What a grand adventure third-, fourth- and fifth-grade pupils at Brooksville Elementary School are planning.

With your support and their hard work, commitments have already been made for about a third of the funds they need to take a multicurriculum trip to Alaska in March 2005.

To help them take advantage of this opportunity, wrote Brooksville staff member Rick Alexander, the pupils will be seeking donations at a Flash in the Pans steel band concert at 7 p.m. Monday, July 12, across from Bucks Harbor Market on Route 175 in South Brooksville.

Alexander wrote that, under the direction of teacher Nada Lepper, the pupils are working hard to raise the necessary funds because they understand “every dollar they collect gets them a little closer to their destination.”

Supporters of this marvelous opportunity are continuing to assist the pupils in fund raising and obtaining grants.

If you cannot attend this event but want to help, call Lepper at 359-2096.

Marjorie Smith and fellow church members handpicked all the strawberries you will find at a strawberry supper from 4:30 to 6 p.m. today at Grace Linn Memorial Church on Commercial Street in Hartland.

The meal, consisting of sliced ham, potato salad and “lots of strawberries,” Smith said, is $6 for adults and $3 for children.

Proceeds benefit the church building improvement fund.

Visitors in the Bangor area seeking a taste of our small-town Maine lifestyle can attend a baked-bean supper from 4:45 to 6 p.m. today at Veazie Congregational Church, 1404 State St.

Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children.

The supper’s theme is a continuing celebration of Independence Day. There is a door prize, and you also can make your own ice-cream sundaes for dessert.

Proceeds benefit the work of this small congregation to maintain its church, which is handicapped accessible.

Kayak enthusiast Sen. Susan Collins of Bangor, owner of two Old Town kayaks, will participate in some first-day activities of Canoe Hullabaloo, which runs from Sunday, July 11, through Saturday, July 17, at Riverfront Park in Old Town.

The festival celebrates the lives of people in six communities along the Penobscot River, including Old Town, Alton, Bradley, Greenbush, Indian Island and Milford.

The full schedule can be found online at www.canoehullabaloo.com and more information can be obtained by calling the Old Town Public Library, 827-3972.

Next week, I’ll tell you how you can help this event break a world record.

The family of the late Donald Stewart, an avid harness-racing fan, is hosting a memorial race in his honor Sunday, July 11, at Bangor Raceway at Bass Park.

Post time is 1:30 p.m.

The family invites all those who were friends of Stewart to join them in the winner’s circle for the blanket presentation.

Carmel Elementary School Food Service Supervisor Tina Murdy called to say that the school is participating in the Summer Food Service Program.

“Meals will be provided to all children, ages 1 to 18, without charge, on a first-come, first-served basis,” she said.

“Acceptance and participation requirements for the program, and all activities, are the same for everyone, regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.”

The program serves both breakfast, 8-8:30 a.m., and lunch, 11:15-11:45 a.m., Monday through Thursday, beginning Monday, July 12, and ending Thursday, July 29, at the school.

Although the first summer concert at Ecotat Gardens in Hermon was rained out, wrote Gaynor Reynolds, a rain date has been set for the next one.

The Sweet Adelines Heart of Maine Chorus will appear at 7 p.m. Monday, July 12, at Ecotat, on Route 2 in Hermon.

The rain date is Monday, July 19, at the same site.

You should bring a lawn chair or blanket for this garden concert.

Franklin Historical Society is planning to hold a yard sale 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, July 17, at the society’s yellow schoolhouse in East Franklin, and your donations are needed.

If you have items to contribute, call Irene Obermann, 565-3336, or Helen Cantor, 565-2223.

The FHS museum is open 2-4 p.m. Thursdays through September or by calling the numbers above and making an appointment.

There is no admission, but donations are welcome.

The museum is on Hog Bay Road (Route 200) in East Franklin.

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