Students pitch in to collect clothing for kids

Under the watchful eye and broad smile of United Way of Eastern Maine President Jeff Wahlstrom, Good Will-Hinckley School students pitched in last week outside the Bangor Mall, transferring 4,000 pieces of children’s clothing to four Eastern Maine agencies. The donations were made possible through the assistance of Sears and funding from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.

Representatives of I Care Ministries in Millinocket, Crossroads Ministries in Old Town, Penquis Community Action Program in Bangor and the Washington-Hancock Community Agency were on hand to receive the clothing. Nancy Burgess of WHCA, for example, knew just where that clothing would go, and how welcome it would be.

WHCA child care providers who make home visits, she said, will be giving her a list of very specific needs, which is just what Wahlstrom hoped would happen.

“We wanted to make sure the clothing would go locally where it was needed most,” he said, while praising the work of the young people, who appeared to be having a great time piling up bags of clothing they knew would make some other youngsters very happy.

Former Vermont Gov. and U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland Madeleine Kunin will be featured when the Sen. Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy and the Margaret Chase Smith Library Lectureship on Public Affairs presents “Leadership: Creating Change.”

Kunin will speak from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in Minsky Hall, Class of 1944 Hall, on the University of Maine campus in Orono. Tickets are free, and can be obtained by calling 581-1646.

The Warren Center for Communication and Learning will be holding its annual yard sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10, in the parking lot of the facility at 175 Union St. in Bangor.

Donations of items for the sale will be gratefully accepted during regular business hours on Monday, April 28, at the Warren Center. Because of limited storage space, however, very large items should be dropped off the day of the sale.

For more information about the sale, or the center, call Monique Gibouleau at 941-2850.

People in our circulation area can choose between two sites to participate in the Hospice Foundation of America’s 10th annual bereavement teleconference, “Living With Grief: Coping with Public Tragedy.”

Moderated by ABC News correspondent Cokie Roberts, the teleconference will examine factors defining a public tragedy, and ways in which health care and other professionals can respond and offer support during these times.

Hospice of Eastern Maine will play host to the live, via-satellite video teleconference from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, in Mason Auditorium at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

For more information about, or to register for, the teleconference at this site, call Alicia Guite or Deb Jacques at 973-8269.

Down East Hospice will be that area’s local host for the bereavement teleconference, which is nationally produced by Hospice Foundation of America.

That teleconference runs from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, and will be held in Torrey Hall on the University of Maine campus in Machias.

For more information, or to register, call 454-7521, Ext. 126; 255-3356, Ext. 324, or e-mail downeasthospice@yahoo.com.

Maine Adoption Placement Service International is again offering its Russia Summer Program.

MAPS will invite about 25 Russian orphans for the annual host-to-adopt program.

The children are expected to arrive in the United States around July 11 and return to Russia on or about Aug. 15.

Individuals as well as sibling groups, ranging in age from 5 to 15, are included in the program and will have been recommended, by their orphanage directors, as those who have the best chance of adjusting to an American family.

The deadline for completed applications to be received by MAPS International is Wednesday, April 30. If you want more information, or an application packet, contact Stacey Dudley at 775-4101, or by e-mail at stacey@mapsadopt.org.

Anyone joining the National Arbor Day Foundation during April will receive 10 free oak trees, including two red oaks, two pin oaks, two bur oaks, two scarlet oaks and two willow oaks.

To become a member of the foundation and receive the trees, send $10 by Wednesday, April 30, to Ten Free Oak Trees, National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, Neb. 684401, or join online at arborday.org.

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