Former NEWS carrier plans hike for Alzheimer’s

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When Mary Cameron of Bangor graduated from high school in June 2000, one of our subscribers wrote us lamenting her departure because she had been such a wonderful Bangor Daily News Sunriser for that family.

Now I’ve heard from Mary’s dad, Gary Cameron of Caribou, that the young woman who was as dedicated to delivering newspapers is just as dedicated to getting a college education, helping pay her own expenses to attend the University of Southern Maine.

Along the way, however, Mary is adding a variety of adventures to her impressive dean’s list resume after studying a semester at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and completing a USM study session in London, England.

Working summers as an assistant ranger at Crescent Beach and Two Lights state parks, she has also paddled the entire Allagash Wilderness Waterway, her dad wrote, and has hiked and paddled “a few of Alaska’s wilds.”

But now, Mary has decided to take a semester off and is undertaking an even more formidable challenge: Hiking the Appalachian Trail, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, to benefit the Maine chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Hiking in honor of her grandmother, Celia Cameron of Caribou, who has Alzheimer’s, Mary is hoping to raise $1,500 from her hike, which she will begin on Saturday, Feb. 22, her 21st birthday.

Mary would greatly appreciate your support of each mile she hikes.

She is asking only for what you can contribute, such as one, two or three cents per mile (which would be totals of $22, $44 or $66) in hopes of reaching her $1,500 goal.

Gary Cameron will type his daughter’s journal entries into the computer and e-mail them to those who wish to receive progress reports. She hopes to complete her hike by Sunday, Aug. 31.

Contributions in Mary Cameron’s name to the Maine Alzheimer’s Association can be mailed to Gary Cameron, P. O. Box 921, Caribou 04736.

For more information, you can call him at 498-4161 or e-mail canoefoot@juno.com.

I wish our former Sunriser well and hope she exceeds her fund-raising goal!

Dennis Smith of the Mount Desert Island Rod and Gun Club called to remind readers that the club’s Annual Ice Fishing Derby/Fund-raiser is Sunday, Feb. 16.

The weigh-in is planned for 3:30 to 6 p.m. that day at the Ellsworth Elks Lodge, and fish caught in all lakes and ponds of Hancock County are eligible for the derby.

Smith, the self-described “perennial chairman” of this event, added that tickets are available in the area at Seal Harbor Village Market, Pine Tree Market, Gott’s Store, Big Al’s Pit Stop, Town Hill Market, Parkadia Exxon, Wayside, Willey’s Tideway Market, Tapley’s, Nicolin Store and Hull’s Cove Market.

Funds raised through this fishing derby will help provide camperships for area youngsters to attend Bangor YMCA Camp Jordan next summer on Branch Lake in Ellsworth.

A number of prizes will be offered in the derby, and the top prize is $1,000.

All anglers with an eligible fish will be entered for the one name that will be drawn at the end of the event.

The gate prize for another lucky ticket holder is 100 gallons of fuel oil, “generously donated by Island Energy/Plumbing and Heating” Smith added.

For more information, call 288-5457 or 288-2767.

The Warren Center for Communication and Learning is offering a free four-part workshop to help family and personal caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or other memory disorders communicate more effectively with those in their care.

Speech-language pathologist Lisa Hosfeld will lead the workshop, “Coping with Memory Disorders through Communication,” from 2 to 4 p.m. on four Fridays: Feb. 21, Feb. 28, March 7 and March 14, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 540 Essex St. in Bangor.

A snow date is scheduled for Friday, March 21.

There is no charge for the workshops, and onsite, professional respite care is available.

However, registration is required, and, if respite assistance is also needed, you should state so upon registration.

You can register for the conference by calling the Warren Center at 941-2850, or receive more information at www.warrencenter.org and click on Memory Disorders.

The Warren Center is a nonprofit, United Way-affiliated speech and hearing clinic located in Bangor.

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