All too often, when writing a column of this type, the news is not so good.

Fortunately, for former Orono High School hockey, baseball and soccer player Michael Merritt Jr., 19, just the opposite is true.

Last May 13, while a student at Husson College in Bangor, Mike Merritt was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

His mother, Juanita Merritt of Orono, told me the family had prepared for the worst but, on May 29, when her son came out of surgery, the family received the best of news: the brain tumor was benign.

Mike is now well into the recovery stage and hopes to attend Eastern Maine Community College in the fall.

In the meantime, friends of the Merritts are planning a fund-raiser to help with medical expenses incurred by Mike’s surgery. The Michael Merritt Jr. Street Dance is 2-6 p.m. Saturday, July 12, behind the Orono Police Station at Asa Adams School in Orono.

Making an appearance as the special guest disc jockey will be Corey Skall of radio station 107.3 FM.

Admission is $5 per person, and children under 12 who are accompanied by an adult will be admitted free.

At the dance, you will be able to purchase hamburgers, hot dogs, sodas and chips.

Whether you like to dance or not, you are invited to bring a comfortable chair or blanket and enjoy the fun.

And, if all goes well, his mother said, “Mike will be there” to thank you in person for your kind and generous support.

If you are unable to attend, but would like to help Mike, call fund-raiser organizer Brenda Manzo at 866-2254.

The annual meeting of the Franklin Historical Society, at 7 tonight at the FHS on Route 200 in Franklin, will feature an unusual twist that should attract a few more attendees.

For your annual meeting entertainment, the Maine Women’s Balkan Choir, which includes FHS President Irene Obermann, will perform, in costume, singing folk songs from the Balkan countries.

If this isn’t what small-town America is all about, I don’t know what is.

Members of the Brownville Junction American Legion, its Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion, invite you to join them at an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 12, in Brownville Junction.

The guest of honor will be U.S. Marine Sgt. DJ Martin, son Donald and Christine Martin of Brownville Junction.

Sgt. Martin, who is stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., recently returned from a six-month tour of duty in Nasiriyah with the 2nd Battalion 8th Marines.

Martin and his wife, the former Stacey Whiting of LaGrange, are the proud parents of two sons.

The Brownville Junction American Legion cordially invites you to join them in welcoming home Sgt. Martin, and thanking him for his effort in the fight against terrorism.

You can hear the Brewer Hometown Band in concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at Sunset Park in South Brewer near the Pendleton Street School.

Steve Hoekstra and everyone associated with the Nokomis High School Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo Band hope you are saving your returnable bottles and cans for them.

The musicians, who are going to Hawaii next April, will canvass neighborhoods on Saturday, July 12, to collect returnables. If you are not going to be home, you can still leave returnables on your doorstep for the group.

The young people will be collecting bottles and cans in Etna, Dixmont, St. Albans, Plymouth, Corinna, Hartland, Newport and Palmyra.

If you have questions about this fund-raiser, or about how you can help the musicians get to Hawaii, call Hoekstra at 368-5570.

The public is invited to join the 25th anniversary celebration of the Hancock Historical Society from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 12, in Hancock.

“Downstairs, we will have a series of displays of [newspaper] articles of programs of the past,” explained curator Lois Johnson.

“People then can come upstairs and go through the exhibits, if they want to. We have 1,600 file folders up there!”

Local author Sandy Phippen, who wrote “The Sun Never Sets on Hancock Point,” will be available to discuss the history of the area, and refreshments will be offered.

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