Crossroads Ministries in Old Town needs your help as soon as possible.

Treasurer Diane Vatne e-mailed me saying that the nonprofit organization just learned it “needs a new boiler for our ‘new’ building in Old Town.”

She went on to explain that last summer, Crossroads Ministries purchased the old Penobscot Times building in Old Town as a resource center.

That facility also includes a thrift shop, food cupboard, “and a recreation area for teens, among other services,” Vatne added. “It is ironic that we also give out heating oil assistance when we can, but the building we use to do this will not be heated … if we don’t purchase a new boiler within the next week or so.”

Vatne explained the replacement cost of a commercial boiler is approximately $6,000.

She requests anyone who can help or who can offer any ideas about how they can get a boiler donated to call Crossroads director Brenda Davis at 827-1298.

Should your response generate an outpouring of money beyond what is needed to buy a boiler, Vatne suggests “we can always use it to give people emergency fuel oil assistance or food assistance. The need out there is truly great.”

Davis requests any donations be marked “for the furnace,” and sent to Crossroads Ministries, P.O. Box 408, Old Town 04468, and she reminds you that all contributions are tax-deductible.

A benefit supper-silent auction is planned for 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at Miles Lane School in Bucksport to benefit 34-year-old Sgt. Harold Gray of Penobscot.

Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children.

Gray, a member of the Maine Army National Guard’s 133rd Engineer Battalion, has been hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., since last month, after insurgents attacked his convoy in Mosul, Iraq.

Several wives of members of the 133rd Guard unit are hosting the benefit.

According to information provided by Mike Gallant of Belfast, Gray remains in critical condition.

“It will be a long recovery period” for Gray, Gallant wrote, “and the family needs financial assistance.”

Donations can be sent to Sgt. Harold Gray, c/o Seaboard Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box G, Bucksport 04416.

Cards can be sent to him in care of his wife, Laurie Gray, Mologne House Hotel, 6900 Georgia Ave. NW, Bld. #20, Washington, D.C. 20307-5001.

Fans of University of Maine hockey are in for a treat between periods of the men’s game against Northeastern University at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at Alfond Arena on the Orono campus.

A team of University of Maine Business School faculty is challenging the University of Maine women’s hockey team to a 10-minute broomball game to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine HealthCare.

The goal is to raise $5,000 for the organization that provides a variety of medical services for children in eastern, central and northern Maine.

Gov. John Baldacci and family will serve as coaches for the faculty team, and interim UMaine President Robert Kennedy and family will coach the women’s team.

The game will take place during the two five-minute intermissions.

Throughout the game, volunteers at Buchanan Alumni House will take telephone pledges at 581-4880.

Additionally, business school students will collect donations across the Orono campus before and during the game, and several prizes will be awarded during the game.

Because of inclement weather, Brother Don and Brother Kenneth of Friars Bakehouse on Center Street in Bangor have rescheduled their “Haiti Presentation” to this Sunday, Jan. 30, at St. John’s Episcopal Church on French Street in Bangor.

With your help, last November the brothers went to Haiti to lend assistance in the wake of Hurricane Jeanne, which left hundreds of thousands there homeless.

The Haiti Presentation will include a sermon at the 10 a.m. service, to which the public is invited, as well as an audiovisual recap of their trip after the service.

Helen King of Bangor wrote to thank her “friends for their outpouring of sympathy and comforting notes” concerning the death of her husband, Kenneth King, who died Jan. 7 at the age of 90.

She added that her husband was one of three remaining members of the 1932 Orono High School football team “that boasted being undefeated and unscored on.

“The other two are Frederick Burpee of Orono, and Leonard Page of Bangor.

“Great old guys!”

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