For nearly 20 years, pupils at Miles Lane School in Bucksport have been conducting magazine drives at the beginning of each year, seventh-grade teacher Cindy Wood told me.

“It’s an ongoing process,” she said of the school fund-raiser.

And, quite often, she added, “we ended up with a little bit of excess money so, a couple of years ago, we decided to do something with that money. We wanted something permanent, and something that wouldn’t just benefit one class or one group, but the whole community.”

What that “something” turned out to be was to organize a steel band for Bucksport.

“Right now we have nine pans,” Wood said of the steel drum instruments of differing tones – such as tenor, bass, soprano – that “originated in Trinidad, made from oil drums left over by U.S. forces. People on the island pounded out instrument tones on these drums which are called pans. Seven basic ‘instruments’ makes up the band,” she added.

Wood said the music is “very lively and very ear-catching.”

The instruments, she emphasized, “are very expensive,” but the hope is that the Bucksport Pan Program will have 10 pans by next year.

“Right now we have students who are learning, and two adult education classes that are learning, and they are very enthusiastic,” Wood said.

To help raise funds for the Bucksport Pan Program, Flash in the Pans of Blue Hill is performing a family concert and dance beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, May 10, at Miles Lane School in Bucksport.

Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for students or $10 for a family.

All proceeds benefit the Bucksport Pan Program.

Wood added that Bucksport Area Cultural Arts Society, which is raising money to build a cultural arts auditorium, “will have a table at the concert with information” about how you can help support that organization, which is working to provide the community a place to enjoy such performing arts as its own steel band!

You can give your mother something different for Mother’s Day if you purchase a ticket for her to attend a basket bingo, featuring Longaberger baskets.

The event benefits Brewer High School Project Graduation 2002, and doors open at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 12, at the Elks Club on Odlin Road in Bangor. Bingo begins at 4 p.m.

Presale tickets can be purchased from any member of the BHS Project Graduation 2002 fund-raising committee, by calling Mary Cote at 989-4551 or Gloria Floyd at 843-5880, or by visiting the BHS office on Parkway South in Brewer.

The cost is $10 for 12 cards and another 12 cards can be purchased at the door for $10.

The fee for two special games is $5 each, and all prizes will be Longaberger baskets of assorted sizes and design.

You will be able to purchase snacks, lunches and soda, and you are reminded to get your ticket early, since seating is limited.

This event is the organization’s major fund-raiser. Brewer Project Graduation members remind parents of BHS seniors that the group’s last general meeting is 6 p.m. Thursday, May 9, in the library at BHS.

You are asked to attend and lend your support to help make your child’s graduation night a happy, safe and memorable one.

The group needs help setting up and serving food, decorating, and chaperoning the senior’s graduation trip on Sunday, June 2, to Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.

Members of the Hampden Fire Department will conduct their annual yard sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11, at 14 Western Ave. in Hampden but, for that to happen, they also need your help.

Firefighter Ken Gray reports that “if anyone has any items they would like to donate to the yard sale, it would be greatly appreciated.”

To donate items for the sale, call Gray at 862-4586.

In addition to the yard sale, the Hampden Fire Department also will conduct a car wash from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 11, at the firehouse on 10 Main Road South in Hampden. Gray also reminds readers that “we are still collecting bottles, which can be dropped off at the fire department.”All proceeds from these activities benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Staff and volunteers of the Warren Center for Communications and Learning are preparing for a yard sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at the Warren Center parking lot, 175 Union St. in Bangor, and they are looking for your help to make that fund-raiser successful.

First, they need yard sale donations, and second, they need volunteers to sort, tag and sell the items.

The Warren Center needs donations of clean, undamaged goods, and requests no donations of clothing, please!

Donations can be dropped off at the Warren Center from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays at the Union Street location.Because storage space at the Warren Center is limited, sale organizers request that if you have very large items, you drop them off the day of the sale.

Proceeds benefit the Warren Center’s “Voices to be Heard” auditory-oral program.

“Voices to be Heard” teaches the deaf how to listen and speak with the aid of an amplification device such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant, and is currently the only such program in Maine.

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