Her friends describe her situation as “a mix of misfortune.”

That is an understatement.

Popular beauty salon operator Wanda Conlogue of Brownville Junction was “recently diagnosed with leukemia and has quickly begun treatment and is expecting a monthlong hospital stay,” wrote Susan Flagg, a member of American Legion Post No. 92 in that community.

“This, alone, is devastating news, but it follows on a string of misfortune for her family,” Flagg added.

That includes husband Hazen Conlogue taking early retirement, because of a heart condition, from the mill in Millinocket “but, now, due to the closing, they have lost their health insurance,” Flagg explained.

Adding to “the mix of misfortune, was a fire that completely destroyed their home and, now, this.”

“As soon as we received the news, the Legion family banded together” to help the Conlogues, Flagg wrote.

Post No. 92 will be host of a benefit dinner for Wanda Conlogue with seatings at 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at the Legion Hall on Railroad Avenue in Brownville Junction.

Advance tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under the age of 12.

Tickets at the door are $12.50 for adults and $6.50 for children.

Tickets are available from any Legion member, and someone will be at the Legion Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today selling tickets. To reserve yours, call 965-1953.

For more information about the dinner or helping the Conlogue family, call 965-7031 or 965-3631.

Greater Bangor residents are reminded to leave nonperishable food items by their mailboxes Saturday, May 10, for the annual National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive.

Items such as pasta, canned goods and peanut butter will be collected by letter carriers when they deliver your mail.

The food will be taken to the Hampden Postal Processing Facility, where it will be sorted and prepared for distribution to local food banks.

Volunteers are needed to help sort food and load trucks from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 10. If you can help, call Darryl Parker at 941-2091.

The collected food will be distributed to, among other organizations and churches, the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, Bangor Rescue Mission, Eastern Maine AIDS Network, Manna Ministries, OHI, Shaw House and Together Place.

Hampden Academy band director Pat Michaud called “to get the word out to folks about our swing dance,” which begins with instruction at 6:30 p.m. and the dance at 7:30 Saturday, May 10, at the academy.

The dance features the music of the Hampden Academy Jazz Bands, the John Bapst Jazz Band and Chuck McKay of Back Door Dance Studio who will provide dance instruction.

The dance is open to the public, and admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

Dick Andren reports Bangor Land Trust will offer a one-hour “Stream Studies” program at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 10, where you can “come and use a microscope to take a close look at the creatures that live in the Kenduskeag Stream.”

Participants will meet at 1230 Kenduskeag Ave. in Bangor. You can call Andren at 234-2706 for more information.

The number of people registered is nearly 200, but that is expected to grow when you sign up for the third annual Beth C. Wright Walk for Life.

Registration for the 5 -mile event begins at 8 a.m. and the pledge walk at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 10, at Addison Town Hall.

After the walk you can enjoy a lobster bake, with quahogs and mussels, as well as hot dogs and hamburgers. There also will be a craft fair, bounce house, dunk tank and a Chinese auction featuring more than 100 items donated by local businesses.

Proceeds benefit the Choose Life Foundation, founded by the late Beth Wright, to help cancer patients and their families in Addison and neighboring communities.

For more information, call Lynn Toppin at 483-6104 or Angel Alley at 483-2326.

The Old Town High School Jazz Ensemble will play for the Maine Chapter of Children’s International Summer Villages Fifth Annual Swing Dance and Silent Auction from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at Old Town High School.

Dance instruction begins at 7 p.m. and refreshments will be available.

Tickets are $7 for couples and $3 for students and can be purchased at the door.

Proceeds benefit Children’s International Summer Villages-Maine’s 2005 International Village in Old Town, which will bring children and leaders from 12 countries together for cultural exchange and friendship.

For more information about this event or Children’s International Summer Villages-Maine, call President Valerie Maurais at 827-7129.

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