departments have “life and property-saving thermal imaging cameras.”

She added that this campaign “is just what the 600 Maine fire departments need.”

“The thermal imaging camera in your local fire department may save you, your loved one or even my husband in that next fire in your town.”

To learn more about being part of this campaign, call Cyndy Simpson, ABC-7, 945-6457, or Gary Cole at the Cole Foundation, 990-3600.

Many businesses and individuals may have received letters in the mail last month urging financial support for the Greater Bangor-Brewer 4th of July Celebration.

Writing on behalf of the 4th of July Corp., Marla Saliba believes that “because of recent events, this year MUST have our very best effort.”

“We have asked local policemen and firemen to be our grand marshals for the parade, and it should only get better from there.”

The corporation is seeking full title sponsorships for the fireworks and parade, at the $3,000 level, or half-sponsorships for $1,500.

Nontitle sponsorship for viewing the fireworks is $250 and includes 25 tickets for viewing the fireworks from the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge.

If you would like to become a “Patriotic Patron,” you can make a general contribution in any amount to help support this special summer celebration.

Anyone interested in helping make this one of the best Greater Bangor-Brewer 4th of July celebrations ever, can call Saliba at work, 942-4029; at home, 989-5304; or write Greater Bangor 4th of July Corp., c/o Marla Saliba, 46 North Main St., Brewer 04412.

Yvonne Pappargeris of Exeter, N.H., wrote the NEWS recently to express her “gratitude to three local hospitals” for the help she received “with two sick parents.”

With her mother very ill last June at St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor, Pappargeris was grateful for the assistance of Dr. Michael Coyne who arranged for her mother to be transferred to a hospital in Exeter.

Later, when her father became ill, he was brought to Bangor Mental Health Institute where it was determined he had cancer, she wrote.

For two months, BMHI social worker Donna Orzini worked with Pappargeris to find a facility for her father so he could be closer to her mother. Unfortunately, Pappargeris wrote, “no beds were available.”

Meanwhile, her terminally ill father was transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center where EMMC social worker Linda Murphy joined the effort to find a place for Pappargeris’ father. The women also were eventually successful in relocating him to Exeter.

“My father had three months to spend with his family before he died,” Pappargeris wrote.

“I send my deepest thanks to all the wonderful people who cared enough to help me. I could not have done it without all your help.”

And to the staff at St. Joseph Hospital, BMHI and EMMC, Pappargeris expresses her deepest thanks.

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