As the holidays approach, many organizations are busily raising funds through projects that help make our surroundings much brighter and more festive.

Joyce Given, president of the Millinocket Regional Hospital Auxiliary, wrote to tell me that organization is sponsoring its ninth annual Love Light Tree project.

Purchases of different-colored Christmas lights to be placed “on our evergreen tree outside the MRH main lobby entrance” range in price from $3 for one light to $13 for five lights, she wrote.

The deadline to purchase lights is Friday, Dec. 13.

Given reports that “the Love Light Tree will stay aglow all during the holidays as a significant reminder of what love means to those who purchase the lights.”

Proceeds will benefit three $500 MRHA scholarships awarded to seniors graduating from Stearns High School in Millinocket, Schenck High School in East Millinocket and Katahdin High School in Sherman Station who plan to pursue careers in the medical field.

Requests and donations can be mailed to MRHA Treasurer Terry Given, 106 Prospect St., Millinocket 04462.

Order forms are available at Katahdin Printing Plus, the MRH lobby in Millinocket and Nicholson’s Insurance in East Millinocket.

Last year’s campaign raised $2,014.

“Our goal for year 2002 is to exceed that amount,” Joyce Given said.

The tree-lighting ceremony will be at 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, at the MRH main lobby entrance.

The St. Joseph Hospital Auxiliary is in the midst of its “Lights of Remembrance” program.

Individuals can contribute on three levels: $10 or more, $25 or more or $100 or more, with ornaments placed on the lobby tree in acknowledgement. The program will help raise funds for St. Joseph Hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab, which is expected to be functioning by January 2003.

To participate, call the St. Joseph Healthcare public affairs office at 262-1720.

You also are invited to be part of the hospital’s holiday display Lighting Ceremony, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at the hospital’s entrance on Broadway in Bangor.

The ceremony will include caroling by the St. John’s Catholic Church Children’s Choir, holiday refreshments and a visit from Santa Claus.

Denis Cranson and everyone associated with the Eastern Maine AIDS Network, which serves residents of Aroostook, Piscataquis and Penobscot counties, invite you to participate in its fifth annual Tree of Hope fund-raiser, in which a fully lit, frosted tree, donated by Fenix of Hallowell, will be raffled.

More than 100 ornaments, by designers such as Christopher Radko and Patricia Breen, are included on the tree, valued at more than $3,000.

Tickets are $2 each or three for $5 and are available at the EMAN office, 80 Exchange St., Bangor, or by calling 990-3626.

All proceeds benefit children and families served by EMAN.

I received a call from Down East Hospice board member Kay Lindstrom of Calais inviting the public to attend a benefit lasagna dinner at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at the First Congregational Church in Calais.

Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children and $15 for families.

Funds raised will be used by DEH to assist Washington County individuals and families who are facing terminal illness.

People who make purchases at the Brewer Garden and Bird Club bake sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at Marden’s in Brewer, will be helping to beautify that community.

Proceeds from fund-raisers such as this enable the club to plant several flower gardens throughout the city, and care for the Blue Star Memorial Highway marker.

Nancy Grant and representatives of the Orono AFS program invite you to attend its annual Auction of Talents and Treasurers beginning at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, in the Orono High School Cafeteria.

Items up for bid range from a week at a cottage in Bayside to sports tickets, a baseball from Baltimore Orioles star Mike Bordick autographed on the day he broke the Major League record for errorless games, and a U.S. flag that flew over the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

You can view the items during the silent auction from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., when George Gonyar will call for your bids to start the live auction.

In the article I wrote about the Bangor Band on Saturday, Nov. 9, I was provided with incorrect information which, had I been a math whiz, I might have questioned.

Bob Pentland of Lamoine wrote to apologize for “passing along undocumented anecdotes without investigating first,” after informing me that Bangor Band member Leo Thayer had played with the famous band director, John Philip Sousa, who was born in 1854 and died in 1932.

“It was Leo’s father,” Pentland explained.

“Leo forgives me,” he added, as do I!

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