Since 2001, pupils at Gateway Elementary School in Van Buren have been raising money to build a new playground. That’s a long time.

To date, they’ve raised $5,000 and, of that, they have brought in $1,300 by collecting empty laser and inkjet cartridges and used cell phones and sending them to FundingFactory.

Through that Erie, Pa., organization, GES pupils receive points for contributions, which can be turned into cash for projects.

Strong supporters of this aspect of the project include Katahdin Trust Co., St. Bruno-St. Remi Roman Catholic Church, Herbert’s Rexall Pharmacy and Dr. Charles M. Plourde, all of Van Buren; and Farm Credit of Maine and Robert Thompson, both of Presque Isle.

Business owners who want to help GES pupils earn the recreational equipment they need can do so with the help of the FundingFactory Business Support Program.

The program will send each supporting business free, postage-paid shipping boxes for the return of collected cartridges and cell phones.

More information about supporting this program can be obtained by visiting www.FundingFactory.com or calling toll-free, (888) 883-8237.

Community and business supporters also can drop off cartridges and cell phones at Gateway Elementary School, 3 Wright St., Van Buren, or receive more information by calling Brenda Deveau at 868-5469.

Through Monday, Jan. 31, you can help tsunami victims by sending donations to Maine Credit Union League Tsunami Relief, P.O. Box 1236, Portland 04104.

All funds raised through its People Helping People Catch Relief campaign will be sent to the World Forum of Fisher People in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Centre for Development Facilitation.

Craig Pendleton, a board member of St. Joseph’s Credit Union in York County, is also affiliated with the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, and it was his work that resulted in this combined effort to help people of fishing communities affected by the December tsunami disaster in Asia and Africa.

The Piscataquis Regional YMCA Fencing Club will hold its first Novice Fencing Tournament beginning with registration at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at SeDoMoCha Middle School in Dover-Foxcroft.

Open to all fencers with less than two years of experience, it will feature two age groups: 12 and under and 13 and older.

If there is enough interest, saber and epee competitions may be conducted.

Registration for each category is $10.

To help plan the event, preregistration is strongly encouraged. Checks can be made payable to Cleon Grover, P.O. Box 436, Corinna 04928. For more information, call Grover at 278-5076 or e-mail cleon1@tds.net.

Today many people are turning to hospices for support in times of terminal illnesses, creating a great demand for volunteers participating in this much-needed support service. The next training of volunteers for Hospice of St. Joseph in Bangor begins in March, and the deadline for volunteer applications is Saturday, Feb. 12.

HSJ services are available to terminally ill individuals living at home, residents of a long-care facility or in any other setting.

The individual and family is cared for by a hospice team consisting of the attending physician, nurse, social worker, spiritual adviser, medical director, home health aides and trained volunteers. Volunteers provide emotional and spiritual support for patients and families by offering help, friendship, companionship and bereavement support.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer for Hospice of St. Joseph, call 262-1810 or (800) 646-5000 by the February deadline.

Shelby Hanchera of Muskegon, Mich., “a little town on the shore of Lake Michigan,” is hoping she can break the record of 200 letters one student received after a request for letters from various states last year.

Shelby plays softball, volleyball and hockey, and wrote, “I couldn’t live without music.”

“I listen to rock,” she wrote, but she also listens “to ’80s bands with my mother.”

And while Shelby admits she doesn’t like doing homework, “I love going to school,” and she is an honor roll pupil. The eighth-grader attends Orchard View Middle School, which has approximately 750 pupils, and reports that “our varsity football team” won a state championship this school year.

“Everyone in the class is writing to a different state,” Shelby explained, “and we are going to record the responses on our map. I hope I get hundreds of responses from the readers of your paper. Thank you very much.”

Send your letters to Shelby Hanchera, Orchard View Middle School, 35 South Sheridan, Muskegon, Mich. 49442.

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