Bangor

More writers

The Bangor Writers’ Group, which meets each Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Borders Books and Music, is seeking new members who write fiction and nonfiction. Call Karl Norton at 947-7248 for more information.

Popcorn Nights

River City Cinema Society and Borders Books and Music have formed a cultural partnership to present Popcorn Nights, showing the films “Winged Migration” at 7:30 tonight, and “Whale Rider” at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29, on a large screen television provided by Rent-A-Center. The films are shown free of charge.

River City Cinema Society is a nonprofit organization whose aim is to bring diverse films to Bangor, to develop exhibits that focus on the history and techniques of the cinema arts, and to develop visual literacy programs for educators.

Children’s museum grant

The Maine Discovery Museum has received a $4,000 grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation to create a new museum membership category for public libraries. The project, “Pass it On! Reading and Fun,” will enable families who visit public libraries to “check out” a pass for free admission to the children’s museum.

“This is a wonderful partnership,” said Maine Discovery Museum Executive Director Andrea Stark. “The King Foundation has long been a valued supporter of our schools and public libraries, and the children’s museum, too, encourages family literacy and honors children’s books through its annual Time of Wonder Award and Festival. Books and museums together open doors to children’s dreams and aspirations.”

In its first year, Pass it On! Reading and Fun will provide memberships to 10 public libraries. Major goals of the program are to make the children’s museum accessible to all families and to encourage children to develop a lifelong habit of visiting local libraries.

For information about library or other memberships to Maine Discovery Museum, call Andrea Stark at 262-7200, or e-mail her at astark@mainediscoverymuseum.org.

Rape Response volunteers

Rape Response Services will offer a free training session Feb. 5-26 for those who wish to make a difference in the community.

After completing the training, volunteers take shifts on the 24-hour crisis hotline. Volunteers should be good listeners and have an interest in helping people.

For 16 years Rape Response Services has offered aid to those in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties who are affected by sexual assault.

For more information, call 941-2980 or e-mail rrscsc@raperesponseservices.com.

New theater guild

BANGOR – Those with a passion for theater now have a new way to indulge it. The Penobscot Theatre Company will hold the first meeting of Center Stage Theatre Guild at noon today at the Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St.

Participants will hear about actors’ experiences creating a live performance. Speakers will be Alex Cherington, Kae Cooney, Ginger Grace and Rob Gallavan, the cast of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” Penobscot Theatre’s current offering.

To learn more about Center Stage Theatre Guild, call Kristine Welch at 947-6618, or e-mail kristine@penobscottheatre.org.

Martin Luther King Day

The film “Martin Luther King: An Amazing Grace” will be shown and discussed at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, at Bangor Theological Seminary’s Wellman Commons. The event also will include a sing-along with Rabbi Larry Midler at 5:30 p.m. and a pot luck supper at 6 p.m.

The documentary film, produced by African-Americans, chronicles King’s role in the events that surrounded the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

The celebration marks King’s birthday and is sponsored by the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine and Bangor Theological Seminary.

At the event, tickets will be on sale for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Keeping the Dream Alive breakfast set for 8:30-10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at Wells Conference Center at the University of Maine. To learn more, call the Peace and Justice Center at 942-9343.

Winter Weekend

Whether or not the weather cooperates, Winter Weekend is set for Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 12-15, to coincide with the first weekend of high school basketball tournaments at Bangor auditorium.

Highlights of the weekend include:

. The Bangor Museum and Center for History Maine Basketball Wall of Fame, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, 6 State St.

. Banff Mountain Film Festival, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Bangor High School Peakes Auditorium.

. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 12-15, Penobscot Theatre Company, Bangor Opera House.

. Unveiling of the giant snowman, 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, Whig and Courier Pub.

. Father-Daughter Valentine Dance, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, Bangor Civic Center.

. Chilifest, noon Saturday, Feb. 14, Whig and Courier Pub, West Market Square.

. Ice sculpture demonstration, noon, Thursday, Feb. 14, Sea Dog Restaurant.

. First sled dog race on the waterfront, 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. The event will benefit the homeless shelter.

. Open house at Bangor Symphony Orchestra offices, 51A Main St., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15.

. Maine Discovery Museum celebrates its third birthday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15.

Snow sculptures also are on the agenda, and piles of snow will be available Feb. 11 at Hannibal Hamlin and Norumbega parks. Participants have until 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 13, to complete a snow sculpture.

Master gardener training

The Penobscot County Extension office has announced the 2004 Master Gardener training program. The training will concentrate on growing food crops.

Instruction also will include basic soils, botany and pest management training. The Master Gardener training program fee is $80. Participants will receive a reference manual, opportunity to interact with other gardeners and opportunities to work on various volunteer projects.

Forty hours of volunteer time is required of each trainee as part of the overall program.

The program begins Feb, 3. Application deadline is Jan. 16.

Application packets for the program may be obtained by calling the Penobscot County Extension Office at 942-7396 or (800) 287-1485.

FEMA grant

Penobscot County has been chosen to receive $75,848 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the area. The selection was made by a national board led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Council of Jewish Federations, Catholic Charities, National Council of Churches of Christ and United Way of America, which will provide administrative staff and function as fiscal agent. The board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country.

A local board, led by John Bragg of N.H. Bragg & Sons, will determine how funds awarded to Penobscot County are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service organizations in Penobscot County. The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive the funds and any additional funds available under this phase of the program.

Under the terms of the grant from the national board, local governmental or private voluntary organizations chosen to receive funds must be non-profit, have an accounting system or a fiscal agent approved by the local board, practice nondiscrimination, have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and-or shelter programs, and if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board. Qualifying organizations are urged to apply.

United Way of Eastern Maine administers the program for Penobscot County. Last year 18 agencies received funding to provide emergency food and shelter in Penobscot County as a result of FEMA funding.

Further information about the program may be obtained by calling United Way of Eastern Maine at 941-2800 no later than Jan. 16.

Live jazz performance

Maine Public Radio will air a live jazz performance at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, as part of its Friday Night Jazz with Rich Tozier weekly program.

Trumpeter Mike Mitchell will bring his trio into the Bangor studio for a live broadcast. He will be joined by guitarist Dave Clarke and bassist Herb Maine.

The public is invited to attend. To reserve a seat, call Rich Tozier to reserve seat at (800) 884-1717, Ext. 3095 or e-mail rtozier@mpbc.org.

Milford

Snowmobile poker run

The Pine Tree Snowmobile Club will conduct a poker run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25. Prizes include awards of $100, $50 and $25, and gift certificates from Pat’s Pizza, RL Enterprises, Pine Tree S.C., Appearance Car Wash, Precision Wheel and others.

Those not riding may obtain poker hands at the clubhouse on Outer Call road. To learn more about the poker run, call Dana Carson at 827-7066.

Old Town

Caring for children

The Penquis Community Action Program Resource Development Center will be offering 30 hours of training in “Caring for Infants, Toddlers and Their Families.”

Classes will be held 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays, and 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturdays, Jan. 27-Feb. 17, at the Penquis CAP Old Town Head Start-Child Care Center, 89 Middle St.

Maine Roads to Quality training covers the unique aspects of providing child-care for infants and toddlers in a home- or center-based setting. The focus will be on establishing parent-provider relationships, understanding temperament, developing a curriculum, and setting up and maintaining developmentally appropriate environments.

There is a $10 registration fee, with no refunds. Current child-care providers may apply to the Resource Development Center’s Scholarship Fund for reimbursement of this fee. To register, call 941-2840. Registration fees should be mailed to Penquis CAP RDC, 120 Cleveland St., Bangor.

Orono

Tales of the Abnaki

The Maine Folklife Center at the University of Maine has just published “Katahdin Wigwam’s Tales of the Abnaki Tribes” by Mary Alice Nelson, also known as Molly Spotted Elk.

Doctor’s talk on Iraq

The Evensay Project will feature “The War in Iraq: A Doctor’s Report on the Impact on Civilians” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Orono Public Library. The presentation and discussion will be led by family physician Dr. Peter Millard. He will talk about the current health situation in Iraq and the likely long-term consequences resulting from U.S. intervention there.

Millard has experience working in war zones and has seen first-hand the destructive effects of war on the civilian population and especially on women and children. Contrary to popular belief, he said, modern, high-tech weapons are even more damaging to civilian populations than older conventional weapons. The use of cluster bombs by the U.S. military has been particularly lethal to children in Iraq.

Millard’s talk is the second event presented by the Evensay Project and the first of the project’s Library Lyceum Series. The Evensay Project offers events to inform and inspire, and makes use of multiple community venues.

Events at the Orono Public Library are featured as the Library Lyceum; those at the Church of Universal Fellowship are Fellowship Forums; those at the Orono Town Council Chambers are Chamber Chats.

The Evensay Project encourages community members to attend, speak up and get involved. Future topics of the project will include health care, the environment, multicultural events and events featuring the performing arts. To learn more about the Evensay Project, write Mary Phillips or Connie Carter, c/o Operation Breaking Stereotypes, Box 633, Orono, ME 04473.

Contra dance, art auction

R.E.A.C.H. will hold its second annual contra dance for hope and silent art auction at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, at Union Central at the University of Maine. Fiddle and guitar duo Jaige Trudel and Adam Broome of Snapdragon will provide music. Joe Dupere will do the calling. A beginner’s warm-up session begins at 7:30 p.m.

The dance benefits R.E.A.C.H., a UMaine student group working with nonprofit organizations to bring awareness of global issues to the local community. This year the organization is working with Sustainable Harvest International to address issues of poverty and deforestation in Central America. To obtain more information, call Sarah Kennedy at 866-3913, or e-mail sarah.kennedy@umit.maine.edu.

Statewide

Maine Libraries Week

The statewide library awareness campaign, “Maine Libraries: Something for Everyone,” is gaining momentum with a new Web site, www.mainelibraries.com, a series of public relations and advertising initiatives, and a proclamation by Gov. John Baldacci declaring Jan. 12-16 as Maine Libraries Week.

Launched in April 2003, the public awareness campaign targets people who rarely or never use the library, as well as existing users who are often unaware of all a library offers. The campaign is funded by a $24,000 New Century Community Grant, and private donations, and encompasses more than 274 public libraries, 857 school libraries, 108 special libraries and 40 post-secondary school libraries statewide.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin