Promising attendees items that area residents have never seen before, supporters of the Bangor Museum and Center for History invite you to see for yourself by attending a silent and live auction beginning with the silent auction at 7 p.m. and the live auction at 8 p.m. Friday, April 23, in the Chateau Ballroom of Norumbega Hall in Bangor.

A sneak preview for early birds is scheduled for 3-5 p.m.

Sponsors of the museum fund-raiser are Merrill Bank, Bagel Central, Town & Country Realtors, Sea Dog Banquet Center and the Bangor Daily News.

Robert Croul has donated his services as auctioneer for this special event.

Among the items going to the highest bidder, reports Sally Bates, are a three-hour ride-along with a member of the Bangor Police Department, fly-fishing lessons with Kelly Cotiaux, ski lessons with David Hughes and research and a report on a historic home by BMCH deputy director Sara Martin.

Bates wrote that significant auction items have been donated by “some of the area’s finest antique dealers.”

You will find original paintings of important Bangor landmarks, a Japanese painted ginger jar, Woodstock memorabilia, a Hannibal Hamlin photograph and many more interesting items too numerous to list!

Tickets are $25 per person and are available in advance by calling BMCH at 942-1900, or at the door.

You are encouraged to bring your special treasures for appraisal at St. Joseph Hospital Auxiliary’s first Antique and Collectible Fair from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17, at Spectacular Event Center, 395 Griffin Road in Bangor.

Appraisers and their specialties include Bruce Buxton, general antiques, art, glass, ceramics and silver; Elizabeth Turner, jewelry; Douglas Harding, books, manuscripts, maps and prints; Paul Zebiak, American and European coins, medals, bouillon, paper currency, watches and political memorabilia; and Stephen Saliba, hand-woven Oriental rugs.

Proceeds benefit Helen’s Gift Shop at the hospital.

The public is invited to enjoy the music of the young Center Drive Singers as they present “Land of the Free: A Musical Salute to America,” at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 18, at East Orrington Congregational Church, 38 Johnson Mill Road.

There is no charge to attend.

Church member Mona Spain of Bucksport reports a “reception and refreshments will follow the concert in Carlson Hall.”

After its fifth classical concert of the season, Bangor Symphony Orchestra and UnitedKingfield Bank are hosting “Good Fortune,” a silent auction, 5-7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 18, in the Buchanan Alumni House on the University of Maine campus in Orono.

Admission is $35 per person, and reservations can be made by calling the BSO at (800) 639-3221 or 942-5555.

Auction items include a 2004 Subaru Outback from Stanley Subaru in Ellsworth, a two-bedroom vacation time share at Acadia Village Resorts and, in keeping with the theme in honor of BSO’s conductor, Maestro Xiao-Lu Li, many items are from China.

NAMI Bangor Affiliate, the local chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, is offering a free, 12-week Family-to-Family Course, 6-8:30 p.m. beginning Wednesday, April 21, and running through Wednesday, July 7, in the Penobscot Room of Acadia Hospital on Stillwater Avenue in Bangor.

Among other topics, the program will focus on schizophrenia, bipolar and depressive disorders, anxiety, panic and obsessive illnesses.

The program is taught by NAMI-trained family members and guest speakers.

All course materials will be provided, and refreshments will be served at each meeting.

To register, call Nancy Grimes at 223-5686.

“Citizens of Greater Bangor have made contributions” to the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter “in almost every way imaginable,” writes executive director Dennis Marble of the organization’s “long history of relying on and benefiting from the support of volunteers.”

And that is why BAHS “sets aside one evening, each year, to recognize the efforts of these good people,” he said.

This year’s annual Volunteer Recognition Evening is 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22, at All Souls Congregational Church on Broadway in Bangor.

The informal gathering, which offers “volunteers the opportunity to relax and get to know each other,” Marble wrote, will include a “stone soup” dinner with “some brief, special recognition presentations.”

Marble hopes as many shelter volunteers as possible will attend, and wants anyone reading this column who knows someone who might not have received an invitation to call the shelter staff at 947-0092 so that invitation can be extended.

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