Not only can you show public support for your favorite team, or player, during the Eastern Basketball Tournament, you also can help support the wonderful work of Literacy Volunteers of America Bangor Chapter.

Allison Bankston of radio station WQCB in Brewer is vice president of the local LVA chapter, and she hopes lots of people will participate in the second “Letters for Literacy” during regular business hours now through Saturday, Feb. 22, at Filene’s court in the Bangor Mall.

Bankston explained the organization places large display boards in the mall and each school gets a side of the board to decorate in its school colors.

For $1 a letter, you can spell out words of encouragement such as “Go, Team!” or “We Love No. 42,” Bankston said.

All proceeds benefit LVA but, if you purchase a raffle ticket at the LVA booth, you might win one of several prizes drawn during the final two days of the fund-raiser.

Among those prizes are several sets of tickets from the Bangor Lumberjacks, Bankston said of the city’s new professional baseball team, fuel donated by Pelkey Oil Co., and decorative items from Filene’s.

Three schools that judges conclude demonstrate the best school spirit also will receive recognition, Bankston said.

“Since teams will be playing over the weekend,” Bankston added, “we might give space to different schools” as the tournament progresses.

In any event, this is a great way to help support your favorite team during Tournament Week and, at the same time, and help LVA to continue its work of teaching area adults to read and write.

Brett Soucy, Bill Carollo and Mike Zubik of Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant in Orono invite you to the second of their “Full Moon Margarita Madness” events to benefit the work of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter from 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, to 1 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at Margarita’s, 15 Mill St., in Orono.

The shelter’s executive director, Dennis Marble, thanks all who donated prizes and services for the first such event last month, which was very successful.

Five percent of the proceeds from sales during “Full Moon Margarita Madness” benefits BAHS, which provides emergency shelter and support services for homeless men and women in Greater Bangor.

“Please know that there are a lot of homeless folks” who appreciate the support of the community, Marble wrote while also extending his thanks to shelter volunteer Chris Olsen and Marble’s daughter, Sarah, “who took the idea and ran with it.”

Everyone involved with the Curran Homestead hopes you remembered to “Save your 16” this month so you can enjoy some good old-time outside fun.

The Curran Homestead’s Olde-Fashioned Winter Carnival is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at the Homestead on Fields Pond Road in Orrington.

Activities include the third annual Currier & Ives Sleigh Rally under the direction of David and Paula Leavitt, and the second annual Family Ice Fishing Education Program in which all equipment and instruction is provided and no license is required.

Offered through the cooperation of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Bob Croce and Dick Hanson will oversee this activity in which you can learn all about ice fishing.

A game warden and biologist will provide information about fish and wildlife conservation and, if you get cold, you can step inside and warm up around the wood stove.

The Homestead’s resident Irishman, “Michael Curran,” will be there; you can try out a pair of snowshoes; enter a snow sculpture or photo contest or just tour the site.

For more information, call Brian Higgins, 478-5021; Dick Stockford, 947-3701; Karen Marsters, 478-5578 or Irv Marsters, 745-4426.

From Mike Lange we learn that the Skowhegan-Madison Elks Lodge will hold a NASCAR Daytona 500 party beginning at noon Sunday, Feb. 16, at the lodge on Silver Street in Skowhegan.

Open to members and guests, the admission donation is $5 per person, with all proceeds benefiting Elks charities, including the Elks National Foundation and the Maine Children’s Cancer Program.

Snacks and door prizes will be available throughout the day. Last year, this lodge was able to contribute more than $6,000 to MCCP with funds raised through this event, a charity feature at Unity Raceway, yard sales, dances and other entertainment.

Members also raised $1,000 to help open an Elks National Foundation account in memory of the late seven-time Winston Cup champion, Dale Earnhardt.

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