Drug abuse recovery center managed by teens

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Recently, I spoke with Mickey-Mary Murphy, one of the adult sponsors for Teen Recovery.

Murphy explained Teen Recovery was begun by a group of teens and some adult sponsors “to help with the teens’ substance abuse.”

Today, she said, “Teen Recovery is a continuing success because it is a voluntary support that is managed and facilitated by the teens themselves.”

Teen Recovery meetings are each Monday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Hammond Street Congregational Church in Bangor.

Young people ages 13 to 20 who want to participate can do so by simply showing up.

Citing addiction among teens as “an unceasing problem,” Murphy said those participating in Teen Recovery “are willing to speak out against substances and the damage it has created in their lives, and demonstrate how their lives have changed, for the better, in the recovery process.”

Teen Recovery recently received generous grants from the Maine Community Foundation and the Juvenile Corrections Substance Abuse Treatment Network – Day One.

Those grants, Murphy explained, “will allow the program to grow and better meet the needs of area teens.”

“With these grants, Teen Recovery hopes to visit other communities to explain its unique model of support for teens, by teens.”

On behalf of the Bangor Breakfast Kiwanis Club, Mary Sullivan and Laura Farmer cordially invite any past members and the general public to attend the club’s 25th Anniversary Celebration from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Black Bear Inn in Orono.

The festivities include presentation of the Charles Sullivan Community Service Award to one of Bangor’s favorite pharmacists and musicians, Bernard “Billy” Miller.

The cost of the event, which features hors d’oeuvres and a bountiful harvest of club memories, is $10 per person.

For more information or reservations, call Mary Sullivan at 947-4112 or Farmer at 989-1302.

Looking for a little respite from your frenzied holiday shopping?

Enjoy “An Afternoon of Beautiful Music for Pine Tree Hospice” at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Congregational Church on Main Street in Dover-Foxcroft.

Participants in this annual benefit, which is a major fund-raiser for Pine Tree Hospice, are Ellen Faulkner, Lauralynn Bouie, Jane Sharrow, Lila Cobb, Sam Cabot, Foxcroft Academy students, the North Country Strings and Tapestry of Music bell choir.

Admission is by donation.

Pine Tree Hospice provides Penquis-area residents facing a terminal illness, or grieving the loss of a loved one, with cost-free, nonmedical support.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine will benefit from a bottle drive Saturday, Nov. 23, at Nancy’s Scrapbooking Store, 435 Central St., Bucksport.

Nancy’s Scrapbooking is working to become a wish granter, and extends its thanks to Winterport Dragway for its $300 contribution to the effort.

If you have questions about helping with this project, call Make-A-Wish Foundation, (800) 491-3171, or Nancy Saunders and Jennifer Davenport at 469-2832.

Thanks to your efforts, the goal of Manna Ministries to collect 3,500 turkeys for the needy this Thanksgiving is well on its way.

In fact, 1,900 turkeys had been collected through this week.

Checks marked “Turkey Drive,” or store gift certificates, can be dropped off at, or mailed to, Manna Ministries, 180 Center St., Bangor 04401.

Manna is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

The love and concern for newlyweds Patrick and Kristin Ready Lessard of Ellsworth know no bounds.

Family friend Maddy Cole of Bucksport wrote to me that “when Patrick married our hometown girl,” the community “adopted Patrick. We love them both. They have touched the hearts and lives of so many people.”

Having undergone treatment for cancer as a teenager, Kristin Lessard is now facing cancer again.

But they are not facing it alone, as has been demonstrated by the support of people throughout the area.

Town of Hampden employees, for example, recently conducted several fund-raisers for the daughter-in-law of their town manager, Susan Lessard.

And now, Cole wrote, a Share & Care Benefit is planned for the young Lessards.

An Early Bird Pancake Breakfast is 4 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Bucks Mills Rod & Gun Club in Bucksport.

Cole’s directions to the site are to “take Central Street, off of Main Street, and go straight out about five miles.”

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children age 12 and under.

The benefit includes a 50-50 raffle. For more information, call Cole at 469-7678, or Nickey Wight at 469-6283.

The Heart of Maine Chorus of Sweet Adelines International, and the High Steppers, will perform at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, in the J.C. Penney Center Court at the Bangor Mall.

You are invited to stop by and sing along!

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