In October of 1999, Pat Leavitt of Newburgh first told me about her work with the Maine Dystonia Support Group.

Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that affects the muscles, causing them to pull or spasm.

She explained that dystonia is the third most common movement disorder after Parkinson’s disease, and that it affects more than 300,000 people in this country.

Since our first visit, Leavitt’s group has been meeting and holding events to help the public learn more about the disorder and where help may be obtained.

Recently, Leavitt contacted me to report that the Dystonia Support Group of Greater Maine is sponsoring a meeting “to discuss the treatments and services available for people who have a voice disorder identified as spasmodic dysphonia, which is one type of dystonia.”

That meeting is 1-3 p.m. Sunday, May 5, in Room 516 at Rangeley Hall on the campus of Eastern Maine Technical College in Bangor.

The public is invited to attend.

Literature on all types of dystonias and especially spasmodic dysphonia will be available, provided by the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation.

The guest speaker will be Dr. Mary Bellandese, assistant professor of communications sciences & disorders at the University of Maine in Orono.

Bellandese is also director of the Voice Clinic at Conley Speech & Hearing Center in Orono, and has 14 years experience with voice disorders and, specifically, with spasmodic dysphonia.

She will show a video describing spasmodic dysphonia and discuss the advantages of botox and voice therapy, as well as provide an overview of the services available in our area for people who have this or other voice disorders.

Leavitt invites all persons and their families who are affected by spasmodic dysphonia and other voice disorders to attend this event, ask questions, and receive information about this disorder or other types of dystonias.

Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information about this meeting or the Dystonia Support Group of Greater Maine, call Leavitt at 234-7225 or Dottie England at 942-3650.

Any woman who has ever felt physically or emotionally hurt by one she loves may be interested in spending some time working to understand those situations.

A 10-week “Spruce Run Education Group About Domestic Abuse” is planned for 6-8 p.m., beginning Tuesday, April 30, at Spruce Run’s Resource Center in Bangor.

And while there is no charge to attend these sessions, enrollment is limited, so it is suggested that you call (800) 863-9909 or 945-5102 to register or obtain more information.

These personal education sessions are for women who are survivors of domestic violence or have been affected by the experiences of friends or family.

The topics to be covered will be the patterns of abuse, why abuse happens, survival skills and healthy relationships.

Judy Kellogg Markowsky, writing on behalf of the Maine Audubon Society Penobscot Valley Chapter, extends that group’s thanks to “those who made a difference cleaning up litter on Earth Day.”

“Families with children and Scout groups (including Den 3, Pack 8 of Bangor) cleaned up all the litter on the banks of the Penjajawoc Stream at the Bangor Mall, leaving the stream banks green and beautiful. No doubt, this was appreciated by the ducks, beaver and otter that are sometimes seen in the stream.”

Markowsky reported that as others picked up litter along the road, stream and lakeshore near Fields Pond Nature Center in Orrington, “a bluebird landed near the cleanup crew, as if to say thank you.”

The 70 bags of litter collected on Earth Day also include litter picked up in the area of the Brewer Lake Dam by a group of nature center kayakers from Community Health and Counseling Services.

People associated with nonprofit organizations who want to learn more about fund raising are invited to attend “Fund-raising for Nonprofits: Insights & Essentials to Help Organizations Raise More Money.”

The one-day workshop, sponsored by Gary Friedmann & Associates, is 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

The fee for the workshop, which includes lunch, is $99 per person and $89 for other persons from the same organization.

Guest speakers include Meredith Jones, vice president, Program Development & Grantmaking Services for the Maine Community Foundation; Jim Christie, managing director of the MBNA Foundation; and John Moore, director of marketing for Bangor Savings Bank.

For more information about the workshop, contact Gary Friedmann & Associates at (866) 288-8080 or 288-8080 or visit www.garyfriedmann.com.

Cindy Greenacre called to inform me about an opportunity being offered by the committee working on Hampden Academy Project Graduation 2003.

That project will enable you to have a family portrait taken by a professional photographer at a very reasonable price.

For $19.95, you may purchase a coupon to receive a 10-inch by 13-inch portrait that has a value of $69.95.

There is no sitting fee and up to 12 family members may be included in the sitting.

Pets, however, are not allowed, but additional pictures may be purchased and the $19.95 will be credited towards any package you choose to purchase.

The first date for the sittings is 3-9 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, in the cafeteria at Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden.

The sittings are by appointment, so to make yours, call 947-7923 or e-mail projectgrad2003@aol.com.

All proceeds benefit Project Graduation for the Hampden Academy Class of 2003.

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