What a pleasure it is to bring you an update on the library happenings at the Airline School on Route 9 in Aurora.

You may remember reading here in December that Bangor shop owner Cathy Anderson had an Angel Tree in the Briar Patch to help that small school obtain books for a much-needed library.

Many things have happened to help that dream come true, not the least of which is that the Angel Tree was filled to overflowing and the books were delivered, to the delight of the youngsters receiving them.

The efforts by Tracey O’Connell, who was working at the school at the time, and principal Andy Bryan led to the receipt of a $50,000 grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation to build an addition to house the library and more.

Bryan and O’Connell wrote recently that with the lead grant from the King Foundation, “the people of Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond and Osborn are in the planning stages to have the addition built by the fall of 2003.”

They added that to kick off the project, an open house and public dinner to benefit the Library Fund is planned for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the school.

Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for students or a special family rate of $12.

“People from the community will be encouraged to join committees for various aspects of the project,” they wrote.

“These areas include fund raising, construction, materials/resources and finance. There will be many different events in the days ahead. Please contribute in whatever way you can.”

Donations to help complete this marvelous project can be sent to the Airline Community School Library Fund, 26 Great Pond Road, Aurora 04408.

The public is invited to hear distinguished spiritual singer Roosevelt Andre Credit at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at First United Methodist Church, 703 Essex St., Bangor.

The free concert is part of the church’s annual “Catch the Spirit” weekend.

Roosevelt is the section leader and bass soloist at St. Peter’s Church in New York City.

As a singer of classical, sacred and secular music, he has performed nationally and internationally and as a guest artist with Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Locally, he has performed with the Arcady Music Festival.

The public is also invited to enjoy Credit’s music and ministry during worship services at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, at FUMC.

Young concert pianist Christopher Johnson returns for the second year in a row to perform as part of the Arlan A. Baillie Steinway Performance Series at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, at All Souls Congregational Church, 10 Broadway in Bangor.

The free concert features music by Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin and Grieg.

Before a live audience of 75,000 and watched by millions on television, Johnson performed as soloist during the 2001 inauguration of President George W. Bush at the All-Star Gala on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Johnson also made 12 different appearances in Maine the same year and, most recently, made his fifth appearance, in July, at the Bar Harbor Music Festival.

People seem to really enjoy The Animal Orphanage Fun Dog Show, and this year should be no exception.

The 8th annual Fun Dog Show begins with registration at noon and the show at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, at the Knights of Columbus Little League field on Gilman Falls Avenue in Old Town.

The fee is $1 per class to compete in classes ranging from biggest to smallest dog, waggiest to longest tail, best dressed to cutest puppy and many, many more.

You will also find refreshments, pet supplies, a kayak and 50-50 raffle, and Animal Orphanage merchandise at the show.

The event appeals to young and old alike, and proceeds benefit The Animal Orphanage.

Sept. 22-28 is “Hire the Older Worker Week.”

Traci Fowler, program manager at the Bangor office of The National Council on the Aging, reports the NCOA “believes America’s future well-being will lie in the way the job market treats mature workers.”

She points out that “Bureau of Labor statistics tell us to expect that, by 2005, there will not only be 30 percent more mature persons working, but also 30 percent more mature workers unemployed.

“Our goal is to do more to help mature workers find and keep jobs.”A statewide “National Older Worker Week Celebration” is planned for Tuesday, Sept. 24, in Bangor and features guest speaker Dr. Lenard Kaye, director of the University of Maine Center on Aging.

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