Weatherbee School pupils raise funds for competition

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Much work has been done in a very short time to enable a team of seven fourth-graders from the George B. Weatherbee School in Hampden to participate in the Destination ImagiNation Tournament May 22-26 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

The pupils won the state competition to earn the right to compete in the global tournament. Team members are Brendan Dickenson, Renee Butler, Lindsay Beauregard, Christina Fortin, Melissa Hoksch, Lindsay Thornton and Becky Ye.

For those who do not know, Destination ImagiNation was formerly known as Olympics of the Mind.

Team manager Sandy Fortin called me back in April when the team began raising the $14,000 it needs to make the trip, and has been keeping me informed of its progress which, at latest count, has reached the $6,000 mark.

That means much work remains to be done, and I can assure you that everyone involved is working very, very hard.

Besides running concession stands for Hampden Academy theatre productions, and conducting yard sales, many events remain to which you can contribute.

For example, a kids karaoke will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at Heritage Bowling Center, 1620 Outer Hammond St. in Hermon.

To help youngsters and their moms celebrate Mother’s Day, the team invites you to attend an ice cream social at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, in the Weatherbee School gym.

Or, the day after Mother’s Day, you all can enjoy a buffet dinner either at 5:15 or 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 13, at the Oriental Jade Restaurant at the Bangor Mall. The cost is $11 for adults and $6 for children, and you can call Fortin at 862-4088 to make prepayment arrangements.

The group will be selling raffle tickets from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 18, at the children’s fair yard sale at Hampden Academy, and has tentatively planned a silent auction and ice cream social at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 31, at the Weatherbee School gym.

Team members and supporters are also selling Mother’s Day carnations, collecting bottles and have collection jars out in the community. Their raffle tickets will be available at all the events.

Four winners will each receive 25 pounds of lobster, and those who purchase yellow raffle tickets win a four-hour limousine service and private Great Skates party, or an Old Town otter kayak or a CD radio boom box.

On behalf of the team, Fortin extends thanks to all the businesses and individuals “who are supporting this worthy cause,” she wrote, whether it is by sponsoring individual team members, making financial donations or donating items for the silent auction.

But not quite half the amount needed has been raised, so if you can participate in any of these fund-raisers, please do.

If you can help in any other way, call Fortin at the above number, or call the Weatherbee School at 862-3254.

If you would prefer to make a personal contribution to help the Weatherbee School team compete in Tennessee, make a check payable to Weatherbee DI/OM, and mail it to George B. Weatherbee School, P.O. Box 279, Hampden 04444.

Three cheers for a good sport: Hancock County District Attorney Michael Povich.

For 10 years, Povich has participated in the American Diabetes Association’s annual cycling fund-raiser, the “Tour de Cure.”

But, unable to make the tour on its scheduled date of Sunday, May 19, on Mount Desert Island, Povich has decided to do a pre-ride on Sunday, May 5.

In preparation for his special ride, Povich invited other team members, local cyclists and ADA Area Director Kathryn Libby to join him.

Tour de Cure raises funds through registration fees and pledges collected by the cyclists.

To register or obtain more information about participating in the event later this month, call (800) TOUR-888, or visit www.diabetes.org/tour.

In my earnest effort to get late word out for Nancy Ziegenbein that six tickets remain for the Friends of the Symphony coach tour for the upcoming Boston Symphony Pops Concert, I inadvertently went back one year too far in my research, and pulled up information for last year’s tour, which I used in yesterday’s column!

Here is the correct information for the 2002 trip.

This year’s concert, “An American Salute,” features newly-appointed Principal Pops Guest Conductor Bruce Hagen leading the orchestra in a program of stirring patriotic melodies.

The overnight bus trip leaves Bangor at 7 a.m. Saturday, June 15, with prearranged stops along Interstate 95 south of Bangor. The cost is $249 for the general public or $239 for FOS members.

The fee includes the concert that evening, overnight accommodations, visits the next day to historic sites in the Greater Boston area, a 100-minute boat tour of Boston Harbor, live theater, shopping and dining out.

The reservation deadline is Friday, May 10.

You can make reservations by calling Ziegenbein at 947-7965 or the BSO office at 942-5555 or 800-639-3221.

Reservations can also be made with Ziegenbein in the lobby at the BSO concert at 3 p.m., Sunday, May 5 at the Maine Center for the Arts in Orono.

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