Immediately after Iran’s devastating Dec. 26 earthquake, which leveled more than half the houses and a 2,000-year-old citadel in the city of Bam, Orono pharmacist Ali Aghamoosa was trying to find out whether his family and friends were all right.

It took awhile, but the good news, he told me this week, is that “my family is all fine and OK.”

He does, however, have classmates who suffered losses in the 5:30 a.m. quake in which at least 41,000 people died.

Aghamoosa, who was born in Tehran, came to the United States in 1977 as a 19-year-old student and earned a degree in pharmacology at Texas Southern University in Houston.

Four years ago, Aghamoosa opened the Orono Pharmacy. He has not visited Iran since 1999, but he is in touch with family and friends and is doing all he can to help those in his homeland by establishing a fund for the victims.

Aghamoosa first set out jars in his pharmacy to collect donations for what he called the Bam City Earthquake Relief Fund.

Now, he said, that fund has been formally established as a nonprofit fund to which anyone can make a donation, either directly at the Orono Pharmacy or at any Fleet Bank branch office or by mail to any Fleet Bank office.

“Any contribution is tax-deductible,” Aghamoosa said, and all the money collected through this fund “will go to another nonprofit” organization that will see to it that the collected money “goes from here to there,” he explained.

Aghamoosa said he is not collecting the money in the name of any individual, but to help the thousands of people in the midst of this tragic situation in his homeland.

He said he felt he should do anything he could to provide assistance to those in need.

The containers are still in his pharmacy, for those who want to contribute to the relief fund there.

Otherwise, visit any Fleet Bank branch and ask to contribute to the Bam City Earthquake Relief Fund.

People from all over Maine volunteer to participate each fall in the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks that are held in Portland, Brunswick and Damariscotta.

In preparation for those events, the society’s New England division will hold a kickoff meeting for the Greater Portland Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk from 5:45 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, in Classroom 5 at the Dana Center of Maine Medical Center in Portland.

The meeting is open not only to those who have volunteered before, but to those who want to join or form a team and participate this year.

Peggy Markson of the society’s New England division office in Topsham also wants you to know that, if you are unable to get to Portland for this meeting, you may call the society to volunteer and receive information about any of the three walks scheduled for fall.

This year’s Portland walk is Oct. 17 at Fort Williams Park.

For information, call Markson or Donna Muto at the American Cancer Society (800) 464-3102 and press 3, or call 373-3703.

Folks Down East are invited to enjoy “The Eve of St. Agnes” and other poems by John Keats at 7 p.m. on St. Agnes’ Eve, Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Leisures by the Sea, 66 Water St. in Eastport.

The reading is free and open to the public.

According to reading host Jonathan Sisson, “The Eve of St. Agnes” is a marvelous poetic work by Keats, relating the story of the medieval damsel Madeline, who falls asleep after preparing for “a blissful dream vision of her true love.”

This reading will be preceded by other poems by Keats, Sisson added.

He invites you to come and read your favorite, and wants you to know that texts will be available.

Sisson also requests that you let him know as soon as possible what you’d like to read, as some poems have been taken already.

“Or,” he suggests, “simply come and listen to a few immortal sonnets and odes and a gorgeous love story of ‘ages long ago.'”

You can call Sisson at 853-4574 or e-mail jbsisson@midmaine.com.

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