These are difficult days for the Steve Norris family of Orrington as they cope with the problems their 10-year-old daughter is experiencing.

Emily Norris recently was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation, known as AVM, said Ed Hackett, the assistant principal of James F. Doughty School in Bangor.

Steve Norris is the music director for that school as well as music director for the William S. Cohen School and the Fairmount and Mary Snow schools in Bangor.

Arteriovenous malformation, according to information on the Internet, affects arteries, veins and capillaries of the brain, which can rupture at any time, making the disease a life-threatening one.

Emily, who attends Calvary Chapel School in Orrington, has undergone major surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, Hackett said, and spent 16 days in intensive care.

She was able to come home for one week, but she had to return to the hospital last week, where she is being constantly monitored while she awaits further surgery.

During this trying period, the family has been receiving a great deal of support from members of the community, Hackett said, and a special effort to help them financially is coming right up.

A benefit supper and silent auction for the Norris family begins with the viewing of silent auction items at 5 p.m. and the dinner at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, at Doughty School on Fifth Street in Bangor.

Admission is $5 per person or $10 for families. Tickets are available at the door or can be purchased at any of the four schools mentioned.

Hackett said there are many wonderful items up for bid, including a $700 diamond necklace from Quality Jewelers, a $200 string of pearls from G.M. Pollack & Sons and several store gift certificates.

“We also have Celtics tickets, for four on the floor,” Hackett said, “overnights at hotels in Portland and Bangor, Six Flags tickets, and certificates for things like oil and lubes from automobile companies.”

Kansas City Royals baseball player and Bangor resident Matt Stairs has made a donation to the silent auction, and others have contributed prints, Hackett said.

If you are unable to attend the benefit but would like to help, Hackett said, contributions can be made to the Norris Family Benefit Fund at Merrill Merchants Bank in Bangor.

A hearty “well done” to the 135 people who, reports Iris Simon, “braved the frigid temperatures to attend Week #4 of Healthy Hancock’s Lose and Win” program last Thursday at The Grand in Ellsworth.

The Weigh We Were grabbed that week’s Victory Stick for most weight loss followed by The Bloomin’ Optimists, Downsizers 11, Give It Up, Diet Divas, Lean Generation Babes and the Downeast Treads.

Through Friday, Jan. 28, the 51 teams had accumulated a loss of 1,837 pounds.

Simon wrote the Week No. 5 program is at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, at the American Legion Hall in Trenton.

Attendees will hear Melissa Frye of nutrition services for Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth, “who will give us hard facts on fad diets.”

“Robin Steward will do Interval and Circuit Training for the physical activity portion of the program,” Simon added.

All programs are open to the public for $2 per person and free for wearers of Lose and Win buttons.

A benefit supper is planned for Lois Johnson of Dover-Foxcroft, whom many of you may know as the office manager for Snow’s Saw Shop in Atkinson.

Johnson is undergoing her second round of treatment for breast cancer.

The supper is 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds dining hall on Fairview Avenue in Dover-Foxcroft.

The menu features baked beans, hot dogs, rolls, coleslaw, assorted salads, desserts, coffee and punch.

A donation of $5 per person would be appreciated.

Those school requests just keep coming.

This one is from 10-year-old Leora, a fifth-grader at Conway School in Conway, Wash.

Leora wrote she “would really like to visit Maine some day” because her family loves “seafood and I hear Maine has some delicious lobster.”

She also likes “to swim and collect shells, rocks and sea glass,” and wants to know “What type of treasures can you expect to find on the beaches in Maine?”

Leora also wants to know about our weather and our sea life.

Anyone interested in helping Leora with this project can write Mrs. Kelly’s Class Project, Conway School, 19710 State Route 534, Conway, Wash., 98238.

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