The first Friends of Upward Bound Art Auction, “Artists and Artisans,” is from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 30, at Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono.

Proceeds benefit the Upward Bound Scholarship Fund at the University of Maine in Orono for low-income and first-generation students heading to college in the fall.

To attend, reservations must be made today by calling (800) 581-2522.

Admission is $15 per person.

Greg Murray, chairman of the Friends group and a 1977 Upward Bound graduate who is now the assistant for marketing for Maine Window and Sunroom in Brewer, told me, “We’ve never had to fund-raise before.”

Upward Bound, which began at Maine in 1966, he said, originally received $80,000 in annual federal funds, providing each qualifying high school senior $2,000 of financial aid for college.

That federal program no longer exists, he said, “so we’re out fund raising to cover the gap in the family contribution.”

This is, perhaps, one reason some wonderful artists and artisans have agreed to help with this auction for which Dr. Anne Pooler and Dr. Cliff Rosen will serve as hosts.

Linda Ives, Upward Bound director, reports donations have been received from sculptor Forest Hart, Walt Disney “Bambi” illustrator Maurice “Jake” Day, and original “smiley-face” artist Harvey Ball and his daughter Jackie Stein.

Other contributors include artists Tom Hennessey and Wallace Nutting; photographer Alan Stubbs, and weavers Sarah Hotchkiss and Ron King.

Gail Pittman has contributed a handmade pitcher, and another Upward Bound graduate, Chief Barry Dana, has contributed a handmade birch-bark basket.

All items can be viewed at www.ume.Maine.edu/fub/.

The Sherman Recreation Department is sponsoring a homecoming for members of the National Guard’s 112th Medical Company who recently served overseas, beginning with a potluck dinner at 1 p.m. and welcoming ceremonies at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at its facility in Sherman.

Walt McAllister of East Eddington, the Department of Maine VFW junior vice commander, will be the guest speaker, and prayers will be led by department VFW chaplain Andre Dumas of Caribou.

The Sherman VFW and Auxiliary “adopted” the 112th Medical Company, and that “adoption certificate” will be presented to the company during the event.

No admission fee will be charged, but donations will be accepted for care packages for members of the Guard’s 152nd Field Artillery unit deployed in Iraq.

For information, call 365-6288 or 365-4832.

Last February, 16-year-old Taylor Bishop of Penobscot received a kidney transplant.

Today he’s enjoying spring vacation, but the George Stevens Academy junior is very happy he has been able to return to classes at his Blue Hill school.

Taylor is the son of Janet Allen of Penobscot and Timothy Bishop of Bucksport.

Audrey Peasley of Brooksville told me this week that “the entire community, everybody, every club,” has joined together for a benefit supper for Taylor Bishop with sittings at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at the Penobscot Methodist Church “right in the village.”

Donations for the benefit are $6 for adults and $3 for children.

Proceeds will help with expenses incurred by Taylor’s transplant and his previous and subsequent medical treatments.

For information or if you cannot attend but would like to help, call Sandra Wight at 326-8617.

A special GI breakfast to benefit the family of the Sgt. Nick Golding, who was killed in February while on active duty in Afghanistan, is being hosted by the Franklin Veterans Club from 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday April 24, at the club on Route 182 in Franklin.

Mike Heyden reports the event and additional donations will benefit Golding’s widow, Heidi (Christiansen) Golding and his two young sons, Christopher and Bailey.

The breakfast will consist of “an authentic military chow line, complete with stainless steel mess trays,” Heyden wrote of the “typical U.S. Armed Forces breakfast menu” that includes two kinds of chipped beef.

Donations are $5.50 for adults, $4 for children under age 12. Additional donations for the family will be gratefully accepted.

For more information, visit www.franklinmaine.net, call Heyden at 565-4498 or call Jim Haskell at 565-2725.

The Maine Federation of Women’s Clubs District 1 High School Art Contest is on display at the Cup and Easel on Main Street in Dover-Foxcroft, reports Merna Dunham of Milo.

Four pieces will be selected for the annual MFWC meeting in May. The public is invited to attend the award presentation from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 25, at Cup and Easel.

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