Community News

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Bangor

Credit union branch office

University Credit Union held its ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of its new branch office Sept. 19 at 977 Union St.

Established in 1967, University Credit Union serves students, employees and alumni of the University of Maine System with full service locations on the UMaine campus and at 391 Forest Ave. in Portland. UCU’s membership totals 15,000 with assets of over $110 million.

Film and pizza

The documentary “Legacy of Community Action,” a film about a grandmother and her family’s struggle to find a permanent home will be shown in Bangor 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, at Bradford Commons, 201 Husson Ave.; Thursday, Oct. 17, at Park Woods, 11 Bolling Drive; and Thursday, Oct. 24, at Families and Children Together, 304 Hancock St.

All showings begin with pizza followed by the movie and a discussion.

The purpose of showing the film, said Kim Osgood, is to build a community conversation about how to improve housing for families and to support families headed by grandparents.

For child care during the film or for information, call Osgood at 941-2347.

Studio tour registration

Registration is open for downtown artists interested in participating in the fourth annual downtown Bangor studio tour, set for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, when artists open their studios to visitors. Artists may exhibit work, talk about or demonstrate their technique or medium. Work does not have to be for sale.

Visitors purchase tickets and receive a map of the downtown district, highlighting the location of each participating studio. The map also will include a brief description of the artist and work.

Tickets are available through designated merchants.

This year, there is an added feature called: “10×10 for 110.” Participating artists will create and offer for sale in their studios 10 (more or less) works measuring 10 inches by 10 inches (including frame or not) to sell for $110 each. These works may be in addition to other work, or can constitute one’s entire exhibit. Participation is completely voluntary, and artists on the tour do not have to participate in the “10×10.”

Interested artists may pick up registration forms at the Bangor Public Library or BookMarc’s Bookstore. Registration deadline is Oct. 1.

For information, contact e-mail Tina Villalovos at tina@tate-fitch.com or call 942-5364.

Candidates’ forum

The 24th annual meeting of the Maine Development Foundation will feature a Gubernatorial Candidates Forum 7:30-10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, at Bangor Civic Center.

Candidates who have been invited to the forum are U.S. Rep. John Baldacci, Jonathan Carter, Peter Cianchette and state Rep. John Michael.

Each year, the foundation honors leaders and their organizations for promoting economic development, for maintaining high professional standards and for commitment to Maine’s economy.

Honorees this year are Peter Vigue, president of Cianbro Corp. in Pittsfield, and Sandra Featherman, president of the University of New England.

Preregistration is recommended.

The $10 registration fee includes breakfast. For information, call 947-0307.

Child development training

The Penquis Community Action Program Resource Development Center will offer three hours of “CDA Adviser Training” 9 a.m.-noon Sept. 28, at Penquis CAP offices in Bangor, Dover-Foxcroft and Lincoln.

The training is open to people who have college degrees in early childhood education or a related field, or who already have earned their Child Development Associate Certificate.

The training will be held at 262 Harlow St., Bangor, and offered through videoconferencing at 50 North St. in Dover and 119 Main St. in Lincoln. There is a $10 fee.

Current child care providers may apply to the Resource Development Center’s Scholarship Fund for reimbursement of the fee. For information, call 941-2840, Ext. 103.

Greek Dance

The annual Greek Dance will be held 8 p.m.-midnight Saturday, Oct. 19, at Peabody Campus Center at Husson College.

The dance is a long-standing Bangor tradition, giving everyone in the region the opportunity to have an entertaining evening with live music, great food and plenty of dancing.

The dance features the Hellenic Stars Orchestra with Kostas Haloukas, performing traditional Greek and popular American music. A special aspect of the evening is Greek line dancing, a style familiar to many and featured in the current hit movie, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” Free Greek dance lessons are offered at 7 p.m. Oct. 2, 9 and 16 at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 90 Sanford St. Call 945-9588 or 827-4579 for more information.

The Greek Dance will offer dancers and attendees with free Greek hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, free dessert and coffee.

There’s also a 50-50 raffle, which benefits the church. Admission is $25 for adults, $10 for children under 12, with a maximum of $75 per family.

Tickets are available at the door or in advance at Market Cafe, Old Town; Angelo’s Pizzeria, Old Town; Kelley Pontiac, Bangor; Captain Nick’s Restaurant, Bangor; Sprague’s Nursery, Bangor; Millinocket House of Pizza, or Lakeshore Inn, Rockland.

Child care training

The Penquis Community Action Program Resource Development Center is offering six hours of training in “Getting Started in Family Child Care.”

Classes will be held 6-9 p.m. Oct. 2 and 7 at Penquis CAP offices in Bangor, Dover-Foxcroft and Lincoln.

Participants must attend both sessions for state certification.

There is a $10 registration fee. To reserve space call 941-2840, Ext. 103. Mail registration fees to Penquis CAP RDC, 120 Cleveland St. Bangor 04401.

Infant care training

The Penquis Community Action Program Resource Development Center is offering 30 hours of training in “Caring for Infants, Toddlers and Their Families.” Classes will be held Saturdays and Tuesdays, Oct. 5-29. Saturday classes will meet 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Tuesday classes 6-9 p.m., at Penquis CAP, 262 Harlow St. in Bangor, and at Building Blocks, 189 Perry Road in Bangor.

There is a $10 registration fee. Current child care providers may apply to the Resource Development Center’s Scholarship Fund for reimbursement of this fee. Call 941-2840, Ext. 103 to register.

Mail registration fees to Penquis CAP RDC, 120 Cleveland St., Bangor 04401.

Dessert Charity Auction

The Bangor Noon Kiwanis will hold its annual Dessert Charity Auction 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at University College, College Center, 129 Texas Ave. There is a $5 admission fee. The auction benefits Kiwanis projects such as Halloween safety, Girl Scouts, and the Children’s Miracle Network.

Items to be auctioned include some of the area’s best desserts, restaurant gift certificates, shopping sprees, and UMaine hockey tickets. For information, call 942-1513.

New business

Wanda Passero has opened Lifestages at 47 Main St. The new business provides information about the developmental stages of children ages 6-18 and will offer training and workshops for groups or individuals who work with children.

The workshop “Managing the Preteen Years” will be held 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. “Managing the Teenage Years” will be held 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9. The fee for each workshop is $10. For information or to register, call 947-9077.

Organizing MWWHC history

Kim Corey, owner of Finely Sorted, an organizing service based in Hampden, has volunteered to organize 20 years worth of memorabilia at the Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center.

The material includes work-in-progress notes, photographs, news clippings, meeting records, event programs, speeches, court documents and letters.

“I wanted to create an opportunity through which I could become reconnected to the broader women’s community, while challenging me and providing a special service to an organization that has done so much for women for such a long time,” Corey said.

Corey’s goal is to make the material easily accessible so it can serve as the primary source for writing a history of the center and one of its founders, Mabel S. Wadsworth.

“There is urgency to this work,” said Ruth Lockhart, MWWHC executive director. “We are fortunate to still have Mabel among us – guiding us, challenging us. Approaching age 92, she reminds us every chance she gets that she won’t be playing that role forever. Now is the time to do this, before anything gets lost, before anything is forgotten, while we can still gather together to remember all the pieces.”

Book discussion at library

There is still time to reserve or purchase a copy of “Waiting” by Ha Jin, a selection of the Bangor Public Library’s book discussion series, Engaging Conversation.

The group meets to discuss the book at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, in the lecture hall.

The winner of the 1999 National Book Award for fiction, “Waiting” is a moving and touching story of people caught between love and longing, custom and culture. “Waiting” has been a favorite among private reading groups for two years.

Ha Jin was born in Liaoning, China, in 1956.

He served in the Chinese People’s Army from 1987-1995. In addition to “Waiting,” he is the author of two short story collections, “Ocean of Words,” winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award, and “Under the Red Flag,” which received the Flannery O’Connor Award. He teaches at Emory University in Atlanta.

For information about the book discussion series, call 947-8336, Ext. 139.

Driver safety program

The Bangor Housing Authority will sponsor the AARP’s driver safety program 8 a.m.-noon Oct. 8-9.

Participants will sharpen driver skills, develop strategies for adjusting to age-related physical changes and get a discount on automobile insurance for those age 55 and older.

There are no road or written tests. The cost for the eight-hour course is $10.

For information, call Peggy Brown at 989-7890 or 942-6395, or Sylvia Smith at 942-4579.

Exhibit space

The Haworth Academic Center, 60 Main St., offers storefront exhibit space for two- and three-dimensional work to school art classes, and new and established artists. Individual artists should be prepared to submit samples or photos of their work.

Past exhibitors include students from Bangor High School and local painter David Musselman. Current exhibitors are University of Maine students Sharon Anderson and Jennifer Chiarell.

For information, call 990-3500 or e-mail haworthacademiccenter.com.

Brewer

City Proclamations

The city of Brewer issued several proclamations recently:

. It was resolved that Sept. 11 would be “Always Remember” day, a time to mourn, reflect and rededicate to the task of ending terrorism.

. The Travel Squirt hockey team was recognized for winning the Tier II State Sportsmanship Award.

. The Brewer Public Works Department summer workers, Kevin Walton, Andrew Hayes, Richard Collenburg, Adam Eldridge, Devon Plourde and Joseph Caron, were cited for outstanding assistance on city projects.

. Velma Nickerson, who died July 14, and Marguerite Clough, who died July 16, were recognized for their positive influence on the well-being and development of the community.

Driver safety program

The Brewer Housing Authority will sponsor AARP’s driver safety program 8 a.m.-noon Oct. 8-9. The cost of the program is $10.

For information, call Peggy Brown at 989-7890 or 942-6395, or Sylvia Smith at 942-4579.

Milford

Forester Award

The Society of American Foresters has recognized Allen LeBrun with its Presidential Field Forester Award. He will receive the award at the SAF national convention held Oct. 5-9 in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The award is given to foresters who display uncommon talent and innovative methods to achieve excellence in forest management.

Since 1978, LeBrun has worked for International Paper Co. as a forester, unit forester and forestry team leader in the company’s Clayton Lake district, Ashland district, Central Maine unit and Costigan forest operations.

LeBrun is known for his efforts to apply sound silvicultural practices and best-known harvesting methods in Maine’s woodlands.

In addition to his fieldwork for International Paper, LeBrun manages his own woodlot and an apple farm in Chester.

Orono

Conference for youth with special needs

ORONO – Youth with special needs will share experiences and strategies for making a successful transition to adulthood at “Preparing the Future: Roadmap to Success,” the third annual youth conference at the Augusta Civic Center, North Wing, 8:30 a.m-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.

Members of a youth advisory group who planned the conference include Maria Noyes, 17, of Levant and Brian Harnish, 20, of Hampden.

The conference is for teens and young adults ages 14-25 who are living with chronic illness or disability.

Keynote speaker for the conference will be Matthew Green, 20, Florida author of a chapter in “Young People and Chronic Illness: True Stories, Help and Hope,” and webmaster of the Teens with Crohn’s Disease Web site.

The meeting is co-sponsored by Maine’s Children with Special Health Needs Program, and the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion.

For information, call Janet May or Bonnie Robinson (800) 203-6957 or e-mail: maineworksmail@umit.maine.edu.

Participants may also register online at www.ume.maine.edu/cci/teenconference. There is no cost.

Grants awarded

W.A.R. (Women’s Activities and Recreation) Against Isolation has been awarded a $2,000 grant from the Maine Community Foundation and a $1,000 grant from the Wrendy Hayne Mental Health Fund.

Kindred Spirits book group

ORONO – Orono Public Library recently received a $3,000 grant from the Maine Community Foundation to support Kindred Spirits, a book discussion group for girls and women.

The first meeting for this school year will be Tuesday, Oct. 8, and is open to Orono and Veazie girls in grades four-seven and their mothers or mentors. Preregistration is required.

“This grant will allow us to continue a incredibly popular program that has reached approximately 70 Orono citizens in the past year and a half. We anticipate the numbers this year to be about 100,” said Laurie Rose, youth services librarian.

“The enthusiasm for this program from both girls and women alike has been phenomenal.”

Kindred Spirits started in January of 2001 with fourth- and fifth-grade girls and their mothers or mentors. It has grown this year to include girls in grades four-seven, mothers and mentors from the community.

The meetings are held every other month through the school year and include preselected titles that are read by the entire group, a meal, literature-based activities and small group book discussions. For additional information, contact the library at 866-5060.

Breakfast of Champions

The Maine Women’s and Policy Center will hold its annual Breakfast of Champions 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, in the Wells Commons Conference Center at the University of Maine.

Maine gubernatorial candidates will attend.

The breakfast is the principal fund-raising event for the center, which works to enhance the lives of women and girls.

This year the center will unveil the Maine Women’s Economic Security Agenda and publicize the results of the center’s statewide Temporary Assistance to Needy Families opinion poll.

For information or reservations, call 622-0852 or e-mail womenspolicycent@aol.com.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin