Community news

Bangor

Michelle AnnMarie Schmitter joined the Bangor Museum and Center for History July 15 as its executive director.

Schmitter has an extensive background in leadership with several historical museums. Her most recent position was as executive director of the Clatsop County Historical Society in Astoria, Ore. She was selected from a large pool of candidates as a result of a national search.

The Bangor Humane Society has announced that Kathy Black, humane educator, and Norma Worley, volunteer, will attend a 10-day training program at the Humane Society of the United States’ Pets for Life National Training Center.

The training center, sponsored by Hill’s Science Diet, the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, a KeyBank trust, the Laura J. Niles Foundation and Frontline, is operated at the facilities of the Dumb Friends League in Denver.

The league staff teaches animal shelter professionals how to start stress-reduction programs for shelter animals, to offer dog training and pet parenting classes, and to set up telephone help lines for pet owners dealing with dog and cat behavior issues.

Black and Worley will participate in the training center’s summer class. Selection for the 25 openings was highly selective.

“I’m very excited about the possibilities,” Black said. “This will obviously greatly enhance our educational program.”

The Pets for Life National Training Center is a major component of the Humane Society of the United States’ Pets for Life campaign, which is designed to keep people and their pets together. The campaign evolved from the decades-long effort to reduce pet overpopulation.

Brewer

The Brewer Parks and Recreation Department and the Brewer Police Department will hold a bike safety rodeo for Brewer youngsters beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, July 19, at Brewer Auditorium.

Officials will perform safety inspections and hand out bicycle helmets, while supplies last. There will be an obstacle course and a free lunch of hot dogs, chips and beverage.

Orono

The Maine Conservation Corps, in partnership with the Orono Land Trust, the city of Bangor and the University of Maine, is constructing a boardwalk in the Orono Bog, an area designated as a national natural landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The 4,000-foot boardwalk begins in the Bangor City Forest and continues on University of Maine land in Orono. It will offer public access to the site and eventually will include interpretive stations for public education about the habitat.

Volunteers are needed to help assemble boardwalk sections, transport them to the site and to clear the route in the bog for boardwalk placement. Volunteers will work with Main Conservation Corps teams under experienced leaders.

Maine Conservation Corps field teams are made up of AmeriCorps members who are serving three- or 11-month terms of service for which they receive a small weekly stipend and an education award.

Dates available to volunteer are July 27 and 28, and Aug. 24 and 25. Other weekend and weekday times are available by request. No experience is necessary. People who are unable to perform physical labor may contact the Maine Conservation Corps for other volunteer task options.

To volunteer or obtain information, call Christy Monroe at 287-4398, or e-mail christy.monroe@state.me.us.

Orrington

Chip Haskell, 16, a Life Scout in Boy Scout Troop 44, is working toward the rank of Eagle Scout. His community service project for Orrington is to build an honor roll which will include the names of men and women who served in the Civil War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam.

To raise funds for the honor roll, Haskell is holding a spaghetti supper at the East Orrington Congregational Church 4:30-7 p.m. Saturday, July 20.

The cost of the supper is $5, $3 for children age 12 and under. There will be a dessert and bread auction 5:15-6 p.m.

For information, call 825-3222.